To what extent do you engage antis in your personal life?

[CTS]

At the end of the day it really doesn't matter on a person to person perspective. It's not as they'll change their mind on personal ownership and carry if you can convince them some guys a few hundred years ago agreed with your take on the matter.

What can make a difference is asking them why they feel firearms shouldn't be used in the manner they're opposing and use real world examples to counter their argument.

 

[brotherbill3]

JTScribe - bring him to an Appleseed. It put the full history (facts) right in his hands. some times - you let it go - give different reasons.

The preamble (Well regulated militia part) of the 2A - is a clause - citing ONE (of several back in the day) particular reason why - the right shall not be infringed.

Can you convert an 'anti' - yes if they have their minds open to facts; if not walk away. Anyway. GLTWT

 

[Roadie]

I have engaged friends and family to a pretty great extent, but always back off when it gets too heated.

One thing I like to use is early court cases. See my sig line for one court case that affirms the 2nd as an absolute Right.

Also see Wilson v Arkansas 1878

But to prohibit the citizen from wearing or carrying a war arm, except upon his own premises or when on a journey traveling through the country with baggage, or when acting as or in aid of an officer, is an unwarranted restriction upon his constitutional right to keep and bear arms.


If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege.

These are just 2 examples of early court cases that not only affirm the 2nd as a "Right of the People", but also disprove the recent Anti gunner tactic of claiming that interpreting the 2nd as an Individual Right BEGAN with Heller..

 

[Mark 1911]

To the extent they engage me. Otherwise most of them have no use for facts and will be sheep until they die.

Hard to carry on a conversation when all they can say is Baahhhh. Just sayin

 

[singlemalt]

There was a pretty good article in the NRA publication America's 1st Freedom a while back about discussing this with anti's. The author pointed out that most of these people are basing their decision on emotions rather than facts. Stating your argument factually will have little weight with them because you are pointing out the faulty logic in their reasoning. This puts them on the defensive. Better to invite them out to the range for an afternoon of plinking and let them come around in their own time.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Offer to take him shooting. You can argue all you want and if doesn't want to hear it, he won't. Get him interested in shooting and he'll convince himself.

^This.
I had one today, that after a bit of discussion on how she'd like there to be 'more gun control was needed in a particular county near them',
finally said "I've thought about getting a gun for home defense, but I wouldn't trust having one in the house"
A bit more discussion on proper use, training, classes, etc... and;
"I would like to go to the range and try shooting with some friends"
-That's fine... just make sure you start slow and easy... .22 or .410
"Oh, I'd go with someone with a badge who KNEW what they were doing. I've shot before with my father when I was young"
I had to laugh at the badge part (to myself), no knock on LEO's. whatever makes her most comfortable...

But in the end, I think she realized that her initial thoughts were a bit misguided, realizing (and perhaps rekindling) that her early experience with a firearm didn't make her a thug. And also that her inexperience at that age didn't get her killed with the proper training (her father by her side).

 

[ATM]

I'll argue with just about anyone.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

I'll argue with just about anyone.

I don't think you would!

 

[ATM]

I don't think you would!

Yes, you do.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Yes, you do.

OK. You win.

Yes people, he's THAT good.

 

[actaeon277]

I'll argue with just about anyone.

I disagree.

 

[ATM]

I disagree.

That's almost certainly due to the fact that you're not correct.

 

[actaeon277]

That's almost certainly due to the fact that you're not correct.

I often have been.
But not now.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

everything could be settled with a dance battle. just sayin'

 

[ATM]

I often have been.
But not now.

I'd tend to trust the established historical pattern more than your current sense of things.

 

[ATM]

everything could be settled with a dance battle. just sayin'

Not everything.

 

[oldpink]

I've written several letters to the editor that got printed in the Indy Star, a paper to which my aunt subscribes.
She's a fine person I'm proud to say is related to me, but she goes hook-line-sinker for all that pacifism thing, just as her mom did.
By that, I mean that she even believes that using force to defend yourself or someone else from serious bodily injury or even death is wrong.
That extends even to responding by attacking Al Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan clear back in 2001.
She has responded to all (except for my last letter unrelated to guns less than a month ago) of my letters in a nice and polite way via e-mail.
On the gun letter, I calmly replied that I understand her beliefs regarding guns, but that I have a lifetime LTCH.
I also stated that I don't carry in hopes of getting a chance to shoot someone, but that it's the direct opposite, not just because even a justified shooting normally brings trauma to the person doing the shooting, but because any situation that would warrant such a shooting by definition involves imminent threat to an innocent life, including that of self.
We disagree on just about every thing else politically, but I still love her and treat her that way.
Besides, it's far better to calmly and as articulately as possible state my position than come off as insulting or incapable of rationally explaining it.

 

[SEIndSAM]

I have a friend who holds very, very, (did I say "very"?), very different views than I do. On most things. As different as we are, she often quips that she get's along better with me than most other folks that SHARE her views, as I am much better at articulating WHY I feel this way. Most of her friends just stomp their feet and hold their breath until they get their way.

Not to thread jack, but as I have become older I have noticed that the more liberal one is, the more miserable one is. The folks that I know that are extreme left wing are never happy about anything. What a horrible way to live.....

 

[jbombelli]

I'll argue with just about anyone.

This is INGO. I think that's a requirement of membership.

 

[churchmouse]

I've written several letters to the editor that got printed in the Indy Star, a paper to which my aunt subscribes.
She's a fine person I'm proud to say is related to me, but she goes hook-line-sinker for all that pacifism thing, just as her mom did.
By that, I mean that she even believes that using force to defend yourself or someone else from serious bodily injury or even death is wrong.
That extends even to responding by attacking Al Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan clear back in 2001.
She has responded to all (except for my last letter unrelated to guns less than a month ago) of my letters in a nice and polite way via e-mail.
On the gun letter, I calmly replied that I understand her beliefs regarding guns, but that I have a lifetime LTCH.
I also stated that I don't carry in hopes of getting a chance to shoot someone, but that it's the direct opposite, not just because even a justified shooting normally brings trauma to the person doing the shooting, but because any situation that would warrant such a shooting by definition involves imminent threat to an innocent life, including that of self.
We disagree on just about every thing else politically, but I still love her and treat her that way.
Besides, it's far better to calmly and as articulately as possible state my position than come off as insulting or incapable of rationally explaining it.

My inlaws are some of the best people on this planet. When I met my spouse they were very conservative but as anti-gun as they come. There were reasons for this but just say they really became upset when I let them know I carried. In their eyes guns/tattoos and Harley's were not socially acceptable. Good folks just a bit misguided.
That was 35 + years ago.

In that time my Spouse has been totally reformed in that she loves my collection, she has owned and ridden her own full size Harley and has a pretty sweet Tiger Tattoo I will say not where....
I have successfully trained all but 1 of the sisters and her Mother in the proper use of a Handgun. As the nieces and nephews come of age they all get to make the trip to the range with uncle -CM- and love the experience. I keep a few .22 pistols and rifles just for this.
Time and patience will win out.

As to the general public, that battle is getting harder and harder. The media has put so much out there that it is a hard hill to climb anymore.