STEPHEN HUNTER: THE MASSACRE SPREE THAT NEVER WAS

Powerline ^ | 18 June 2022 | Scott Johnson

[Rummyfan]

Stephen Hunter retired as the Pulitzer Prize-winning chief film critic of The Washington Post in 2008 and is the author of the Bob Lee Swagger novels. His most recent is Targeted, published earlier this year. Inspired by recent events, he sent us this column.

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Possibly you’re old enough to remember the great massacre spree of 1964? Classrooms shot up, strip malls decimated, scout troops blown away, fast food restaurants turned into mortuaries.

And all because, in its infinite stupidity, the U.S. government dumped 240,000 high-capacity .30 caliber assault rifles into an otherwise innocent America.

The weapons clearly had a demon-spirit to them. Compared to anything else in the market, they had that murder-most-easy look. One glance at the sinister gleam of the walnut stock which caressed the military-gray receiver and barrel of the weapon, its magazine wickedly boasting of many cartridges ready and waiting, its photo- and Hollywood associations with war, and some went screwball. They had the overwhelming desire to use it as it was meant to be used. It was not powerful enough for deer and not accurate enough for vermin. It existed only to kill human beings.

[Rummyfan]

I highly recommend Hunter's newest, TARGETED.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I remember a few years back when a man in NYC walked out of his apartment with an M-1 Garand and fired ONE shot killing ONE man.
The NY Times went berserk calling for a ban on semi-auto rifles.

[allwrong57]

I’m just relieved the guy isn’t a flaming Lib since he worked at the Post.

[MarMema]

Thanks for posting this. Sharing it widely.

[GOPJ]

ping

[Rummyfan]

I’m just relieved the guy isn’t a flaming Lib since he worked at the Post.

Hunter is anything but a flaming lib and he often includes digs at his former profession and colleagues in his novels.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Have to pick it up, I’ve got everything else he’s done.