Cool: Mark Steyn picks up “Crackerquiddick”.
Well, that’s kinda cool:
Sen. Obama’s remarks about poor dumb, bitter rural losers “clinging to” guns and God certainly testify to the instinctive snobbery of a big segment of the political class. But we shouldn’t let it go by merely deploring coastal condescension toward the knuckledraggers. No, what Michelle Malkin calls Crackerquiddick (quite rightly – it’s more than just another dreary “-gate”) is not just snobbish nor even merely wrongheaded. It’s an attack on two of the critical advantages the United States holds over most of the rest of the Western world.
On those guns the bitter Pennsylvania rednecks are a-totin’, Steyn rejoices:
…large numbers of Americans tote guns because they’re assertive, self-reliant citizens, not docile subjects of a permanent governing class. The Second Amendment is philosophically consistent with the First Amendment, for which I’ve become more grateful since the Canadian Islamic Congress decided to sue me for “hate speech” up north. Both amendments embody the American view that liberty is not the gift of the state, and its defense cannot be outsourced exclusively to the government.
I think a healthy society needs both God and guns: It benefits from a belief in some kind of higher purpose to life on Earth, and it requires a self-reliant citizenry.
Interestingly, it’s emerging that not only are gun owners emphatically not bitter, they’re actually much happier and more well adjusted:
Nor are they “bitter.” In 2006, 36% of gun owners said they were “very happy,” while 9% were “not too happy.” Meanwhile, only 30% of people without guns were very happy, and 16% were not too happy.
CONFIDENTIAL TO MRS. SEE-DUB: I’m feeling a bit mopey, sweetheart…I think I need a little pick-me-up.
___________
Original Crackerquiddick posts here and here.
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Thank you Michelle, for your uplifting article.
Yes we gun owners are a self-relaint lot capable of protecting ourselves if need be…but I’d rather be at the shooting range seeing how tight a group I can produce at further and further distances and marvel that was me who pulled this off…
and without performance enhancement drugs and supplements.
GUNS ARE A BLAST!
Data. The anti-lgm.
The more you know…
re: “I think a healthy society needs both God and guns: It benefits from a belief in some kind of higher purpose to life on Earth, and it requires a self-reliant citizenry”.
It is exactly the self-reliant part that scares THEM right down to their, err, ummm – oh you know that place their souls should be.
Great post. I think if the libs think Americans will give up their guns without a fight, literally, they are in for a huge surprise. I know I would not freely give up my god given liberties.
had to fix that..
Remarkable how he attempts to liken two inherently incompatible concepts – “religion” and “healthy society”.
Wonderful read.
All in all, it doesn’t say much for Obama’s faith if he is only into religion due to bitterness. He just doesn’t get God, IMO. How sad.
As for guns, proud to own them. It is a right Americans will never give up.
OK…Thank you CW..my mistake
As usual Steyn is on the money.
“… liberty is not the gift of the state…”
This is the key point. (And one on which GWB has been stalwart.)
And with the 2nd Amendment, the framers of the Constitution were wise not to inhibit the defense of liberty from a government, any government, that tries to take it away.
Remarkable how there are people who buy into the nonsensical myth that religion and a healthy society are incompatible.
As for the article, a good read. Count me one of those gun nuts. In fact, when the “rebate” arrives from the taxman, I may just have to go “stimulate” the economy at my local gun store.
Like Grandaddy always said, “If you’re denied the first amendment, use the second one.”
Steyn is pitch perfect (as usual) in saying “liberty is not the gift of the state.” Liberty is an individual, God given inalienable right (Thank you Thomas Jefferson). Should a hardened criminal or the Government (sorry to repeat myself there) enter my home to take said liberty, I hope, for their sake, “I can dodge bullets” appears somewhere on their resume.
If CW coined cracker-quiddick he needs a bigger byline or just some brighter lights around his byline.
My First post on MM
I never leave home without one or the other.
A great point that America’s Euro-philes, a.k.a., Democrat liberal elites, will never understand.
Sgt Alvin York, Medal of Honor winner, was both a devout Christian and an avid shooter. He considered filing for conscientious objector status, but was convinced by his battalion commander that warfare could be justified.
I figure that Obama would be terrified in a world full of Alvin York’s.
Former VP Spiro Agnew said it best with his prescient description of Obama as an – “effete intellectual snob.”
Count me as very happy optimistic self reliant God fearing gun toting military loving American citizen (not an unarmed subject of the whims of inbred royalty). Once again a wonderful observation and article from Mr. Mark Steyn I am so glad he is one of our legal immigrants enhancing the gene pool of this country. I can’t understand why liberals are so unhappy, but with no faith in God and country I guess I would be pretty miserable individual too.
My wife always jokes about how I have a weapon in my night stand top draw and she has the bible in hers. She stands ready to protect our souls and I stand ready to protect our lives. We also both have CCW and we both earned marksmanship ratings when on active duty. Actually she is a better shot then I am.
PRESS RELEASE, Obama headquarters, April 19:
Senator Obama’s previously misquoted remarks about some small town Americans being “bitter” have been, unfortunately, confused with his prior remarks about arugula.
The remarks made in San Francisco (where certain greens are a staple of most diets)were taken out of context – the senator was referring to old arugula, not mature small town residents. Please make all necessary corrections to subsequent reporting.
Please see here.
Mark Steyn is a great person and I love to read his articles. He tells like it is.I am so sorry S-D you are mopey, if I was a betting person, Mrs. S-D will make it all better. Maybe a bit of wine, nice dinner, and whatever.
L
Mark’s book _America Alone_ is a must read for all who love this great country and FREEDOM!
As the song said, “Happiness is a warm gun”.
So The Beatles were correct in observing that happiness is a warm gun.
letget–
My hint may have been a little too subtle, so I added in a link.
Not that dinner and wine wouldn’t be nice.
C’mon see-dubya, think bigger.
like this.
#25, I sure did mis-understand, sorry.
Hope you get one or all of the hints on the link from Mrs. S-D.
L
Quite ironic that John Lennon (1) couldn’t legally own a handgun, and (2) was killed by a leftist loon with one.
I feel sorry for all those folks in Londonistan who, thanks to the liberals in that country, have removed, by legislation, the means by which they could protect themselves from the coming storm. Pray it never happens here.
More apologizes for thread hi-jacking but i feel all should see this link about dems booing the thought of saying the pleadege of allegiance http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/oh_those_43rd_district_democrats
Nor are they “bitter.” In 2006, 36% of gun owners said they were “very happy,” while 9% were “not too happy.” Meanwhile, only 30% of people without guns were very happy, and 16% were not too happy.
Thsi just goes to prove the wisdom of a bumper sticker I saw once. “IRITATE A LIBERAL, GET A JOB, MAKE MONEY, BE HAPPY”
Actually Agnew, referring to Vietnam war protesters, called them “an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.”
Recall that Agnew had to resign his gig as VP over corruption charges. He pleaded “nolo”, was fined, lost his law license and had to repay $270K in bribes.
Yes, his words easily apply to the Obamessiah and his swooning anti-war cohort.
Still, Agnew’s not what you would call your “best witness”.
This whole issue of the 2nd Amendment seems to constantly recur as an attack vector every few years. One of the clearest descriptions of the meaning of the 2nd Amendment I have ever seen was given by Dr. Suzanna Gratia Hupp while testifying before a Congressional committee discussing “assault weapons” in the early 90’s.
Dr. Hupp was in the Luby’s Massacre, during which her mother and father were killed. For those not familiar with it, a man went into a restaurant in Texas and shot a lot of people before killing himself. I believe it was the largest such killing in American history until the VTI shootings recently.
Below are some links on the background of the massacre and Dr. Hupp. I recommend you read them in order before looking at the final one, which is a video of her testimony before the Congressional committee.
The video is about 6 minutes long, but her testimony is only the first four riveting minutes. In particular, at about 3:30 she defines the 2nd Amendment for the members of Congress. During the testimony take note of how bored the members of Congress look. I had the good fortune to see the whole testimony live on CSPAN (I think) when it occurred. The video cuts off at her statement, and doesn’t show the view of the committee members – who were absolutely no longer bored, because they understood what she had just said!
The massacre -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luby%27s_massacre
Dr. Hupp -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanna_Hupp
Missouri testimony transcript -
http://www.wmsa.net/gratia-hupp_1992.htm
NY Times article -
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE6DB1438F935A35750C0A963958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
Video of Congressional testimony -
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6006926775914305210&q=%22gun+control%22&hl=en
Thanks for the link see-dubya now I gotta get me a pick me up also, since I live in PA
I have a bud here at the office who could not have ’stood the bureaucratic BS without regular range visits (about once every two weeks). He goes through an incredible amount of ammo, and is very ‘centered’ in compensation at work.
I enjoy every one of our obligatory shoots – when the bureaucracy pays for me to shoot, that is good.
Who is “he?” Steyn? Are you saying religion and a healthy society are incompatible?
Perk, what line of work are you in where you get comped trips to the gun range?
And are you hiring?
From Steyn’s article:
LOL! What’s even better is how he blasted him right after that left-handed compliment.
Since we’re on the subject of my 2nd Amendment.
Love my guns. Don’t sell, trade, hock, loan or surrender…ever.
Long live Steyn…great way to put things.
Oh … don’t forget to buy ammo!
Ladies, have you checked out the new Smith & Wesson Julie Goloski Signature pistol in Breast Cancer Pink?
SWEET !!!
Marty 84, your link to the congressional testimony with respect to Dr. Hupp doesn’t work…what was it she said about the 2nd amendment that woke up the congressmen?
love2rumba
I must have screwed up the links. I see the first one on the Luby’s Massacre works. Go to that link and then look at the bottom of the page; in small blue text are all of the ones I posted above.
Sorry!
We can thank George Bush for giving us Samuel Alito and John Roberts! Oh ya, long live the NRA! We really need to support them and I am with the rest here, I will not give up my guns! I would never rely on 911 and County to get here in time. I am perfectly satisified with knowing I can take care of myself. I only wish Illinois would do CC, but doubt that will ever happen, maybe in a more perfect world.
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition!
The first amendment begins “Congress shall make no law…”. The second amendment ends “shall not be infringed”. The bill of rights was not expressly written to grant rights to citizens, it was written to limit the powers of government. The second amendment is the gaurantee that these bounds will never be overstepped. Why do we always end up having these anti gun/gun legislation conversations? Anytime the government infringes on “our” rights to own guns all of the politicians involved should be indicted and prosecuted for crimes against the constitution. Why doesn’t anyone ever say this? The 2nd amendment is NOT open to interpretation because any change to it is illegal as stated by the wording of the amendment itself. Any change to actual gun rights “should” require an actual change to the constitution and the dims know that to try and attempt that would show why the 2nd is so important, we would use it! They just slowly chip away at our rights and commit constitutional crimes along the way and they get away with it. It is time that we must take a stand.
SGT York was also a good friend of one Senator Albert Gore of TN. Other than that, one incredible man in all of his life.
Thats pretty good.
We need that pic of Bill Clinton disembarking Air Force one with Kennedy and Kerry photoshopped with Obama replacing Clinton.
The caption: Scary? Vote!
Steyn should be given asylum here in the US, he obviously has more appreciation for America than a number of those privileged to be here.
I remember when Bulldogs cost a buck and half.
#18 fred5676 wrote:
Wow. Even in partial jest, I’ve never heard anyone cite Spiro Agnew — a man the Justice Department investigated for extortion and bribery, who agreed to a plea bargain (which included willingly vacating his post as VP to avoid jail) and was disbarred — as any sort of pillar of moral authority. But we all choose our heroes, I guess…
Note to all:
If you want to see what anti-religious bigotry looks like, click on Lichthammer’s name.
The first thing a tyrannical government does, to stay in power, is disarm the citizens. That’s the purpose of the 2nd amendment. Throughout our history, citizens have reached above the fireplace and grabbed their rifle to correct some wrong nearby or defend themselves. Liberals today, naturally, want that amendment exsponged from the Constitution, in order to complete the transition to total socialism and power. They know they can’t get another amendment passed, so they do it, the “Animal Farm” way, with “ands”, “ifs”, and “buts”. They are worried, and rightly so, of the population opposing their complete control.
“He” is Steyn, and religion and a healthy society are indeed incompatible. While I tend to agree with his other points, maintaining that religion is the key to a healthy society does nothing but damage his credibility, as far as I’m concerned.
Kinda like the way the left adores klansman Robert F. Bird, or Che Guevara, or William Jefferson, or any number of wonderful people.
The last thing that Liberals would ever want, and fear more than anything else…is a well armed America with god by their side.
Without the faith in God, and without any personal protection weapong, just imagine the damage that they could do.
Oh…
Wait…
We have seen it. I believe it was called the U.S.S.R. and Nazi Germany.
No personaly weapons allowed, and the only faith based thought processes allowed were those that believed in the Government as the highest power and authority…with God and Religion removed entirely.
I guess it just wasn’t handled properly or created by the right folks. That must be why B. Hussein “Empty Suit Messiah” Obama and Hill-Dawg want to keep trying.
Sorry, but being called a Redneck, bitter, God loving/fearing Conservative is not about to get me to either give up my faith…or my guns.
Michelle,
As I tell my ball players after a touchdown: Act as though you’ve been there before. You are every bit the equal of Mr. Steyn in importance, although he does have a way with the English language!
see-dubya,
I like the general idea of your pick-me-up, although I tend to recommend semi-autos.
Sorry to see you feel that way Lichthammer , but I am aware many do.
Although I am not from Senator Obama’s “small town Pennsylvania” I do rather cling to my God, Guns, Country and Family and am rather thankful for all four. Perhaps that thankfulness is where we find our happiness. Yes we can be bitter at the same time and ready to fight for what we know is right. Our God and our religion is strength, not weakness nor “incompatible”.
Mark Steyn’s red jacket rocks. I hope he has a concealed under there.