4 ms·

At this point I'm actually less worried about the NSA and their friends then the NRA and theirs.

mindcrime 8y ago
As someone who is - or has been - a member of all of: the NRA, Gun Owners of America, Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms, the Second Amendment Foundation, and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, I have to ask "why?" What exactly about NRA members and associates scares you?
- pstuart 8y ago
  By "friends" I was referring to reports that the NRA has been a front for the Russian government as an agent of social division. Here I am, breaking HN rules by making a political statement, but if the facts are true (and I believe them to be), it is indeed an issue of relevance to the "hacker community". > What exactly about NRA members and associates scares you? If you think the following link (an NRA commercial) is ok, then you terrify me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtGOQFf9VCE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtGOQFf9VCE
  - mindcrime 8y ago
    By "friends" I as referring to reports that the NRA has been a front for the Russian government as an agent of social division. Meh. Russian government, American government, whatever. I consider them all the enemy. If you think the following link (an NRA commercial) is ok, then you terrify me: LOL. It's not my favorite ad, but that's mainly because I'm not a Republican and every time I hear "they" in that ad I know they're talking about "the left" or "the democrats" while in my mind "they" should actually be "the government" in general. shrug Of course that Republican leaning bias is probably the main reason I don't support the NRA as actively as I might otherwise. If they would stick to 2A issues and nothing else, I'd be much more in their corner.
  - dang 8y ago
    HN rules don't ask you not to make political statements, but please don't do political flamewars here, and especially not add personal swipes into the mix. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - pstuart 8y ago
      @dang, I understand your complaint but wish to explain my original comment and response: Firstly, the United States is under "cyber attack" by State actors seeking to influence our elections. This topic should definitely be appropriate to HN, yes? @mindcrime asked of me why I hated him and other citizens (in the most leading and disingenuous manner possible). His comments were flagged. I posted a newsworthy clip (this got a lot of attention in the press) that demonstrated what they were doing and why it was worrisome. My only "personal swipe" was to tell him that if he was ok with propaganda that was designed to dehumanize the opposition, then he scared me. That is not a personal attack, per se. Lastly, I think it's important to note that the tech community is party to a lot things that have huge social impacts and to deny that is, shall we say, not entirely honorable. Flamewars don't belong here, but adult conversation does. I stand by my words and intent to have such a conversation.
- seiferteric 8y ago
  I remember several years ago the NRA publicly declared they would become more active in conservative politics, that's when they went downhill in my book. They used to be single issue and not partisan, but they decided the 2nd amendment was a "conservative" issue. Maybe that's when the Russians got involved, I don't know.

As someone who is - or has been - a member of all of: the NRA, Gun Owners of America, Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms, the Second Amendment Foundation, and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, I have to ask "why?" What exactly about NRA members and associates scares you?

pstuart 8y ago
By "friends" I was referring to reports that the NRA has been a front for the Russian government as an agent of social division. Here I am, breaking HN rules by making a political statement, but if the facts are true (and I believe them to be), it is indeed an issue of relevance to the "hacker community". > What exactly about NRA members and associates scares you? If you think the following link (an NRA commercial) is ok, then you terrify me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtGOQFf9VCE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtGOQFf9VCE
- mindcrime 8y ago
  By "friends" I as referring to reports that the NRA has been a front for the Russian government as an agent of social division. Meh. Russian government, American government, whatever. I consider them all the enemy. If you think the following link (an NRA commercial) is ok, then you terrify me: LOL. It's not my favorite ad, but that's mainly because I'm not a Republican and every time I hear "they" in that ad I know they're talking about "the left" or "the democrats" while in my mind "they" should actually be "the government" in general. shrug Of course that Republican leaning bias is probably the main reason I don't support the NRA as actively as I might otherwise. If they would stick to 2A issues and nothing else, I'd be much more in their corner.
- dang 8y ago
  HN rules don't ask you not to make political statements, but please don't do political flamewars here, and especially not add personal swipes into the mix. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - pstuart 8y ago
    @dang, I understand your complaint but wish to explain my original comment and response: Firstly, the United States is under "cyber attack" by State actors seeking to influence our elections. This topic should definitely be appropriate to HN, yes? @mindcrime asked of me why I hated him and other citizens (in the most leading and disingenuous manner possible). His comments were flagged. I posted a newsworthy clip (this got a lot of attention in the press) that demonstrated what they were doing and why it was worrisome. My only "personal swipe" was to tell him that if he was ok with propaganda that was designed to dehumanize the opposition, then he scared me. That is not a personal attack, per se. Lastly, I think it's important to note that the tech community is party to a lot things that have huge social impacts and to deny that is, shall we say, not entirely honorable. Flamewars don't belong here, but adult conversation does. I stand by my words and intent to have such a conversation.
seiferteric 8y ago
I remember several years ago the NRA publicly declared they would become more active in conservative politics, that's when they went downhill in my book. They used to be single issue and not partisan, but they decided the 2nd amendment was a "conservative" issue. Maybe that's when the Russians got involved, I don't know.