I'm a subscriber to the newsletters of various conservative media outlets--it's good to know what their emphasis is and what they're thinking (or, more often, emoting). One of the ones I get is Townhall.com's "Townhall Spotlight. And in case you don't know what Townhall.com is (I'm definitely not going to link to it), it is a conservative online op-ed resource where people like Hugh Hewitt post their latest screeds.
Townhall Spotlight is probably the worst of the bunch--generally not in terms of actual political content, but simply because they spam you with advertising about things that aren't even politically related--like, cell phone plans, or "make $2000 a month from your home!" and other crap like that--though it does seem like they feature their "ACLU's worst nightmare" series of books "proving" that America is a Christian nation every month.
But the last one...not so funny. I knew I was in for trouble the moment I saw the title:
Millionaire Patriot wants YOU armed and trained.
More below.
To make what could be a long story short, the email basically features an offer from a supposed Dr. Ignatius Piazza (who sounds more like a villain from the Da Vinci Code than anything else). Apparently, Dr. Piazza is offering an unbeatable deal:
He is providing you with the opportunity to attend five days of world class training at his Front Sight Firearms Training Institute with everything you need to secure permits to carry a concealed handgun in over 30 states—all for pennies-on-the-dollar!
Plus, if you act quickly before all the guns he set aside are gone, he will give you, free of charge, a Springfield Armory XD Pistol in your choice of 9mm, .40SW, or .45ACP!
Let me just state right now that I do own guns, and I've spent some time shooting with Cisko Guerra, who has held the title of "Fastest Gun Alive"--if I can find some videos of him, I'll post them as an update. But the main point is that I don't have any inherent objection to people being trained in how to use firearms. In fact, I think it's a good thing because even if you don't want to own one, it's good to know how to use one.
So, my objection to the newsletter doesn't come from someone offering that sort of training. No, why is the problem:
As the nation creeps from recession to depression, the potential for civil unrest in every major city grows more likely. There has never been a more crucial time in our nation's history to make sure you are armed and trained for the protection of yourself and your family.
Yeah, but my feeling is that if you're interested in being on the frontlines of civil protection, the best idea is probably to join the national guard, rather than getting yourself trained to have a concealed carry permit like some sort of wannabe Comedian:
We have to protect society from itself! And the way we're going to do that is by all of us getting trained to use handguns so we can all carry concealed weapons and pop a cap in the ass of anyone who we feel is a threat to my social order!
And, of course, the kicker:
I believe now more than ever before that EVERY American should be armed and trained to the highest levels possible—levels that exceed law enforcement and military standards. Take advantage of the Millionaire Patriot's offer. Get armed and trained to prepare for what may be coming in the next four years!
Because you never know what could be coming in the next four years! I very thinly veiled reference to the insane fear expressed by so many Freepers that Obama is going to impose Marxism through force of arms, or other such nonsense--and we have to be armed and ready!
I've seen right-wing media figures radicalizing their listeners and encouraging violence, but actively promoting going a step beyond that--developing an armed militia that's anything but well-regulated--is kind of chilling.