Here’s a little clip from a public appearance by Hillary Clinton today. It’s only a couple of minutes long, but is, let’s just say, densely packed.
As the clip begins, Ms. Clinton is asked by an androgynous, hoplophobic sycophant whether she thinks that banning “assault weapons” and “high-capacity magazines” would exert a downward pressure on school shootings.
“Yes. I do.” [Whoops and applause.]
Ms. Clinton explains:
“We make hard choices…”
Note the finesse. “Hard Choices” is, of course, the title of her new “book”. (It’s also the title of an earlier memoir by another failed Secretary of State to another failed president, but I suppose there are only so many “hard choices” a person can get right in this world.)
“…and we balance competing values all the time.”
The “values” in question here, of course, being on the one hand defending essential liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, and on the other a pandering politician’s wish to make completely ineffective political gestures whose only utility is to disarm a free people.
“And I was disappointed that the Congress did not pass universal background checks…”
Which would have done nothing to prevent school shootings, while fostering a black market, expanding the Federal bureaucracy, and serving as a useful precursor to universal gun registration.
“…after the horrors of the shooting at Sandy Hook…”
Which was committed with a legally owned and registered weapon.
“…and now we’ve had more — ”
[androgynous hoplophobic sycophant:] “74!”
Utter rubbish. This has been debunked far and wide, but as Mark Twain said, “A lie can get halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
“… and I don’t think any parent — any person! — should have to fear about their child going to school or going to college because someone — for whatever reason, psychological, emotional, political, ideological — whatever it means — could possibly enter that school property with an automatic weapon…”
An “automatic weapon”? No school shooting, to my knowledge, has ever been committed with an automatic weapon. Private ownership of automatic weapons is already completely illegal for pretty much everybody, everywhere, period.
If you are going to ban things, you could at least take the trouble to understand what they are. One would think.
“… and murder innocent students, children, teachers.”
Murdering people is, of course, already illegal. When someone is deranged enough to ignore this fact, and to go on a murderous spree, what is the only thing that ever stops them? Somebody with a gun. So where do these sprees always take place? Why, in “gun-free zones”, of course. (Where would you pick?) We protect our banks, our government buildings, our celebrities, and yes, politicians like Hillary Clinton, with guns. We protect our children with… signs.
“I’m well aware that this is a hot political subject, and again: I will speak out no matter what role I find myself in…”
“Disgraced political hack, now vanished from the public eye” sounds about right, but we’ll have to see.
“…but I believe we need a more thoughtful conversation.”
That is, a “conversation” in which the rest of us are “thoughtful” enough to pipe down and do as we’re told.
And now, the mask slips:
“We cannot let a minority of people … hold a viewpoint that terrorizes the majority of people.”
Got that? Just roll that around in your mind for a while. We aren’t going to solve this problem just by banning guns. It’s time to take a closer look at banning viewpoints.
Are you afraid of this woman yet?
In closing, Ms. Clinton doubles down:
“…we’re going to have to do a better job protecting the vast majority of our citizens — including our children! — from that very, very, very, small group that is, unfortunately, prone to violence, and now …”
Here we go:
“… with automatic weapons…”
Please shoot me now.
“… can wreak so much more violence than they ever could before.”
Absolutely, positively, blatantly, brazenly, demonstrably false. In terms of rate of fire, or magazine capacity, or ease of reloading, there has been no effective change in the functional capabilities of rifles and pistols in more than a century. This is just Grade A, industrial-strength, high-titer, scaremongering horseshit.
There you have it, folks. Like I said: densely packed.
29 Comments
Electioneering in America has descended to the lowest common denominator of voter IQ and citizen accountability. That is where despicable power-hungry no-accounts like Clinton succeessfully rake muck.
Those of us who still give a shite about the Nation’s best interests are totally and forever f*cked.
Maybe I’m being naive, but I’m not all that worried. If the Dems couldn’t ram through more federal gun control legislation after Sandy Hook they’re certainly not going to pull it off now that the faux outrage has subsided. I think the odds will get even longer after the elections in November.
