# Pit thread for Martin\_Hyde {He has been BANNED} **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 24, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-thread-for-martin-hyde-he-has-been-banned/965045 "2022-05-24T22:52:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 54
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-thread-for-martin-hyde-he-has-been-banned/965045/54 "2022-05-25T04:07:51Z")
Pardon me for embracing the hijack, because while I’ve had disagreements with Martin\_Hyde (including a snipe at him in his prior pit thread after he called me a liar most politely), he isn’t wholey wrong on this issue of messaging. I will not speak to the racist elements, or dishonest conversation topics because for many reasons I’m avoiding that other thread. On to specific points from the thread that AREN’T about M\_H. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > You know, it is possible to be a gun owner—even a (pejorative) _gun lover_ —and still recognize that there is a serious problem that needs to be addressed with more than “thoughts and prayers”. The problem is that _gun lovers_ have been co-oped by a propaganda machine that has equated any form of controls or government oversight as a politically-oriented attack on basic freedoms and has incidentally allowed itself to be infiltrated by unfriendly foreign agents. > > Stranger I normally describe myself as moderately pro-gun. I do own several, both purchased and more inherited, and do have a CCW that I secured during a point when my job put me at definite if not huge risk but only after an approved safety course with rangetime. But I also have all my serial numbers registered with my insurance and through a local police outreach in case of theft. There are two firearms in a secured biometric safe in the bedroom, and the rest are in a secure vault-style safe. And I have no children in the house to put at risk. I have zero issues with making similar requirements legal law. Buuuuuut… Those sentiments get me -hated- by the groups suggested above, because they feel that any compromise is a slippery slope. And back to M\_H point, you get politicians, like Beto (who I wanted to vote for) who say ‘Hell yeah we’re going to take your guns’ which feed into that propaganda machine, which shouts down countless moderates on the issue. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > As I understand it, most gun owners are in favor of background checks and most NRA members are as well. Yet the NRA got itself hijacked by the most radical of its lot. The slippery slope fallacy has got to go. Which is what I was talking about in part in my prior book. I absolutely support mandatory background checks as well as altering some of the laws regarding some of the transfers on even personal sales, although I think there should be (speaking from personal experience) a better way to handle inherited weapons than paying a per item FFL transfer. But that’s details. However, I’ll also disagree with the characterization of the NRA. I was never a member, but could see the _point_ - until I dug into the NRA’s past. It’s always been much more about keeping guns out of the hands of the wrong (see POC) people, and a whole lot less about protecting 2nd Amd. rights or firearm safety. Fuck those asshats. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think the only things that will change the gun culture would be minorities arming themselves in record numbers [snip] Sorry for the snip, but this is actually a point I brought up in a couple of [thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-or-those-close-to-you-purchased-a-firearm-in-the-last-2-years-covid-insurrection-mass-shootings/941915/64)s months back. The recent massive increase in gun sales included a massive jump (40% according to reporting) in non-traditional first-time buyers - mostly POC and women. And not for what I’d consider happy reasons - just fear of lockdowns, racial violence against African-Americans and Asians, and general disorder. The question is, if down the line, this demographic of more casual owners will care in enough to shift both perceptions of gun-owners away from the Proud Boy / Militia Wannabe / Redneck trope AND contribute their experiences to changing the current gun culture. I’m hoping, but, well, figure it’ll take decades for that at best. So TL:DR - we gun moderates are actually still here, and we want to find alternatives, but we were looooong ago drowned out by the extremists, and since many of us (including me) already vote D on most issues (because the R tossed out fiscal responsibility, sold their soul to Christian Supremacy,and a host of social issues not to mention the oily goo of the Trump-era) we’ve been written off as possible sources of votes and have zero influence in said circles. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-thread-for-martin-hyde-he-has-been-banned/965045)._