When you are discussing with somebody, specially about Gun Control, it behooves you to have the data that supports your position on hand.  Just shouting “Obama Wanted Moar Gun Control!” will  not cut it.

This works specially well with somebody you just notice that although stating his position in favor of Gun Control, you notice he might be open to information. I have chatted with people like that and they were not only shocked their “side” lied to them, but they became fanatical converts for our side.

And, please be nice with these people. We know there is a huge share of assholes on the Gun Control side, but even before you offer facts, you start with name calling, the possible converts will shut down and your effort will be for naught. It does not mean you can’t get nasty against those who deserve it, only that you must be careful with your target selection and even the “ammo”: A fast and witty retort hurts deeply than just a plain “c***sucker!”

Fight smart. Get your shit ready.

Following the Tampa Bay Times story questioning Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam‘s past visibility on gun rights issues, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum is calling him “a recent convert” and questioning his commitments on details.

Source: Andrew Gillum calls Adam Putnam ‘recent convert’ to gun rights movement – Florida Politics

So, proven Anti-Gun candidate is complaining about the purity of another candidate on Gun Rights? Is he actually expecting Gun Owners to vote for him because…what? Pretty face? He hunts ducks? He is a Gun Owner But…?

I am starting to get the feeling next Florida Elections are going to be surreal at best or downright demented.

Don’t say it.

Seriously, don’t say it.

All right, I’ll say it.

Florida Elections!

I checked the news, no mass shootings, no armed robberies, no clock tower snipers.

In other news, a bunch of Mom Demand shrilling followers had their lady parts strangulated when their panties got twisted in a bunch for no reason.

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.“
Robert Heinlein.

The missus and I have been watching a series in Amazon titled The Last Tycoon based on the book by Scott Fitzgerald which I have never read.

It is superbly produced and so far the acting has been good even though it is a bit “cartoonish”, but that is the way that Scott Fitzgerald wrote his characters anyway. And this thing being about Hollywood in the 1930s, do not expect to see a whole lot of realism.

The last couple of episodes we watched, we are shown the contrast between American film making and European film making. Brady-American (the fictional studio portrayed in the series) had attracted Marlene Dietrich and director Fritz Lang to do a movie. As expected, these European intellectuals go on to belittle the American provincialism and the lack of intellectual atmosphere in the movie business and everywhere. And grant you, this is America past the Dust Bowl and in the middle of the Depression, jobs are scarce and yes, racism is the law of the land.

But nobody has to run away to another country like the German Intellectuals had to do.

For all their alleged mental superiority, not a single German Intellectual managed to bring his country back from the quagmire of the War to End All wars. Not a single philosopher or writer or musician or composer got Germany to start rebuilding and transform it into a power.  It was not an actor or a director who retooled and returned German pride. This was managed by a mustachoid ex-corporal and failed painter who brought the masses together to rebuild Germany. So where this sense of superiority comes from? They achieved nothing and probably managed to screw stuff even worse. They had to run away to another country which provided them with food, a roof and a job when they were scarce, but still they put us down because we did not embrace their decadence.

The good part is that they learned the hard way. They learned that it is was the provincial masses who paid for tickets to go see the movies the ones that at the end dictated if they had a job or not. Movies in America were not a parcel for the intellectual where they could gather and circle jerk about nihilism or any other “-ism.” Movies in America are escapism, entertainment, joy, romance and, if the occasional message is sent without being “teachy” or “assholy” so much the better.

They learned the hard way that Americans do not like to be told what to think and will flip you the big bird if you do so.  And our provincialism ended up being the right medicine: It fed the Intellectuals once they figured out and it was the provincials who donned a uniform and liberated their country.

But I will bet you dollars to donuts that these German Intellectuals went to their graves (after a long safe life) thinking we were still wrong and they were still right.

And that tradition continues with out intellectuals today. Flip the bird accordingly.

But his support for open carry surprises people who have actually pushed for it in Tallahassee.Two leading open carry supporters, Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, and former Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, can’t recall Putnam ever doing anything to get the bill passed.”Zero,” Gaetz said. “He didn’t help and he didn’t hurt. He played no role in moving the bill. He never called me or approached me about the bill or offered to help.”

Source: Open carry advocates ask Adam Putnam: Where have you been? | Tampa Bay Times

Silly me. I seem to recall that Mr Putnam is in the EXECUTIVE so there is nothing much he can do to write legislation which tends to be the realm of State Senators. I mean, that is unless Mr. Gaetz is agreeing with the Miami Judge who said Legislators are not supposed to write laws.

Or maybe is because the Florida jelly-spined GOP has been suddenly confronted with a lot of pissed off Gun Owners and they are trying to share the guilt.

We need to weed out Tallahassee.