In an interview with Larry King, actor Jason Alexander recalled an incident?that occurred?when he was campaigning for Pres. Barack Obama. He was speaking to a gun activist, and he quickly saw that the conversation was going nowhere. This exasperated Alexander because what he would ?like to see happen?is a “realistic conversation about what weapons should be in the hands of non-military or non-police people.”
But honestly, discussing even common sense solutions is insufferable?to gun rights activists. As Alexander?explained to Larry King:
“We all know that there’s a line somewhere. I want to have a discussion about where that line should be, but even discussing that…”
We know the rest, or at least the gist of it. We know what happens, don’t we, when we try to talk about common sense gun measures with gun nuts? But Alexander’s honest confrontation of this particular gun nut is the “ammo” we need to be using when we talk to these people. Let’s get the truth out into the open. Let’s force them to admit what they really want. We already know. They already know. Let’s force them to admit to it openly so that we have a place from which to work.
Let me take it a step further by asking us to examine Jason Alexander’s?calm and respectful approach. Can we do this? I used the phrase “gun nut” deliberately in the headline to this article. Do we need to stop doing that? Let’s ask ourselves: has the use of this sort of disrespectful language and our angry approach and rhetoric accomplished anything? I don’t know.
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h/t Upworthy
Tiffany Willis is a fifth-generation Texan and the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.
