You just lost my vote...
- Thread starter JWarren
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Kimber1911_06238
Member
good job!!! I couldn't have done any better
Nolo
Member
2RCO, I would make the point that he may not have actually withdrawn his support, but the idea that the candidate is losing votes because of his position on something is a powerful persuader.
Man, I really appreciate the encouragement here. Thanks guys.
As I said earlier, I really considered this an opportunity to educate. I believe that they would be pro-RKBA. If anything, I felt that it is important that we educate our potential political representatives on the nature of gun rights.
While I am a life-long hunter, I have grown weary of the endless string of rhetoric about being a hunter... sporting purposes.... yadda, yadda, yadda...
I've grown irrate with the knee-jerk politics of banning tools and limiting freedom when faced with societal ills.
Mine was an attempt to press that point.
Recently, it worked well for me-- so I have felt encouraged. Another state-level candidate came to my home for the same purposes. I hit him with the same questions. And he was agreeable to the notions-- but that really didn't surprise me coming from someone wishing to gain votes. What DID get my attention was that he called me at my office the next day to discuss it further. I let HIM do most of the talking and I could tell that he had a fundamental reverence for the Bill of Rights and personal freedom with personal responsibility.
I was hoping for a repeat-- and I haven't ruled out that possiblity yet.
As you all are, I am anxiously awaiting a follow-up to this. You better believe that you guys will be the first to know how it turns out.
All the best, my friends!
-- John
PS: Threeband:
Now THAT is something I didn't consider... eep...!
As I said earlier, I really considered this an opportunity to educate. I believe that they would be pro-RKBA. If anything, I felt that it is important that we educate our potential political representatives on the nature of gun rights.
While I am a life-long hunter, I have grown weary of the endless string of rhetoric about being a hunter... sporting purposes.... yadda, yadda, yadda...
I've grown irrate with the knee-jerk politics of banning tools and limiting freedom when faced with societal ills.
Mine was an attempt to press that point.
Recently, it worked well for me-- so I have felt encouraged. Another state-level candidate came to my home for the same purposes. I hit him with the same questions. And he was agreeable to the notions-- but that really didn't surprise me coming from someone wishing to gain votes. What DID get my attention was that he called me at my office the next day to discuss it further. I let HIM do most of the talking and I could tell that he had a fundamental reverence for the Bill of Rights and personal freedom with personal responsibility.
I was hoping for a repeat-- and I haven't ruled out that possiblity yet.
As you all are, I am anxiously awaiting a follow-up to this. You better believe that you guys will be the first to know how it turns out.
All the best, my friends!
-- John
PS: Threeband:
Now THAT is something I didn't consider... eep...!
IA_farmboy
Member
Instead of "Second Amendment" I would have used the term "gun control" to bait a response. I find it enlightening to phrase the question in a way that would imply a position opposite of my own. It keeps them honest.
UPDATE:
Well, a lot of time has passed on this issue.
I decided that I was not going to be contacted by this candidate.
Soooo.....
I e-mailed the NRA questioning his "A" rating and requested that they ask him to clarify his position on military-style firearms. I gave them a detailed account of the conversation I had with the candidate's wife.
To be fair, I sent a copy of the e-mail to the candidate along with a link to this thread.
To my surprise, I received a call from the candidate's campaign manager within 5 minutes of my sending the e-mail.
I just got off the phone with him.
The manager assured me that his boss DOES support our right to have military-style firearms. He said that the candidate's wife likely did not give well-thought-out response based on the crime problems of Jackson. (The campaign manager himself, claims that he owns a .50 caliber.)
At any rate, he assured me that they will be making clarifying statements regarding this candidate's support for ALL of the 2nd Amendment.
I told the campaign manager that I would relay the details of this conversation on this site, and I have done so.
I look forward to seeing the statements.
-- John
Well, a lot of time has passed on this issue.
I decided that I was not going to be contacted by this candidate.
Soooo.....
I e-mailed the NRA questioning his "A" rating and requested that they ask him to clarify his position on military-style firearms. I gave them a detailed account of the conversation I had with the candidate's wife.
