This afternoon I was bombarded by a guy in my office who has left leaning opinions. Given that he is a wounded warrior, and a retired Marine, I give him a LOT of slack.

He started in on guns right as I was trying to leave for the day.

I just cannot believe the uninformed statements he was making about gun purchases. I guess he was baiting me, but I didn't bite.

The sad thing is that he probably believes the junk posted on the anti sites; he knew all of the topics.

Rant off. Now I feel better.

quote:

Given that he is a wounded warrior, and a retired Marine, I give him a LOT of slack.

Sometimes people who have been in military combat or law enforcement are anti-gun. They have seen - and been in - much violence and many gunshot wounds and deaths and transfer the blame to the inanimate object, i.e., guns. Not saying it's right, just trying to understand. But that still doesn't excuse misinformation. Since you apparently work with him every day, eventually the rope you're giving him has to pull taut.

An interesting position he is in.

Perhaps a retorical(sp) question for him -

“So, assuming all the guns in the world can’t be collected and destroyed, and police can’t be everywhere at once, what is there to stop a bad guy with a gun?”

quote:

Originally posted by djinco:
Given that he is a wounded warrior, and a retired Marine, I give him a LOT of slack.

Yet he's still a fucking idiot.

Being wounded and retried military doesn't excuse him from being called out for being an idiot.

I do not cut them any slack for ANY reason, even if they have been shot by a gun(someone using a gun).

We had an ex Marine where I worked who was so duped by the union that he too believed all this progressive crap.
The guy lived like a conservative, had shotguns, farmed on the side, acted like a conservative and ranted left wing b.s. he had heard somewhere.

He could not debate you about any subject because he had no facts to back him up, just feelings.

Being a vet is not a sure indicator that you uphold the Constitution. Anymore, I assume any rank over O4 or E9 to be liberals. I seem to guess correctly most of the time. Less so for combat troops, but enough to be disappointing.

If you want to trample on my rights, I don’t care who you are. You get no slack.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
Being a vet is not a sure indicator that you uphold the Constitution. Anymore, I assume any rank over O4 or E9 to be liberals. I seem to guess correctly most of the time. Less so for combat troops, but enough to be disappointing.

If you want to trample on my rights, I don’t care who you are. You get no slack.

Nuf said!

All true; I sure don't want an EEO complaint filed against me.

Tomorrow the office policy is no politics (which includes comments about the President), no religion.

That should keep me out of (legal) trouble

Arguing with a person like that is pointless. You'll no more make them change their mind than they will change yours.

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig."

djinco, this article might help you, it gave me some help in battling anti-freedom people:

http://jpfo.org/filegen-n-z/ra...ainstselfdefense.htm

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Arguing with a person like that is pointless. You'll no more make them change their mind than they will change yours.

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig."

This is where I’m at with politic discussions.... anytime somebody tries to discuss politics with me I just tell them i don’t discuss politics with people for this exact reason...

It might be a bad way of thinking, but more often than not it’s true...

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:...Sometimes people who have been in military combat or law enforcement are anti-gun. They have seen - and been in - much violence and many gunshot wounds and deaths and transfer the blame to the inanimate object, i.e., guns. ...

Have seen this shit all my life, it's wrong choices by people who are evil and lack self control.

It is not the tool, the weapon is akin to 3 pounds of custard and responsible for more pain and suffering than most people can fathom.

And while a "vet" may have risen to a calling, one is no less or more capable than any other to perform a sefless, or selfish act.

When we forget such a simple thing as free will, we find ourselves sadly and often disappointed in the outcome or behaviors of others.

Expect the worst, and hope for the best.

And always have a plan to survive anyone and their actions.

I remembered an old saying and decided to research it to see who originated it. Turns out it’s been attributed to many people. Pretty good advice.


What’s the sense of wrestling with a pig in the mud? Never do that! You’ll only get filthy muddy dirty, and hopefully, maybe, you’ll learn the pig really enjoys it.


Sometimes a man likes to get you into an argument first to show that he is as smart as you are. And when you begin refuting one another’s reasons, fussing back and forth, you generally do what a nationally known industrial relations authority warns you against: you wallow in the mud with the pig. He says, “Never wallow in the mud with a pig, because the pig likes it.” That is exactly what he wants, because you are on his home ground. He can think of arguments as well as you can, so where do you come out?

Now this has made me think of Sun Tzu. How do you think he would advise you?

I really can't understand how a former Marine could become an anti gun progressive American.

I knew plenty of idiots while serving.....vets are due respect but that doesn't cover dumb opinions

quote:

e is a wounded warrior, and a retired Marine

Lots of idiots in the service, plenty of them wounded.

Over time I have begun to understand the left leanings I see from those who served.

When you serve, you are part of a collective organization where the individual is expect to sacrifice for the group. To include relinquishing individual rights and safety.

Obviously that is a requirement to serve, but it doesn't translate to a great understanding of individual rights as a civilian and I see if from my friends who advocate mandatory firearm training / inventory, "just like in the military" and those kinds of things.

Some of them are lost causes but some just need hear a different point of view.

quote:

Originally posted by dewhorse:
I knew plenty of idiots while serving.....vets are due respect but that doesn't cover dumb opinions

Exactly! Former co-worker was a marine and every sentence started with “I’m a marine!” He was right about everything even when he was proven wrong. The biggest load of crap I ever heard him shovel was that a game warden didn’t need a warrant or probable cause to enter anyone’s house. Jackass would get mad and want to fight when you didn’t believe him. Acted like Rambo and claimed he was a rifleman. He was a mechanic (and a horrible one based on how often his own vehicle broke down) and never saw action.

Vet or not, he has a mental disorder. When you attribute intent and volition to an inanimate object, you are suffering from mental disease. Pity him and move on. No point in debating or trying to change his mind.
I do agree, give a little slack because he did toe the line at some point in his life. But, being x-military, police etc. does NOT give you any special insight into the gun issue. Neither does being a law professor make you a constitutional scholar (barry).

I work with a teacher that is an ex-marine. He is far to the left and doesn't believe that a civilian should be allowed to own an AR-15. I see no sense in arguing with him. Otherwise he is a nice guy, intelligent. It came up once in the teachers lounge and he never preaches his ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
Being a vet is not a sure indicator that you uphold the Constitution. Anymore, I assume any rank over O4 or E9 to be liberals.

The paygrade E9 is he highest enlisted paygrade. The Army rank is Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major. It does not go "over." Offhand, I don't recall and Sergeant Major that was "liberal."