What’s Their Purpose

Bitter over at Snowflakes in Hell pointed out another idiotic assortment of dribble that is trying to be passed off as a study. The adamantly anti-gun organization Violence Policy Center has released another one of their Google searches studies. This time they are “proving” that the NRA and its members are dangerous anti-government terrorists. The article advertising this study leads me to ask the question, what exactly is the Violence Policy Center’s purpose?

From what I gather through this article its not so much an anti-gun organization but a pro-government organization. Let’s look at some choice quotes:

The study offers examples of the NRA’s anti-government language, details NRA marketing to Tea Party supporters, and reveals links in nine states between NRA State Election Volunteer Coordinators, the Tea Party movement, and other factions of the “Patriot movement.”

Let me get this straight. You’re supposed to be afraid of the NRA and its supporters because some of those members are part of the tea party movement? Let’s jump into the way back machine here and remember what the original tea parties were about. They were about taxes. People attending these tea party events felt the government was stealing too much of their money in the form of taxes. They were (still are) paying more and want to pay less. Eventually the mass media tried spinning these events as anti-government movements and organized political parties (they were merely events at first). And now the tea party “movement” isn’t just about taxes but wanting small government in general. What’s wrong with that? A desire for small government was the basis on which this country was founded. Let’s rip into some more quotes:

The study finds that, echoing the language of the resurgent Patriot movement, the NRA routinely presents the election of Barack Obama as a virtually apocalyptic threat not only to gun ownership, but to the future of the United States itself.

Most people who vie for small government present the election of Barack Obama as a threat to the future of the United States. He’s the classic “progressive” big government guy which was made very apparent by the fact he did everything he could to ensure the mandatory health insurance bill was passed. Once again it seems that the Violence Policy Center is jockeying itself to be a pro-government organization instead of an anti-gun organization. But there’s more:

In a December 2009 direct-mail letter echoing the language of both the Tea Party movement and the Oath Keepers, the NRA urges the reader to join an “army whose highest allegiance is not to any individual or any political party but only to the cause of freedom.”

Are they seriously trying to spin this as a bad thing? So according to the Violence Policy Center the idea of our military having their allegiance to the concept of freedom is a bad thing? In my book that’s a great thing. I love the idea that of the army ignoring illegal orders such as confiscating guns from the sovereign individuals of the United States. I love the idea of our military refusing to enact marshal law. If that’s what our army is about I’m all for it. I guess the Violence Policy Center doesn’t feel the same way and believe our military should blindly obey the commands of our governing officials even if those orders violence the very Constitution this country was created on. But hey they’re not done yet:

The organization now also markets NRA clothing products emblazoned with the Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, which has become the symbol of the Tea Party movement. The description for the NRA Gadsden tee shirt reads: “What goes around comes around. In the late 18th century, oppressed American patriots voiced their defiance of tyranny by exclaiming, ‘Don’t Tread on Me!’ Perhaps it’s time once again for Freedom-loving citizens to rally ’round the legendary slogan of the famous Gadsden flag.”

The Gadsden flag isn’t the “symbol of the Tea Party movement” but the symbol of those wanting smaller government. In fact according to this implication the Navy should be considered terrorists as they fly the Gadsden flag to this day.

I think the Violence Policy Center needs to take a look at what their real purpose is. It is becoming more and more obvious their position is the ensure government can do as it pleases without any restriction. After all we need to ban guns because members of the NRA hold libertarian ideals! Oh the humanity! There are people who believe that government shouldn’t be interfering with their everyday lives! What will they think of next?