To be fair, I sent a copy of the e-mail to the candidate along with a link to this thread.
To my surprise, I received a call from the candidate's campaign manager within 5 minutes of my sending the e-mail.
I just got off the phone with him.
The manager assured me that his boss DOES support our right to have military-style firearms. He said that the candidate's wife likely did not give well-thought-out response based on the crime problems of Jackson. (The campaign manager himself, claims that he owns a .50 caliber.)
At any rate, he assured me that they will be making clarifying statements regarding this candidate's support for ALL of the 2nd Amendment.
I told the campaign manager that I would relay the details of this conversation on this site, and I have done so.
I look forward to seeing the statements.
-- John
Bones11b
Member
Bravo! Job well done. I live in Florida but am still very interested to see what clarifying statements are made concerning this issue.
Omaney
Member
This is one of the best anologies I have been exposed to. Well done! I wish I had this gift, I am not a silver tongued debator (sp).
ShunZu
member
Way to go! Chalk up 1 for the good guys.
10 years ago I was mid-management at the phone company, and was interviewed by a local TV station on my way out of the office building. Caught me off-guard. There was an issue on the upcoming ballot at the time about adding .05 to city taxes to handle increasing costs, inflation, etc, etc, etc.
Shooting from the cuff, I said, "I think someone should tell our government officials that they have to live within a set budget, for a change. After all, I can't go to my employer and demand an increase in salary because I'm spending too damn much money."
It hit the local news that night. 20 people stormed into my office the following morning giving me high-5's, "way to go's" and congratulations on dealing with the interviewer (who was obviously trying to get green lights for city hall's tax increases). Frankly, I'm surprised they aired it.
The tax increase failed in the ballot boxes and they attributed it to "voter hostility at increasing taxes". I hope I had SOMETHING to do with it.
10 years ago I was mid-management at the phone company, and was interviewed by a local TV station on my way out of the office building. Caught me off-guard. There was an issue on the upcoming ballot at the time about adding .05 to city taxes to handle increasing costs, inflation, etc, etc, etc.
Shooting from the cuff, I said, "I think someone should tell our government officials that they have to live within a set budget, for a change. After all, I can't go to my employer and demand an increase in salary because I'm spending too damn much money."
It hit the local news that night. 20 people stormed into my office the following morning giving me high-5's, "way to go's" and congratulations on dealing with the interviewer (who was obviously trying to get green lights for city hall's tax increases). Frankly, I'm surprised they aired it.
The tax increase failed in the ballot boxes and they attributed it to "voter hostility at increasing taxes". I hope I had SOMETHING to do with it.
Way to go, JWarren! I especially like how you followed up on your original conversation like you did.
I wonder why so many politicians don't get it. I remember hearing a presidential candidate say, "I support the second amendment, but I am for an assault weapons ban." Are they really that uneducated about the second amendment that they don't see it is all about "assault weapons?" Or do they know they're talking out both sides of their mouth and just hope America is too dumb to recognize it.
We just had a primary election for City Council and I took the opportunity to send out a blanket email to all the candidates to see if they were doing their part to protect themselves and their families. Two questions: Do you have a concealed firearms permit? What firearms do you keep for defensive purposes? Admittedly they may not be entirely fair questions, considering their privacy, but most of them responded and it helped me narrow down my choice from the 10 or so candidates.
I wonder why so many politicians don't get it. I remember hearing a presidential candidate say, "I support the second amendment, but I am for an assault weapons ban."
Are they really that uneducated about the second amendment that they don't see it is all about "assault weapons?" Or do they know they're talking out both sides of their mouth and just hope America is too dumb to recognize it.We just had a primary election for City Council and I took the opportunity to send out a blanket email to all the candidates to see if they were doing their part to protect themselves and their families. Two questions: Do you have a concealed firearms permit? What firearms do you keep for defensive purposes? Admittedly they may not be entirely fair questions, considering their privacy, but most of them responded and it helped me narrow down my choice from the 10 or so candidates.
mike101
Member
You did a great job. It's amazing how many people are totally unaware that criminals don't use "assault weapons". Never miss an opportunity to point that out, because the Brady Campaign never misses an opportunity to lie about the issue. It's less than 1%, according to your friendly, neighborhood Dept. of Justice.
