Debate about Gun Control

[Bob Butler 54]

(05-16-2017, 10:32 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: I don't know about me reading that.  (The Commonplace Second Amendment.) Maybe. I think my other points stand. But yes, we can rest there. Remember my advocacy of all-out prohibition is a "wet dream" unlikely to be realized in my lifetime, or even the lifetime of the USA, however long that may be (it could end during this 4T, we can't be sure). And I did not advocate imposing it by force; that would be as violent as guns are. Violently taking away guns from everybody is not viable. There would have to be consensus (and then force applied to the few violators, if any). But, you never know when I might bring up my dream again    "I have a dream, that one day..."

I'd like to step back from you in particular, blue gun control advocates in general, and talk a bit about how extreme partisans maintain their absurd opinions.  In this case, there is an absolute refusal to gain information that you suspect you don't want to know.  It's straight up willful ignorance.  Over and over you will bring up the justification phrase aspect of the Jim Crow interpretation, yet you refuse to touch the short clear academic paper which examines how to interpret justification phrases.

There are some differences between worldviews that do or should reside in the realm of logic and fact.  I'll mention conservatives examining climate science and fundamentalists examining evolutionary biology as other examples where folk with strong political or religious world views can let fact and science roll off them like water off a duck.  It's not unique to one faction or one issue.

For a while I've been considering an essay or three on how to recognize one's own values lock.  It is generally fairly obvious when someone with opposing values has departed reality.  It's harder to recognize it in one's self.  An absolute unwillingness to even read an opposing point of view might be one clue?  It is obvious that extreme partisans do indeed lock into their perspectives.  What are the symptoms?  Is is possible to recognize when one is shutting down one's mind?

Anyway, many a blue daydreamer will ride the Jim Crow interpretation of the 2nd to the death without reading, acknowledging or making intelligent comments on The Commonplace Second Amendment.  It would be interesting for someone from the blue side to actually read it and start an educated intelligent discussion.  Until they do, all I can do when the Jim Crow interpretation is repeated again is to put my foot down and paraphrase the paper.

On the other hand, you are allowed to dream.  So are the NRA people.  For the moment the values of the country are too divided to go far beyond daydreams.