She’s just trying to get her name in the headlines and prop up her slumping book sales. There’s no better way than espousing gun control with Isla Vista and Las Vegas still on people’s minds. The dem base is already on board with more gun control and the media is more than happy oblige with free publicity. Pro gun folks aren’t voting for her anyway, so it’s a slam dunk political strategy.
I’m way more worried about the War on Women(TM) rhetoric that’s on the way. Our dear leader rode that train all the way to the white house twice and if the repubs don’t back off the abortion rhetoric hitlery will too.
mrwiizrd,
I agree that the tide is running against tougher Federal gun laws right now, despite what Ms. Clinton would like us to believe.
On the state level, it’s a brawl.
I base my pessimism on some anecdotal evidence from interacting with people I encounter in public places.
For example, the other day my waitress, who looked like she was 30-something, engaged me in some chatter about the World Cup Soccer that’s being played now. She asked if I knew how many countries there are (in the world). I told her there were about 200 members of the UN. She thought there were only 14 countries! She also freely admitted that she was a high-school graduate!
She is white, but I’ll bet dollars to donuts she’s an Obama supporter.
God help us …
This whole universal-suffrage thing is vastly overrated.
Ya think?
Malcolm,
True, the state level is a brawl but I think the recall elections we had here in Colorado made gun control effectively radioactive for Democrats in flyover country. I just hope we can follow through on that message here come November. Without the great one and to lure the SWPL’s to the polls I think we might have a shot.
Henry, that waitress’ ignorance may be rather shocking but it couldn’t happen outside of the USA. Even the most stupid person, here in Australia, would have an awareness of the many different countries that make up our world. Of course, we need other countries rather more than you do. The republican/democrat thing is an unsubstantiated statement and not really worthy of discussion.
Malcolm, if you want to give up your vote, I think due cause could be found.
Musey,
Nothing about an anecdote is substantiated — it’s an anecdote. As for whether or not it’s worthy of discussion, that, I believe, is a matter of opinion. Moreover, it is my considered opinion that Obama, as well as Clinton, are largely supported by stupid people.
I suffer from hoplophobic, then again, I suffer from a lot of phobias, The key is to think with your brain, not your feelings – learned that in the Army and yes, I had to train to use a M-16 and also was assigned to learn to use a M-60 machine gun at my first duty station. We’ve got politicians forming principled policy stances based on polling data, a constant shifting, stream of hollow sound-bytes.
Another anecdote generally I think adding to Henry’s.
Fairly recently I was in a restaurant engaged with my tablemates in animated discussion concerning simple esoterica when – and this is no observation on generally, waitstaff – when our individual server-person proclaimed “The United States became the United States in 1776 for sure but I don’t know which month.”
“Just wondering” [leery of using the word curious] “How do you know that?”
“I got a quarter in a tip I thought was fake because it had two dates on it, 1776 and 1976 and I looked it up on the internet.”
“Did the internet mention the Articles of Confederation or maybe the Constitution?”
“Nope, I wasn’t interested in any of that kinda stuff all I was worried about was getting busted with a fake quarter.”
“Would you mind my asking who you plan to vote for come the next election?”
Leaning down and whispering, “If I voted I’d vote for the nigger.”
JK, what on earth does that mean – your last sentence? Was a racial slur required to make a point? If there is a point, I am missing it bigtime. I really hate anyone using that word – even black folks.
I agree, JK. And I’m surprised. Even if that is what he said, you could have made the same point by changing it to “the black guy”.
Well LB, I rather tend to think I should reply with the first sentence you’ll be finding above posted at June 18, 2014 at 5:26 pm.
There’s some things you LB haven’t a clue about as to what constitutes my “actual family” and all that entails. And, in my best Rhett Butler …
And as far as all that – ala Al Sharpton – Anybody who’s ever used that word and your, “I really hate anyone using that word” – I’d suggest taking it up with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Eeny meeny miny moe said Paula Deen – and as it happens the person I did not even get close to a GPS who happened to be a waitstaff person.