Sounds like you ought to vote for the guy.
Sounds like you ought to vote for the guy.
Robert Hairless
Member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2003
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JWarren:
You're good. I've been thinking about how you handled yourself. It's really a model of clear, rational behavior in that situation. Well done indeed.
You're good. I've been thinking about how you handled yourself. It's really a model of clear, rational behavior in that situation. Well done indeed.
Thanks guys. I don't know how good I am, but I am plenty obsessed.
I haven't forgotten AWB '94, and am doing all I can to see that those that seek our votes actually represent us.
I see our activitism as something that should live on a daily basis with us. With qualifying statements and well-thought-out statements, there is no reason we cannot make our position known openly.
The first step to banning anything is to make it unfashionable or uncomfortable to speak about in society. This starts the "Spiral of Silence"-- a phenomena seen in Nazi Germany during the lead-up to WWII. There was a book written by a Public Relations professional that uncovered this phenomena that was entitled "The Spiral of Silence." I forget the author's name at the moment.
We have to let it be known that we are a large part of society, and that WE DO have our rights as expressed by the Bill of Rights. We have to let those that seek to represent us know that they must respect those rights to serve in that fashion.
-- John
I haven't forgotten AWB '94, and am doing all I can to see that those that seek our votes actually represent us.
I see our activitism as something that should live on a daily basis with us. With qualifying statements and well-thought-out statements, there is no reason we cannot make our position known openly.
The first step to banning anything is to make it unfashionable or uncomfortable to speak about in society. This starts the "Spiral of Silence"-- a phenomena seen in Nazi Germany during the lead-up to WWII. There was a book written by a Public Relations professional that uncovered this phenomena that was entitled "The Spiral of Silence." I forget the author's name at the moment.
We have to let it be known that we are a large part of society, and that WE DO have our rights as expressed by the Bill of Rights. We have to let those that seek to represent us know that they must respect those rights to serve in that fashion.
-- John
Hokkmike
Member
So, if he calls you and "clarifys" his position how will you consider your vote?
That is a good question.
Both he and his opponent have NRA "A" ratings. But we have to remember that the words were put in his mouth by his wife. I'll be interested in seeing what he would say publically.
I don't take a lot of stock in what any candidate would say privately. Those are easily denied or forgotten. He needs to go on record for it to matter.
So, there isn't an answer to that yet.
-- John
RoadkingLarry
Member
The fact that he and/or his campaign people either blew you off or put you on the back burner hoping you would go away speaks volumes to me.
It's great when someone takes a sweet opportunity like this. I write to papers and take every opportunity online to espouse and support gun rights. Have in the process discovered that support exists in the oddest places... check out the urbandictionary.com top definitions on 'second amendment', 'gun control', 'firearm'... etc etc. Oh, and if you're political, 'Hillary Clinton'.
stephpd
Member
lost vote
Kudos! Not sure I could have done better. Never have talked to a politician or their wife. I did sense some scorn and using words like 'you' or 'your" when talking to 'those' people seems to turn them off. Might have been better to use third person neutral "it' , 'that' or 'them' to not put them on the defensive but well done.
Hope they get back to you though I doubt it. I really don't think politicians care about 'the people' except around election time and them they preferr to tell you what you want to hear then do whatever they want after they get in office.:banghead:
Kudos! Not sure I could have done better. Never have talked to a politician or their wife. I did sense some scorn and using words like 'you' or 'your" when talking to 'those' people seems to turn them off. Might have been better to use third person neutral "it' , 'that' or 'them' to not put them on the defensive but well done.
Hope they get back to you though I doubt it. I really don't think politicians care about 'the people' except around election time and them they preferr to tell you what you want to hear then do whatever they want after they get in office.:banghead:
cambeul41
Member
Be that as it may, it is still such a good story that I tell it anyway while being careful to specify it's inauthenticity.
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