3 ms·

Well yeah. If you conflate those things or tie them together, you've basically declared your intent to demand a mile if they give so much as an inch. Which mean

Well yeah. If you conflate those things or tie them together, you've basically declared your intent to demand a mile if they give so much as an inch. Which means the only sensible response is to fight tooth and nail every step of the way.

Spivak 10y ago
This is basically the NRAs strategy as well and it's been incredibly successful. They know that their opponents intend to use compromise as a foothold for total disarmament so they have no choice but to occasionally take extreme or irrational stances. I don't blame them in the slightest.
- brianberns 10y ago
  > They know that their opponents intend to use compromise as a foothold for total disarmament. Really? Care to provide any factual evidence for that statement?
  - kbenson 10y ago
    I'm not the GP, but I think it's obvious that of the spectrum of desired outcomes regarding gun control and the people that support them, there exist some that want nothing less than the total ban of firearms (as some other countries do). Any measure less than that will appease some, but others will continue to advocate. The part that wasn't spelled out is how any appeasement helps those who want more extreme measures. I think that is explained somewhat by allowing them to then point out that you've capitulated on gun control for safety reasons, so the argument is no longer whether guns are unsafe, but how unsafe they are, and being able to reframe the argument in that manner is likely to result in further restrictions later as current events are used to pass more stringent laws. I'm not sure how true that is or not in practice, but that's what I assume the GP was referring to.
  - rjeli 10y ago
    "If I could have banned them all - 'Mr. and Mrs. America turn in your guns' - I would have!" - Diane Feinstein "All we ask for is registration, just like we do for cars." - Chuck Schumer Look at Australia - first they registered, then they confiscated (go down the list, knock on doors). edit: upon reread, this comment seems like partisan fluff. I am for common sense gun control, but unfortunately our political climate punishes compromise -- so I just wanted to point out, yes, there are in fact people who want to take 'em all away, forever.
    - Qwertious 10y ago
      "Look at Australia - first they registered, then they confiscated (go down the list, knock on doors)." IIRC you're still allowed to have (some types of) guns, as long as you keep them in a gun safe.

Spivak 10y ago

This is basically the NRAs strategy as well and it's been incredibly successful. They know that their opponents intend to use compromise as a foothold for total disarmament so they have no choice but to occasionally take extreme or irrational stances. I don't blame them in the slightest.

brianberns 10y ago
> They know that their opponents intend to use compromise as a foothold for total disarmament. Really? Care to provide any factual evidence for that statement?
- kbenson 10y ago
  I'm not the GP, but I think it's obvious that of the spectrum of desired outcomes regarding gun control and the people that support them, there exist some that want nothing less than the total ban of firearms (as some other countries do). Any measure less than that will appease some, but others will continue to advocate. The part that wasn't spelled out is how any appeasement helps those who want more extreme measures. I think that is explained somewhat by allowing them to then point out that you've capitulated on gun control for safety reasons, so the argument is no longer whether guns are unsafe, but how unsafe they are, and being able to reframe the argument in that manner is likely to result in further restrictions later as current events are used to pass more stringent laws. I'm not sure how true that is or not in practice, but that's what I assume the GP was referring to.
- rjeli 10y ago
  "If I could have banned them all - 'Mr. and Mrs. America turn in your guns' - I would have!" - Diane Feinstein "All we ask for is registration, just like we do for cars." - Chuck Schumer Look at Australia - first they registered, then they confiscated (go down the list, knock on doors). edit: upon reread, this comment seems like partisan fluff. I am for common sense gun control, but unfortunately our political climate punishes compromise -- so I just wanted to point out, yes, there are in fact people who want to take 'em all away, forever.
  - Qwertious 10y ago
    "Look at Australia - first they registered, then they confiscated (go down the list, knock on doors)." IIRC you're still allowed to have (some types of) guns, as long as you keep them in a gun safe.