Another "Discussion With an Anti" Post...

[ZeSpectre]

RPCVYemen
How about this one then

"Because men of evil intent will not disarm, it is vital that men of good intent do not".

(wish I could find out who said it).

 

[armoredman]

"Don't get me started, I will tear you apart"

I think I would have said, " What a violent and rude thing to say. You're right, you should never own a firearm, gas can or steak knife, until you work through your anger management issues with a licensed professional."

 

[-terry]

My approach to this is to ask the anti a simple question. "What kind of argument or evidence would it take for you to reconsider your position?"

Usually they answer "None" in which case I close the discussion with something like, "If you don't want to think about this together and if there is no set of facts that may apply to this issue that you would entertain...I guess we should talk about something else about which you're more open to discussion."

 

[myrockfight]

Illhunter,

I didn't read every post after yours, but I have found the approach you take to be the most effective also.

Pro-gunners who try to argue with people who are anti-gun (who are most likely irrational and devoid of reasoning skills) are like those who would try to stop a locomotive by standing on the tracks, putting their hands out and expecting to not only stop the train (all 37,000 lbs of it -and that is just the locomotive), but expecting it to reverse course at the same speed instantaneously.

It is just an unrealistic expectation. A much more effective way to get the train to go the opposite direction would be to simply change the track that it is on before it gets out of the train yard.

 

[Oleg Volk]

Most antis are amendable to logic, so long as the logic comes from their own minds. Use guiding questions to let them change their own minds -- Socratic discourse model.

 

[CAPTAIN MIKE]

Good for You

You remained calm and gave thoughtful answers. One of the things I've found that Antis have a difficult tiime with are questions posed to them.
Here are 'just a few' as food for thought.

* Are you saying you're opposed to the Basic Human Right of Self-Defense?
* Are you saying that Crime Victims should just be Passive and Do Nothing to Defend themselves and their Loved Ones?
* Do you realize that the Police will likely show up AFTER the crime is already over and the criminal has escaped?
* Shouldn't a woman be able to defend herself against a rapist?
* Are you saying you'd just be passive while a gang of Home Invaders came into your home are harmed your family?

That's certainly not all of them - but that should be a good start.

 

[XDKingslayer]

From here, their logic got more and more diluted and I realized I wasn't going to make any difference in their opinions.

And this is why I don't argue with them...I simply tell them that I'm not going to discuss it because their logic is irrational, unproven, and usually misrepresented by whatever anti-gun group has gotten control of their tiny little brain.

 

[RancidSumo]

EVERY person I've taken shooting has come away with a smile on their face and a major willingness to reconsider their lifelong hatred of guns.

Like Luke (one of the main members of the Bungie Podcast) sayed, "Nobody ever picked up a gun, pulled the trigger once, and said 'Ok, that's enough, I don't want to do that again'"

Does anyone know the sig line that someone on here has by Sigmund Frued (I think) about people who are afraid of guns?

 

[jlbraun]

Bar none, the best thing I have ever used in any discussion with an anti is:

"Why are you being so intolerant towards those that make different life choices than you?"

I really p(*&^$#%d someone off by changing their statement

"I don't like people who CCW. Having a person with a gun under their shirt is creepy. I don't care what your statistics say."

into

"I don't like gay people. Two men kissing is creepy. I don't care what your statistics say."

 

[chris in va]

Haven't confirmed it's validity, but here it is.

Sigmund Freud: "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." ("General Introduction to Psychoanalysis," S. Freud)