Posted on 06/28/2009 8:26:36 PM PDT by neverdem
I wasn't going to say anything about Joshua Horwitz and Casey Anderson's new book Guns, Democracy and the Insurrectionist Idea. First, because I've seen the ideas they're promoting and I think they're...mistaken, and secondly because I see no reason to publicize efforts by people who are working to subvert my rights. Besides, I've engaged with Horwitz before, and quite honestly, I found him to be...disagreeable.
I'm being polite.
The idea that the Framers did not view an armed citizenry as a defense against tyranny is absurd on its face.
Colleague Dave Workman, the Seattle Gun Rights Examiner, has saved me the trouble of further argument. His "Firearms rights activists are now ‘insurrectionists’ say anti-gunners" should tell you all you need to know. Still, one of the comments posted to Workmans article led me to explore something I found interesting--not the book, but its reviews on Amazon.com. At this writing, there are five.
I found no real fault with the first review--"Reading biased material on any subject for or against, should be viewed with a critical eye on who is presenting the material" is a valid observation.
The second comment struck me as bizarre, to the extent it's author has not learned from his own family's history, which I tracked down in an Internet search. Members perished in the Holocaust, including the Warsaw ghetto. That he embraces "gun control" when brave Jews there went to their deaths resisting the Nazis with "illegal" guns speaks volumes of his shameful ignorance when he calls for registration.
The third review was entered under a pseudonym, and indicts the NRA and "macho men" for "senseless mass violence." Curiously, this person has posted three reviews, two endorsing gun control books, and the third a rave for the "Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle & Coo Doll - Lavender Velour/White Outfit." Perhaps the hostility toward "macho men" is understandable.
The fourth review is by a professor and anti-gun author--someone who professionally opposes gun rights. People might want to know that, and they might want to know that Horwitz previously gave his book a five-star review on Amazon.
The last review is by the father of a Virginia Tech survivor and representative of the Million Mom March. Not that you'd know it unless you looked up his name. You'd think he'd understand the disadvantage of disarmed victims facing an armed assailant. I guess giving up denial means other parts of his worldview may need to be examined.
I note the Horwitz/Anderson book is put out by the University of Michigan Press. I just so happen to be in the middle of reading another book from that publisher, To Shake Their Guns in the Tyrant's Face, by Robert H. Churchill, Associate Professor of History at the University of Hartford. I'm enjoying the hell out if it and learning something new in each chapter.
Of course, this one involves real scholarship, and I'm looking forward to reviewing it both here and in Guns Magazine. And yeah, I'm biased.
The difference is, anyone who reads one of my reviews won't have to look elsewhere to find that out.
------------
Bride of Brady passes House
The good news, if there is any, is that 23 representatives voted against it.Oregon Firearms Federation now asks supporters to contact the Senate. Click here for more information.
.alsoenjoy {width: 318px; border: 1px solid #c8c8c8; color: #000; padding: 10px; text-align:left; margin: 0px 0px 10px 0px;} .alsoenjoy a {color: #b86000; text-decoration: none;} .alsoenjoy a:hover {color: #ffbf4f; text-decoration: underline;}
Check out other Gun Rights Examiners:
Why are so many Jewish people SO liberal and Gun-Grabee? Just wondering... Please enlighten me... someone.
I believe in draconian gun control and confiscation...for all Democrats.
Nothing “hidden” about that agenda, :P
Most of ‘em are yankees. From New York. it isn’t considered sophisticated. I suspect southern jews are different.
parsy, who is descended from a southern jew on his momma’s side.
I wish that pro Second Amendment authors were able to write coherent and cohesive articles. I have seen several, too many, in the last few weeks that are the equivalent of shouting Amen in church.
Hm, interesting.
Many of them are Communist and atheist.
anti-gunners are cowardly and timmid by nature and are ashamed of it. Instead of addressing their own personality flaws they seek to bring other people down to their level by removing the means of demonstrating that they are better men and capable of protecting themselves and thier families. That way they no longer have to be ashamed of themselves.
The second amendment was written by men who took up arms and fought the most powerful country on earth in an armed insurrection. They saw fit to ensure that government would stand on equal terms with citizens, and no thug could enforce his will by the use of arms against the helpless. Yet much of this country seems to think the second amendment was written to ensure that people in western Pennsylvania could go deer hunting. I think they believe it, too. One wonders who they think fought in the American Revolution.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
