Posted on Mar 25, 2018
Are these child activists just puppets for the anti-gun lobby?
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To clarify, I am not meaning that they have no ideas of their own or anything to that effect, but I do notice that one of their main points against Congress is that these Representatives are simply puppets for the NRA gun lobby because they accept campaign donations from them. Based on that position, would that not make them puppets for all of the anti-gun lobbyists who donated to fund their marches and rallies?
NRA
Gun Control
Protest
Government
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 75
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Yes. Plain and simple - YES! I hate to see this. These young people, while in a maturing posture, are, nonetheless, youth, are surviving victims (in some cases) of an event of such monstrous proportions that in no society should they suffer exposure. Having express that I say it makes me sick when I tune in to these various talking heads programs and witness these kids being paraded before us as lambs to the altar. While I personally can not stand hearing all this extreme left-wing rhetoric, I am subject to hearing is since it is on my wife's computer all day long. A great propaganda machine focused on a liberal agenda which includes, among other issues, what they like to call "Sensible Gun Regulations" (translation= Gun Control and the end of the 2nd Amendment.) Whatever the news de jour might be these MSNBC programs cover the same story hour after hour, featuring the same guests, the same video, the same audio snippets and all the same propaganda. So, sure, these kids have become overnight liberal press fodder. I can't fault these students for accepting a national platform upon which they are given near carte blanch to recite a litany of complaints and suggestions. I submit that to a great extent they are only slightly aware that they are simply being used.
Cpl Scott McCarroll COL Mikel J. Burroughs
Cpl Scott McCarroll COL Mikel J. Burroughs
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We have to be careful of labeling them as puppets or sheep that cannot think for themselves. It is a brush off that recalls the "too ignorant to organize themselves" smear with which segregationists labeled civil rights activists in the '60s. Segregationists claimed it was all a communist conspiracy when it wasn't because there was no way "their" minorities could organize themselves.
While I am a gunowner, I cannot deny the genuine feelings and beliefs these kids have. Like any issue, this is complicated and nuanced.
As veterans, we need to stop letting our brothers and sisters act like jerks and dismiss them so easily. We can disagree with them. We can work to oppose them, but we, as veterans, need to stop being curmudgeons. It is beneath us.
While I am a gunowner, I cannot deny the genuine feelings and beliefs these kids have. Like any issue, this is complicated and nuanced.
As veterans, we need to stop letting our brothers and sisters act like jerks and dismiss them so easily. We can disagree with them. We can work to oppose them, but we, as veterans, need to stop being curmudgeons. It is beneath us.
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PFC Jim Wheeler
I agree, and that is kind of my whole point.
These activists are repeatedly claiming that pro-gun politicians and activists are bought and paid for puppets of the NRA because they accept donations from pro-gun groups/individuals to fund their rallies/campaigns, but I suspect they would oppose the idea that they themselves are puppets of the anti-gun groups/individuals that are funding their movement.
That is all I am saying with this post.
These activists are repeatedly claiming that pro-gun politicians and activists are bought and paid for puppets of the NRA because they accept donations from pro-gun groups/individuals to fund their rallies/campaigns, but I suspect they would oppose the idea that they themselves are puppets of the anti-gun groups/individuals that are funding their movement.
That is all I am saying with this post.
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They must be sheep, they're being led by wolves down a slippery path.
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I find it amazing- these are the same kids who eat TIDE Pods on a dare, can't define the 3 branches of our gov't, don't know who was on our side during WWI or WWII. Have no idea what type of gov't we even have. Yet they want to make laws, and not have any laws passed that infringes what they want. Where is the march for the 14 kids dead of suicide every single day, that this same kids drove to it. Or the 430 per day that visit the hospital for self cutting, or the 6 per day that die in car wrecks. These same snowflake angels are not pure- 1.66 per day arrested for murder, 7,53/day for forcible rape and 60 per day for aggravated assault.
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SGM Bill Frazer
There gave been a series of student run test on fellow students called " Dumbing down America" and 90% failed on camera on the street at random to identify what I listed.As for snowflakes- Where is the safe ROOM at your work place. The no insult place, where are the crayons,etc
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Well if we should presume any teenage American that talks about gun legislation is a puppet for anti-gun lobbyists then we should also presume any teenage American that talks about right to bear arms is protected is a puppet for the NRA and pro-gun lobbyists. Or we can accept that these young Americans can think for themselves, can have an opinion, and should attempt to learn about both sides of the issue as they approach legal voting age. In HS, myself and classmates all had an opinion about Desert Storm and the Israel-Palestinian debate and Rodney King; we didn't point at each other and start slinging insults no matter how much we disagreed. With what's going on today in Jerusalem, if students took to the streets to demonstrate on the side of Israel or the side of Palestine, something tells me the adults will call those students "the puppets of 'fill in the blank'".
