Jim, I firmly believe repeating the facts, ad nauseum, and finding different, more acceptable ways to say the same thing is the only way we will have the right to own guns privately in 50 years. We have listened to 40 years of lies about guns and gun owners. That has had a huge effect on the average non gun owner's opinions about guns and gun ownership. We will not win the war of words that we must wage by belittling or name calling. It will be won by a relentless focus on an emotional position that is bolstered by facts and by doing so find common ground with those who are not gun owners.
We have had our asses kicked by the other side for 40 years. Gun ownership BY HOUSEHOLD in the US is at a historical low of less that 35%, down from over 50% not too long ago.
For example, there is a case to be made from focus groups conducted in Canada, that gun owners can find common cause with university age, urban women. Because we both share the belief that we shouldn't have to submit to the unfair judgement of others for our own, private and legal activities and behaviors.
We need to stop responding to the gun grabbers. That leaves them dictating the terms of the debate. Discredit their point and then drop them. I don't argue with 4 year olds, or those that think like 4 year olds. I tell them the facts and move on.
We need to get waaayyyyy more sophisticated in our messaging. Keith is right, we should all join the NRA. But at the same time, the NRA needs to get better at messaging to the broader public.
The following aired on 20/20 in 2007. That's MSM. We need to ask ourselves "What do we have to do to get more of this on TV?" Freaking out because some idiot reporter in Washington broke stupid Washington laws about magazine capacity on his TV show may be satisfying but it doesn't win converts. This report from John Stossel does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyoLuTjguJA