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Perfectly fine I’m reckoning to take me to task on an anecdote when you can manage to be near cert I’ll not be “playing the knockout game.”
You too Dom.
Duly noted, and if it would get the average voter’s hands off the tiller at the same time it would be well worth it. The whole ‘democracy’ thing is overrated too. (Look what it’s come to.)
The Framers, and men like Tocqueville, foresaw all of this with terrifying clarity, centuries ago. ‘Democracy’ was the repository of their darkest fears. They did what they could.
I’ve posted this quote from Tocqueville before, but it’s worth reposting often, so here it is again. Written in 1830 or so:
In other words, America today.
Not necessary I realize its just that … well there’s this from kidhood chum who’s blogged for awhile and since, generally speaking, I will not BS a fake apology like most of the folk I’ve voted for too often in the past do – & which incidentally I’m figuring “y’all who did actually” and those’d join in if …
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I’d “visualize it” Perfesser but I’ve already gotten into enough trouble over on Malcolm’s.
“A picture” it has been said, “paints a thousand words” and it would appear, very occasionally in PCdom a word can bring even those usually opposed to PCdom into the very same cadence.
Earlier in life I had this feeling/understanding things would not be so regimented and there wouldn’t be so many impositions on stuff generally.
It would appear I’m not “evolving” as is currently expected apparently to handle what I’m reckoning is today’s zeitgeist
Don’t take this next ____ as I’m reckoning those “not of the Ozarks” might – I’m always looking forward to another sunrise (or a prurient bottle-cap removing device “coupled to” text containing the word Evolution in some sort of very close proximity) which generally tends toward – me enjoying another instance of Life’s Giggles.
But. I am heartened that my graduating class of ___ never made a habit of aspiring to get on the Guinness list of Incredible Longevity.
Be just my luck I do it for ’em.
Henry, “dollars to donuts she’s an Obama supporter” is an opinion, that came after the anecdote :). See Henry, I’m a quick learner.
Malcolm, I had a bit of a sense of humour failure this morning. The soccer didn’t go our way and you were just standing there saying, “go on then”, so I did.
JK you can say what you like, whether or not you have black people in your family. I loath this idea that one part of the population can say something that the rest cannot. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong.
Wrong Musey.
Henry’s would’ve been “a conclusion” based on available evidence.
As to your misspelling humor I can more easily accept but you’ll Musey perhaps recall what I earlier ascribed to the originator of soccermoms?
To your last Musey we here in the US polish (Polish) our PC peccadilloes as it’s perfectly acceptable [for now] to call “a spade a spade” but we pretend to ourselves none of us ever had to resort to choosing, even as little bitty long ago youngsters, “eeny meeny miny mo, catch a duckbill platypus by whatever variant evolution rendered a duckbill platypus toe to be.”
But generally Musey, you’re not so ridiculous as I’m finding many of my own countrypersons [note that *countrypersons Musey?] to be.
Misspelling, my foot. You have obviously never lived in England, or Australia. I refuse to use American spelling, but I am obviously aware. It’s colour, humour, glamour, and everything else along the same lines. I refuse to pay any attention to the red underlines that appear as I write.
I agree with you about ‘conclusion’. Based on prejudice, therefore, wrong. I’ll give an inch.
JK, I call a spade a spade. That’s my problem. And yours, I suspect.
JK, I call a spade a spade. That’s my problem. And yours, I suspect.
The difference Musey is, you’ll probably in your kids lifetimes not be called to task as we here are “evolving” (I say “devolving” but you see as an Aussie – and a Brit I know blogs – y’all will never be called down for what are essentially “merely perceived” thoughtcrimes.