Bottomline, we're supposed to be educating and encouraging the youth. Let them march, let them voice themselves, then make them listen to the other side; have rational debate.
Bottomline, we're supposed to be educating and encouraging the youth. Let them march, let them voice themselves, then make them listen to the other side; have rational debate.
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PFC Jim Wheeler
I think you are absolutely right that both sides are too quick to label their opposition as mindless puppets.
However, I am not trying to say that is the case about these activists. I am simply pointing out that they are very quick to point fingers at politicians who accept donations to fund their political ideals, but I suspect that they would balk at the idea that their own position dictates that they too are puppets for accepting similar donations to fund their own political ideals.
Personally, I don't care for the idea that either are puppets, but if one side is furthering the argument that their political opponents are puppets then I feel it inherently means they are equally referring to themselves as puppets.
I think it has much more to do with like-minded groups attempting to support activities that further their political opinions, but not everyone seems to share that view.
However, I am not trying to say that is the case about these activists. I am simply pointing out that they are very quick to point fingers at politicians who accept donations to fund their political ideals, but I suspect that they would balk at the idea that their own position dictates that they too are puppets for accepting similar donations to fund their own political ideals.
Personally, I don't care for the idea that either are puppets, but if one side is furthering the argument that their political opponents are puppets then I feel it inherently means they are equally referring to themselves as puppets.
I think it has much more to do with like-minded groups attempting to support activities that further their political opinions, but not everyone seems to share that view.
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MAJ James Woods
PFC Jim Wheeler - But that's politics and the role of lobbyists on both sides. It's one thing to call politicians the puppets of paid lobbyists and it's another thing for politicians to call young Americans puppets in order to belittle and dismiss any motivation the young Americans might have that is independent thought.
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PFC Jim Wheeler
MAJ James Woods I don't think it is. If both the politicians and the activists are taking money and assistance from lobbyists, then I see no difference between them at all. They are both taking that assistance in an attempt to spread their political agenda and are doing so with the backing of interest groups that are lobbying to drum up increased support for those specific agendas.
I don't really have a problem with pluralism in our government. Anti-gun groups are able to (and do) donate to politicians just like the pro-gun groups do. To me, that is fine. If our government only allowed one group to have that influence, then that would be a problem but that is simply not the case.
For me, making the argument that your political opponents are puppets because of campaign donations from like-minded interest groups, like Mr. Hogg has done repeatedly, whilst simultaneously taking money in from opposing interest groups is hypocritical because they are doing the exact thing that they are decrying.
I don't really have a problem with pluralism in our government. Anti-gun groups are able to (and do) donate to politicians just like the pro-gun groups do. To me, that is fine. If our government only allowed one group to have that influence, then that would be a problem but that is simply not the case.
For me, making the argument that your political opponents are puppets because of campaign donations from like-minded interest groups, like Mr. Hogg has done repeatedly, whilst simultaneously taking money in from opposing interest groups is hypocritical because they are doing the exact thing that they are decrying.
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I think the difference is that these kids are the victims of a mass shooting (one of many here in the US) so they actually have some skin I the game. If the protesters were kids from schools that were not attacked, and if they were being paid by an anti-gun lobby, then your thesis might have more validity.
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PFC Jim Wheeler
I don't believe any of them were shot, so, strictly speaking, they weren't victims of the shooting.
Regardless, I'd argue that every citizen has as much skin in the game as they do considering these are policies that will affect every single one of us.
Regardless, I'd argue that every citizen has as much skin in the game as they do considering these are policies that will affect every single one of us.
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SFC Richard Galli
The one kid at the school in Florida that would remain very pro firearms, the one that helped fellow students to safety, was killed by the shooter.
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MAJ Keith FitzPatrick, CPIM, CSCP
SFC Richard Galli perhaps - but we really don’t know what he would think had he survived. That said, I am sure there are differing opinions, even today, among the students and families at the school. That doesn’t mean the children referenced in this story are “puppets”.
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Yes, it would. You cannot use one side of a two sided point of view against someone and then claim you are not representing the other side.
As an example, let us look at Delta Airlines. They stopped supporting the NRA because they publicly said "We want to remain neutral" but than the give free flights to those aforementioned kids who are against the NRA. There are only 3 positions you can have on any discussion. For, Against or Neutral.
And if your actions show you are not neutral, your position is pretty clear.
As an example, let us look at Delta Airlines. They stopped supporting the NRA because they publicly said "We want to remain neutral" but than the give free flights to those aforementioned kids who are against the NRA. There are only 3 positions you can have on any discussion. For, Against or Neutral.
And if your actions show you are not neutral, your position is pretty clear.
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