On becoming a gun control advocate (Any advice?)

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Friday December 21, 2012 · 5:48 PM PST

2012/12/21 · 17:48

Last Friday, I posted a status on Facebook simply stating that I was angry and that it is time to stand up to the gun lobby. (And I kind of called semi-automatic owners psychopaths, but that's beside the point.) This snowballed into a week of debate about gun control between me and people from all over my life. Relatives, my ex sister-in-law, random high school classmates. (Isn't Facebook great - it's like one big small town!) My arguments became more and more passionate and I started doing research to become more and more knowledgeable about the topic. (I will admit to some tap dancing at first.) I have learned how to condense the argument down, remain on point, and put opponents into a corner. (And how to not call anyone a psychopath.)

These debates have been so illuminating. A week later, I have yet to have one person give me one good reason why people need assault weapons. They usually don't respond to the direct request, change the subject, or give one of two bad reasons: 1) I don't want the government to have too much power. (To which I have 2 words: Hellfire Missile) 2) I like them and I can have them and shut up.

What was awesome - I started to get messages from people thanking me for taking on the debate! They said they were afraid to jump in because they didn't want to offend people or seem "political". I got one email from a good friend in college that made me realize that what I was doing in important.

I pasted it below.

peacha

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Sunday October 12, 2008 · 12:28 PM PDT

2008/10/12 · 12:28

I have yet to write my own dairy, but I'm jumping in because this is important and I haven't seen it mentioned here. There is a solider here in the Twin Cities who found a terrified puppy near a burning garbage heap in Baghdad and rescued it, no doubt saving it's life. This is against military rules, but apparently not uncommon (understandably). She named him Ratchet.

Last Wednesday, Ratchet was supposed to be airlifted out and home to Minnesota to await Sgt Beberg's return. The whole thing was privately funded. As the convoy with Ratchet on it was leaving, military officers ordered it stopped and removed the dog. They have since taken him from Sgt Beberg, who has no idea where he is. However, it is reported that he is still alive.

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On becoming a gun control advocate (Any advice?)

They're going to shoot a soldier's dog