That is a Loaded Question in what’s called a Logical Fallacy. According to the ever-knowing Wikipedia it is defined as “A loaded question is a question which contains a controversial or unjustified assumption (e.g., a presumption of guilt).

Sometimes in our fight for Second Amendment Rights, the opposition will set up traps like this and we fall in them because we are still thinking this is a fair fight in all senses. Of course, the Antis do not believe in fair and we find ourselves trying to explain that we have never beaten our wives or significant others, end up appearing guilty or having the conversation drift away from where we want it to go.

The solution? Don’t play by their rules. While I was researching this logical fallacy, I read that the problem with this question is that it is a Yes or No answer with no way to win it. Says who? Why shall we restrain ourselves to a narrow parameter? Oh yes, fair fight….right.

So what we must do is break the shackle and turn the question or Loaded Question-type statement around against the questioner:

“Again, it was not beating, it was spanking between consenting adults and I was in the receiving end of it. And why are you so interested in my sexual life? Are you some kind of pervert? I thought we were here to discuss……”

Some weeks ago during one of those Linoge-Induced wars I seem to get involved in, the anti-du-jour went on a predictable rant against guns and finished his jack-jawing with “We must stop unrestricted guns!” I politely asked to define what was an “unrestricted gun” and silence ensued. Yes, we all “know” that he was supposed to mean unrestricted access to guns, but his use of a cute name and me asking for a definition of the term caught him with his pants down and left him in a silence. Somebody undecided or with no string convictions following the exchange might have thought “OK, so what is the definition of unrestricted gun and why does this guy does not answer?” It created a doubt and this doubt hopefully spread to all his previous statements.

The first time I saw this type of logical counter attacks was during a radio interview given by Tom Greshan who was told by a Liberal radio talk show host that she supported the banning of “Assault Weapons.” Very politely Mr. Gresham asked her to tell him what was an assault weapon and “hilarity ensued” to coin a phrase. First was a long silence (Dead Air in commercial radio parlance which is a big no-no) followed by the obligatory “er’s” and “umm’s” and an absolutely confused host. Greshan went for the kill, again, very politely: “How can you be against something you don’t know what it is?” The rest of the show went downhill from there with a very defensive host having to realize she was in the wrong.

Perhaps the most infamous example of this line of counter attack is Carolyn McCarthy “shoulder thing that goes up” video.

Now that hurts but it shows that many people, including the idiots that pass legislation do not have an idea of what they are talking about. But they are good at using “wordage” to evoke a negative feeling. At the last Squirrel Report, (which I missed, first time damn it)  Breda brought forward the idea that we in the gun culture have a fetish for our guns, yet we keep saying they are tools. Now, she says that was setting the rest of her co-hosts on the fallacy (She is Breda Fallacy) and none of them got the idea. When I heard the show later, I realized that Alan, Jay and Weer were trying to defend against the fallacy instead of setting aside. Why accept the word “fetish” with its negative connotation of sexual perversion? I mean, I expect that from Weer, but Alan and Jay are supposed to be the mature ones in the male side of the show. Yes, we like our guns and we “accessorize”, collect, admire handiwork, decorate, etc just like any other Joe & Jane do about their particular hobby. But sexual intercourse? Nah….

So, if somebody asks you why do we have a Gun Fetish, your answer should be alongside the following:

Hmmmm… steel leather, nylon straps, weird shaped plastic. I see how a twisted mind might get confused and take it to the fetish thing. Incidentally, I didn’t know you were into the whole leather and S&M lifestyle, whipping people and what nots. Not my thing but I have no problems if you like it. Knock yourself out!”

Remember, you are dealing with Liberals that claim to be so open-minded, you can actually see gray matter dripping off their ear lobes, few of them are capable of retort to a well placed counter attack that demands brain usage as they only run on slogans.