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Not commenting on the article but the thread title. I don't think the goal is to tick off anti-gunners but more to turn them into pro-gunners. I know that's probably not going to happen but I think there's a chance to make them neutral on guns. Ticking them off seems counter productive to preserving our rights. I like to plant seeds of doubt in their minds about anti- gun laws not tick them off.
 
I will take minding my own business and going about my day without trying to convince someone my side of the position is right and theirs is wrong.

Polarized political discussions rarely turn out well for either side.
 
Not commenting on the article but the thread title. I don't think the goal is to tick off anti-gunners but more to turn them into pro-gunners. I know that's probably not going to happen but I think there's a chance to make them neutral on guns. Ticking them off seems counter productive to preserving our rights. I like to plant seeds of doubt in their minds about anti- gun laws not tick them off.

I agree - and in fact I know this is right from personal experience. There is alot of room for convincing folks. Most of my friends are 'anti-gun' but cannot really explain why, except that they are , quite rightly, anti-violence. I have managed to take quite a few out shooting.
One reason that the latest anti-gun legislation did not pass is that it was not a priority of the rank and file left - like union rights, civil rights, foreclosures, homelessness, economic fairness, and environmental protection. Those are issues that get promoted from the ground up. Gun control is promoted from the top-down by D party leadership, think tanks, advocacy groups. It never got serious traction with the grass roots.
Ticking off 'anti-gunners' might make people get a warm and fuzzy tribal feeling, but it's dumb politics.
 
I will take minding my own business and going about my day without trying to convince someone my side of the position is right and theirs is wrong.

Polarized political discussions rarely turn out well for either side.
I've been subtly convincing this died in the wool older bleeding heart lib I work with that having a CHL might be a good thing for him and his wife. I don't bring politics into it much. I just talk about new proposed gun restrictions coming out of Salem and the absurdity of gun free zones etc.. He will always be an absolute lib and you're wasting your time trying to change someone like him but on guns he is being swayed. Our discussions have gone from why he should have a gun to what kind of gun he should have.
 
what they need to do is have someone not carrying to come up and ask questions. doesnt have to be a genuine meeting but one that will catch the attention of others. it would be a good way to show gun owners are friendly down to earth people. progun activists that do things like this, tend to be open to questions and helpful with concerns. "sometimes you need to plant to gather seeds.", a little marketing trick ive picked up along the way.:s0155:
 
You mean like "plant" a pro-gunner in the group that acts like an anti with an easy question like, "Why are you against gun free zones man!??", and then quietly listens to the logical answer? Or do you mean like waiting for a polite anti to begin a calm discussion/debate because that aint gonna happen.
 
I suppose a really engaging speaker in Starbucks might start with a tall group and end up talking to a venti size crowd.

But convince anyone that guns are okay? Naaaaaah...

Far more likely to happen where you pour your own coffee and pay for gasoline.

But remember not to rattle that nervous clerk with a Louisville Slugger (or Glock) under the counter just aching to get his security cam video on one of those shows with Tonya Harding and Danny Bonadouchi cracking wise about your your "flagranly holstered" sidearm and quick, clumsy journey to the floor.
 
You mean like "plant" a pro-gunner in the group that acts like an anti with an easy question like, "Why are you against gun free zones man!??", and then quietly listens to the logical answer? Or do you mean like waiting for a polite anti to begin a calm discussion/debate because that aint gonna happen.

the first one.

the media paints us as nut jobs but if you show them the opposite enough, they may start to take a neutral position. there is nothing wrong with putting some honest info out there, even if its not a genuine conversation. it may prompt others to ask questions of their own. all it takes to sway people to the right (correct) side is to give the the information to make their own decisions. too many people take the opinions of the media instead of their own.
 
You know, I've had pretty good luck with "outreach" over the years. And it's pretty simple, present the topic in a non-threatening manner.

The problem with these types of events is, as soon as there is a gun physically present the hoplophobes get all excited and feel threatened, regardless of how reasonable their fear is, at that point, any chance of discourse is over.