But then. You have your own soon to be problems you’ll be experiencing sooner than us. All of us in the Anglosphere to one degree or another “enjoy” a certain peculiarity we have hoisted our petards unconsidering what exactly, we’re surrendering to. For me individually and specifically, hell rains down because I’ve placed five letters of the alphabet in a certain arrangement. Generally though it’s a virus even though those who’d yell at me loudest recognize my plaintive, NASA?
Your’s Musey I’m not convinced you’d recognize until you are so encumbered with swathes of fabric you’d find yourself thinking to yourself, “I used to play tennis. Heck, there was a time I bragged to a US hillbilly and at the same time a US Jew I kicked ass on an Aussie footballer.”
But Musey, my concern where you are is you’ll frame your question to yourself as, “I wonder where the time went?”
As if, time had to do with either of our problems.
JK, I don’t understand. What are the five letters of the alphabet? What arrangement? What swathes of fabric? What US Jew? What are you talking about? I have no idea.
I still play tennis, but not in a competitive way. I used to be a fairly good athlete, pretty fast, and a county champion, but then I discovered black opposition, and they were faster than me. Is that racist?
Don’t tell me that you’ve gone to sleep! That is so of this planet. Malcolm tells me that you come from some mysterious place. Waiting….
Yes, asleep. Sweet dreams.
Research Musey, the knowledge of Hirsi Ali. The “Cosmetic Surgery” of the Haoussa, Djerma Sonrai and the Tuareg. The “five letters” I caught “some small Hell above” from are, better for your sweet dreams, best ignored.
Or Musey in your case – as is always the case for “The Convenients” – pretend a good night’s sleep in say, Niamey yields as sweet dreams as any could be had in Brisbane.
I do sleep Musey. Though not as you do because it’s as Malcolm says I’m from – rather it’s the mysterious places I’ve awakened in.
Musey,
Neither anecdote nor opinion is subject to substantiation, which latter was the key word in that bit of disagreement between us. So in those great and infamous words of Hitlery Clinton, “WTF difference does it make?!” And, BTW, just about everything in these pages qualifies as opinion. If you want facts, you would have to consult Obama’s memoirs.
:-{)
Maybe not Henry, but if you trying to claim a link between stupidity and voting democrat it would help your cause if you could provide some evidence. My experience of the very clever is that the majority of them are left-leaning. You are obviously an exception.
I went off Hitlery after she told that story about dodging bullets on the tarmac which turned out to be a lie. However, I’m feeling mellower again because I’ve realised (if you’re reading JK, that’s realized) that politicians always lie, in fact it’s essential that they lie. Here in Australia it’s become an art form and our lovely PM never tells the truth about anything.
I have read “Dreams from my Father” and I found it quite unremarkable. A bit of a mediocre read. That said, I used to really like Obama but he was never going to live up to expectations.
I agree with Hitlery’s infamous words which I have had many occasion to use myself. Especially this morning when having dragged myself out of bed at 4a.m. for the second morning in a row to watch a football match, England also suffered a heroic defeat.
Musey,
OK, since you have the decency to give me an honest response, I will be honest with you, too.
I was a liberal for most of my life. At first it was because my parents were liberals, as were (and continue to be) the vast majority of Jews in America. And later, because it was traditional for my demographic — Jewish Holocaust survivors who immigrated to America after WW II. It was Harry Truman who pushed through Congress legislation that enabled us to have our immigration expedited.
After 9/11, however, I awoke to the realization that it is a stinking world that would enable a son of a bitch like Osama bin Laden to perpetrate such an enormous travesty against, arguably, the most generous society that ever existed.
I was extremely moved by George W. Bush’s words (in the church service following that travesty). This gave me great pause — maybe I need to rethink my rote allegiance to the Democrats (I did not vote for Bush).
Ever since that time I have been flabbergasted by the vile rhetoric and policy of the so-called progressive left. They are, in my humble opinion, the most execrable beings walking on two legs. They are, without a doubt in my mind, the scum of the earth.
And the standard bearers of that scum are Barack Obama and Hitlery Clinton.
Thank you, Henry.