They did a segment on gun control. This may be the first time I’ve ever seen anything on TV outright advocating guns and making pro-gun arguments.
I like this show - there’s bias in it, and the person writing/editing it can tilt the message any way they choose, although that’s really true of any news program or documentary. I suppose that if it were regularly taking positions I disagree with, it would be a little more chafing, but as I generally agree with Penn, he is, of course, a pretty bright and perceptive guy. Usually, though, they pick on targets on which almost all reasonable people are in agreement with.
Cool show, anyway. Amusing, and it’s always good to see stupid stuff debunked.
I watched it last night. It’s one of the few episodes where I didn’t know ahead of time which way they were going to go - pro-gun or anti-gun. They had some good arguments, which they always do, but it’s not exactly a well-rounded documentary since they are primarily going for laughs.
I was glad to see that Penn & Teller didn’t make actually make fun of the revolutionary war re-enacters, although the shot of them at the lunch buffet had me laughing out loud.
The show is hilarious - as long as you agree with them, which I usually do. (I did think they got a little too worked up in the circumcision episode.)
Still enjoyed the show, but this is the first one where I think they flat out didn’t have a leg to stand on. Their arguments in favour of guns were the least persuasive of any arguments they’ve offered previously, in any episode.
I love this show! While I occasionally disagree with some of the stances taken by P&T, I enjoy their enthusiasm and wit. Since Penn Gillette is famously Libertarian, I certainly wasn’t surprised that he supports the right to bear arms.
I thought the Constitutional argument they made was very compelling. I’ve always seen it interpreted as “citizens need to have guns in order to serve in the militia.” They stated that it meant “every citizen ought to have a gun to keep the militia in check.” And damned if I don’t agree with that. I don’t feel safe with every Tom, Dick, and Harry having a gun, but I’m not crazy about the idea that only the cops and the military should have them.
I didn’t see this one. The main one I’ve disagreed with was the environmental one, where they kept coming back to the “there are more trees now than there were 100 years ago”. Yes, that’s true… BUT they’re different kinds of trees. Millions of acres that evolved with their own ecosystem over millions of years have been clearcut and replaced with trees not even indigenous to the region, destroying millions of acres of biodiversity in the process (and P&T are both intelligent enough to know that).
What were some of their anti- gun control arguments? Are they pro assault weapons? (Personally I’m a moderate on gun control- I think waiting periods and background checks are good ideas and that you really don’t have a justifiable purpose buying a bazooka but that regulated ownership of guns for protection and hunting should be allowed, so I’m curious how they viewed it.)
Several of the guest speakers made the point that the kinds of people who intend to use AK-47s in robberies and murders are not very likely to obey laws against buying or possessing such weapons. Same with the “Gun-Free Zone” concept. Is a criminal with a gun who sees a sign that says ‘NO GUNS ALLOWED’ going to turn around and go home because he doesn’t want to violate somebody’s rule?
Please note that my post above was made in response to an inquiry about arguments that were presented on Penn & Teller’s “Bullshit” show. I do not want to engage in email debate on the subject of gun control laws.