Oddly enough, the approach I take that gets the most traction is talking about food. On more than one occasion I was reading a cook book, thinking about hunting. Once the "EEHR MAH GHERD YOU MURDER ANIMALS" parts is over, I point out "I know where my meat comes from, it's not full of chemicals, hormones, anti-biotics, and it's not raised on a factory farm where it's horns are ripped off at birth and is forced to sit, wait and be fattened up before being uncerimoniously slaughtered to make your hamburger." At that point, even the most lefty of lefties (except for the vegans) start to see there is virtue and validity in hunting. More than a few of these people I've taken to the range, taught them to shoot guns.

One in particular is in his own words a "flaming f....." and has become one of the most die hard supporters of the 2nd amendment I've ever known.
 
sadly enough, ive seen people blow up when others say the same thing. some people are just not interested in logical thought but i have no interest in speaking with people like that anyway. i personally find it sickening how we treat live stock in this country but i do have cravings for meat i wouldnt be able to get any other way. chickens probably have it worst. if they dont live their lives in cages barely big enough for them to fit in, they are in a pitch black warehouse where 2-3 (each lot) die every day for "unexplained reasons".
 
the first one.

the media paints us as nut jobs but if you show them the opposite enough, they may start to take a neutral position. there is nothing wrong with putting some honest info out there, even if its not a genuine conversation. it may prompt others to ask questions of their own. all it takes to sway people to the right (correct) side is to give the the information to make their own decisions. too many people take the opinions of the media instead of their own.
Most of the media are biased for the anti-gun leftist agenda but they honestly think their reporting is neutral. It would be great to have a way to get a calm logical debate going in a public forum for a change by any means necessary as somebody once said.
Who gets to pose as the anti though?
 
Yea, the scientologists didn't buy it when I said "so what is all that crazy sh*t you goofballs believe in anyways?"

Oh man I just about died reading this. I grew up in St. Pete FL where most downtown is owned by scientologists.

Back on topic though, I think there are numerous factors all playing a part to create the "perfect storm" that is the anti-gunners. The most amusing part is that most don't even know why they dislike the right to carry and believe we'd be better off with guns period. Yes because that works so well in Chicago. I've all but given up on trying to even explain why I like my freedom to own a gun and why that freedom is important.

You all have made excellent points. Wish I would have known Friday was guns and coffee! I would have had gone to Starbucks!
 
I don't agree with the rifle OC and over the top gun demonstrations at Starbucks. They've acknowledged our 2A rights and been good about it, so why are we continuing to make it a PR issue for them?

Sebastian at PA Gun Blog said it best:

http://www.pagunblog.com/2013/08/10/time-to-give-starbucks-a-break-2013-edition/

At this point, I think if Starbucks reverses its policy, we have no one to blame except ourselves. We’re already seeing hints this may be getting pushed too far by our own side. Last year, when this issue heated up again, I thought our side was working too hard to help the antis keep the issue alive. I think the best way we can help Starbucks is not to fan the flames. Keep spending your money there, and when the antis make noise, drop a note to corporate saying you’re a regular customer, and you appreciate their decision to follow state law on firearms.
 
Another good post from Caleb:

Guns and Starbucks | Gun Nuts

There's nothing wrong with showing appreciate for Starbuck's policy on firearms, and doing so with your money is the best way to do it. But I think we're making a tactical error, because in many cases we're acting like Starbucks is pro-gun. That's just not the case, because Starbuck's policy has always been "if it's legal, we don't care." We're doing the activist equivalent assuming that the cute girl in Chem class has a crush on us just because she's nice to us. The reality is she's just a nice person, but she really has a crush on Barry the captain of the track team.

I'm not saying don't open carry, because lord knows I don't want to kick over that can of worms. I am however going back to Caleb's First Rule: Don't be a dick. There are lots of people who go to Starbucks who don't care one way or the other about gun rights, and the over-the-top demonstrations in Starbucks could alienate the sort of people we're trying to win over to our side. If you're going to carry a gun, just carry your gun. Do it legally, do it safely, but regardless of whether you're OCing or CCing, don't make a big production out of it. Just carry your gun, and live your life. That will be a much better example than any "OC demonstration" ever was.
 

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