My address is:
Certain words hurt you when you talk about your rights and liberties. People who would deny your rights have done a good job of manipulating the language so far.
Without even realizing it, you're probably using terms that actually help the people who want to disarm you.
To preserve, protect and defend your rights in the critical debate on where power should reside in America, you need effective word choices. Try out some of the ideas in this chart the next time you deal with this subject.
Then just give it a rest and watch where it goes. You'll hear their litany, replete with flaws. Don't rebut, seize the moment, listen hard and learn -- then just raise an eyebrow and think, "How 'bout that. Feller doesn't even own a gun. It takes all kinds." Then talk about something else. And boy, does the disjoint hang in their craw.
| They want you to say (and you lose if you say): |
It's better to say (and they lose if you say): |
| pro gun | pro rights |
| gun control | crime control |
| anti-gun movement | anti-self-defense movement |
| semiautomatic handgun | sidearm |
| concealed carry | carry or right to carry |
| assault or lethal weapon | household firearms |
| saturday night specials | racist gun laws |
| junk guns | the affordability issue |
| high capacity magazines | full capacity magazines |
| Second Amendment | Bill of Rights |
| the powerful gun lobby | civil rights organizations |
| common sense legislation | dangerous utopian ideas |
| reasonable gun controls | victim disarmament |
| gun control laws | infringement laws |
| anti gun | anti-gun bigot |
| anti gun | anti-gun prejudice |
| anti gun | anti rights |
| When they say: | You say: |
| Guns kill | Guns save lives |
| Guns cause crime | Guns stop crime |
| Guns are too dangerous to own | Then you should take a safety class |
| Guns are too dangerous to own | Then don't trust the boys and girls in the military with them |
| People shouldn't have guns | Maybe you shouldn't have one |
| The purpose of a gun is to kill | The purpose of a gun is to protect |
| People shouldn't have guns | Only good people should have guns |
| Guns should go away | Then you should personally sign up to never have a gun in your life, as you would ask of me |
| They should take away all the guns | Bad guys first |
| We need more gun laws | Everything criminal about guns is already against the law |
| Why would anyone want to own a gun? |
You're kidding, right? You mean you really don't know? Well, why do you think we give guns to the police? |
| I'm not against people having guns | What sort of guns do you think people should have, and why |
| Do you really have a gun? | Of course, don't you? |
I thank G-d that I live in a state that allows concealed carry. Whether I am carrying a gun or not I am much safer, because the S.O.B.'s who might want to commit a crime do not know whether I am carrying a gun or not.