"anyone other than those [with] a fringe position could consider it... preventing any compromise." - Edit 1
Before modification by Joel at 19/01/2013 08:27:21 PM
Rather on the nose there, Larry. 
I think the gun control debate reached the end of the path to Godwins Law when the OTHER fringe minority started "citing" and disseminating fabricated Hitler quotes lauding gun control measures he never enacted.
Both fringes feed off of and legitimize each other; that is the problem. The only reason anyone gives any credence to claims gun rights advocates want to let everyone stock pile arsenals sufficient to outfit a small army is because a small number of gun rights advocates openly and proudly demand just that. Likewise, the only reason anyone gives any credence to claims gun control advocates want to ban all guns is because a tiny number of gun control advocates openly and proudly demand just THAT. The vast majority of America opposing BOTH radical fringes would dismiss both as absurd were each not constantly justifying the others hyperbolic alarmism. The hate each other, yet perversely cooperate in preventing the effective reasonable gun control 90% of the country wants.
The good news is that I think the US public as a whole is starting to figure out the problem. The more both radical fringes speak of bans, the more they marginalize themselves with the vast majority opposed to both universally allowing OR banning guns. As it should be; irrational people only impair vital rational debate.
I think the gun control debate reached the end of the path to Godwins Law when the OTHER fringe minority started "citing" and disseminating fabricated Hitler quotes lauding gun control measures he never enacted. Both fringes feed off of and legitimize each other; that is the problem. The only reason anyone gives any credence to claims gun rights advocates want to let everyone stock pile arsenals sufficient to outfit a small army is because a small number of gun rights advocates openly and proudly demand just that. Likewise, the only reason anyone gives any credence to claims gun control advocates want to ban all guns is because a tiny number of gun control advocates openly and proudly demand just THAT. The vast majority of America opposing BOTH radical fringes would dismiss both as absurd were each not constantly justifying the others hyperbolic alarmism. The hate each other, yet perversely cooperate in preventing the effective reasonable gun control 90% of the country wants.
The good news is that I think the US public as a whole is starting to figure out the problem. The more both radical fringes speak of bans, the more they marginalize themselves with the vast majority opposed to both universally allowing OR banning guns. As it should be; irrational people only impair vital rational debate.