Strange Logic ala Farago
And water is wet. And grifters like Farago gotta grift.Apparently, Robert Farago takes exception to the term "gun violence."
Farago's Complaint™* is a fairly common gunloon red herring; it relies on assuming violence would take place to the same extent and severity regardless if guns were not involved. IOW, violence would occur to the same degree and as frequently even if guns were removed from society.
Of course, this is a complete warping of reality. It's really hard to engage in a driveby knifing. And if one ever gets the urge to go "postal" on one's coworkers, it's difficult to get your car on the elevator to attack your boss and coworkers on the fourth floor. You may even elicit giggles if you try to rob a bank with a baseball bat. What Farago ignores is the fact a firearm greatly enhances both the feasibility and the ability to kill. It can't be disputed that someone entertaining the notion of murder, mayhem, and violence will find a firearm enhances the feasibility and ability to kill larger or stronger people, kill multiple people, and/or to do so from a distance or a place of concealment.
Farago also hauls out the "blaming the gun" crapola. It's a favorite bumper sticker slogan (Guns don't kill people, People kill People). But, like most gunloon arguments and slogans, it's meant to deflect attention away from what can't be denied--guns greatly facilitate the killing of people. We could just as easily deflect attention away from people by claiming "Fingers don't kill people, bullets do."
Tiring of parroting slogans, Farago shifts gears. Into conspiracy overdrive. You see, Farago has super-secret knowledge that gun control groups are secretly working to take away all guns. From everyone. Everywhere. Of course, Farago's evidence for such a claim is....well, er...need he say more?
As I sagely noted the other day, it's hard to poke fun at gunloons when they do such a wonderful job at being parodies. For sheer entertainment value, read the Wonkette commenters. The commenters express their views of gunloons and the NRA. This is how most people see you, Robert. The vast majority of Americans see gunloons as the crazy uncle in the family nobody talks about and won't allow the kids alone with.
* not to be confused with Portnoy's Complaint: A disorder in which strongly felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature...Farago's Complaint ™ is a disorder where extreme sexual longings for firearms are in conflict with reality.
