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Hoplophobes

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplophobia

Holophobia: a pejorative^[1] neologism originally coined to describe an "irrational aversion to weapons, as opposed to justified apprehension about those who may wield them."^[2] It is sometimes used more generally to describe the "fear of weapons"^[3][4] or the "highly salient danger of these weapons " ^[5] or the "fear of armed citizens".^[6]

I once had a conversation with a friend that clearly displayed his hoplophobia.  We had attended a Christian Promisekeepers conference in Houston where we'd driven up there and back with a group of friends.  One of these friends, the nicest elderly fellow you could ever hope to meet, is a long time CCW permit holder named 'Lee'.  The other was a friend I'll call 'Joe'.  We all went to the same church.  We all had known each other at this time for well over 2 years.  

On the way back, I noticed Joe insisted on sitting in the backseat with me despite the fact he'd ridden up to Houston in the front seat.  I didn't think that was unusual until we were at a convenience store buying snacks and using the rest room.  It became apparent Joe did not want to get within 10 feet of Lee.  Then he waited until Lee was in the front seat behind the wheel before carefully climbing into the back seat, keeping his eyes on Lee the entire time.  

Now this was about a 4 hour trip.  After the convenience store, I'm noticing Joe is staring up at Lee in the front seat and it's a FEARFUL stare.  I could not for the life of me figure out what was going on.  

It was not until weeks later in a casual conversation Joe told me he no longer wanted anything to do with Lee because he was a 'bad person'.  I asked him how he knew this, and Joe told me while we were in Houston for the Promisekeepers conference, he had seen a GUN inside Lee's jacket while we dined in a restaurant there.

Now I had to suppress a laugh.  I'd known Lee for about 8 years at that point.  Been to his house shooting often.  I had thought it was well known he carried.  But Joe had not known this.  So I asked him, "Lee's having a concealed carry permit, why is that a problem? How does that make him a bad person?"

And Joe said something I'll never forget.  This fearful look came over his face, and he blurted out: "What if he'd pulled out that gun and shot us all?"

I was absolutely floored by this.  Joe had know Lee for 2 years at the time.  He had driven up there with Lee driving the car right next to him talking and laughing, etc. and had not had a problem in the world.  But while we were in Houston he discovered Lee had a handgun on him and it totally freaked him out.  He had fearfully driven back the entire trip expecting Lee to pull that gun at any moment.  

I now quickly discovered there is no RATIONAL way to cure a hoplophobe simply with oral argument.  I asked Joe: 

1. Have you ever seen Lee do anything crazy?
2. Ever seen Lee lose his temper, have an emotional outburst?
3. You realize you were putting your life in Lee's hands having him drive you up to Houston and back in a car, right? So why wouldn't you trust him with a gun?
4.  You realize the only way Lee would have EVER have pulled that gun would have been to defend himself and us?  

It was very telling that the only way Joe could picture Lee using that gun was on HIM.  No matter what I said, he was convinced Lee was a 'bad person' because only 'bad people' carry weapons.  

This brings to mind the recent spat of hoplophobia following the Newtown CT. massacre.  Many are now once again pretending like law-abiding gun owners are this huge problem that needs 'fixing'.  

The Left recoiled in horror when Wayne LaPierre suggest using armed guards in schools.  Not really on a 'we can't afford that' basis but almost totally on a 'OMFG, guns in schools! Ahhhhh!' basis.  

Yes, let's make a completely rational argument that people you trust to supervise and have control of your kids for 8-12 hours everyday simply CAN'T be trusted with guns.  

This is the same stupid hoplophobic argument that was made after 9-11 when the Left got the vapors and had to lie down after it was suggested that airline pilots be armed.  

We were told by these pontificating jackasses that you could only trust these pilots insofar as it came to putting your life in their hands to fly planes high up there in the air for thousands of miles, but trust these people with a GUN?  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  Why, they might SHOOT YOU while you were getting off the plane! 

So here we are again, another tragic event being seized  upon for a political agenda.  They are all hot to pass a new slew of gun control laws that criminals and crazy people won't follow, so once again the adults in the room are forced to speak up.  

How about figuring out a way to NOT let violent felons back out on the street after their 4th or 5th violent felony using a weapon? IS IT POSSIBLE? Let's discuss it.  

How about figuring out a way to better react to all the signs of a mentally ill person about to go on a rampage?  Over half of mass shooters clearly display signs of mental illness  before committing their crimes.  We can discuss that too.  

Instead these 'national discussions' following a mass shooting always focus on what evil dangerous pricks legal gun owners are and what steps need to be taken to strip/restrict their 2nd Amendment rights.  

And it never dawns on the Left they've lost this discussion and every goddamn time they bring it up all they do is remind people they think GUNS are the problem.  

All their full-blown display of hoplophobia does is increase the NRA's membership: 

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/nra-100k-new-members-after-sandy-hook-86001.html

Gun control is a political loser.  They can keep this up if they want, but it's not going anywhere. 

PS: I'm aware the other day Biden told a group of gun crime victims that Barack Obama is considering a new executive order to get more violent repeat felony offenders off the streets.....

Oh wait no, that's not what Slow Joe said.  What he said was that President Congress, What Congress? was considering restricting gun rights by making a new executive order.  

Now, assuming this isn't just another Slow Joe brain fart, I don't know how much stock to put into this.  We already knew Obama's 2nd term was gonna see him trying to bypass the Congress on a lot of stuff & just rule via Executive Orders.  

But an executive order banning/restricting guns?  That totally bypasses a vote in Congress?  Good luck getting that thing enforced in the states.  

I would LOVE to see the fun Texas Gov. Rick Perry would have with an executive order restricting gun rights via Presidential fiat.  

UPDATE: Follow Adam Baldwin on Twitter if you haven't already.  Not only is he a great actor and a swell guy, but he's gold on the gun rights issue and is now directly spreading the message about how to cure your friends & loved ones of Hoplophobia! 

Adam Baldwin: Hoplophobia Is A Curable Disease!