John McCroskey: NRA, Christians Only Acceptable Targets for Group-Blaming for the Left

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Let’s be honest. 

It’s almost impossible to be honest these days when it comes to a whole array of issues, but right now it’s guns that evoke so much emotion that it’s hard for some to talk rationally about them.

This is true in Congress, but perhaps especially true on college campuses where dissent from groupthink has brought us “safe spaces” and other nonsense over the difference of ideas.

The mere suggestion of a speaker with a contrary view has caused campus riots and very childish  behavior — or what used to be considered childish behavior but has become far too common. 

This past week, we saw some students lead protests across the country over guns. There were understandably high emotions, and after listening to those who made the headlines, it was clear there was really only interest in covering one side of the issue. 

Guns are bad. The NRA is bad. The NRA has blood on their hands.

But if you looked hard — and it took some looking — you could find what I’d consider to be a more balanced look at the issue of school safety by students, and it was more complex than just the guns. They just couldn’t get any coverage.

One young lady addressing her peers at one of those rallies demanding action on guns pointed out to others in attendance the unpopular view that each school shooting had a bullying component — something she called out her fellow students on. She pointed out the obvious, that they had control over how they treated each other.

She was wise beyond her years, but it got very little play.

She also called out those who really were just hanging out to enjoy skipping school and were really not that engaged in this “movement.”  To hear those leading and promoting these walkouts, it was every student in every school demanding action on guns.

But it turns out there were students concerned about the Second Amendment who don’t want more gun restrictions but did want safe schools.   

But you really had to look for these stories since they didn’t fit the narrative driven by political opportunists who were involved in some of these protests.

As you could expect, politicians who need attention showed up and in true hypocritical fashion were protected by armed officers. In some cases they arrived with very visible and armed security. In a day gone by when shame still existed in politics, they might see their hypocrisy — but for the most part that’s gone.

So the media, Hollywood and now some (not all) students, coached by interest groups, have determined the NRA is responsible for what’s happening and, by association I guess, all of us who are members are also responsible. 



But is this group-blaming a consistent pattern? 

When an illegal alien is involved in a crime including murder we’re told that doesn’t represent the entire population of immigrants and we need to be careful not to blame them all.

When a member of radical Islam blows something or someone up, we’re told we can’t hold them all responsible for that act.

They are right of course; people should be judged individually.

But it seems to me, blaming an entire group for a problem is acceptable with the same people for two groups — NRA members (and gun owners who are not members but who support the Second Amendment) and “Christians” when a nut claiming to be one kills at an abortion clinic.

Those appear to be cases where it’s acceptable to blame groups of people for the actions of a nut.

Hollywood has come out with strongly worded objections to guns, yet many make their living (and a really good one too) shooting up the big screen, often glorifying senseless and graphic violence and even glorifying criminal behavior.  

Oh, and they have armed security too.

When they start using Nerf guns in their movies and yelling “bang,” plus do away with their armed security, they may have something meaningful to add to this discussion.

When politicians who demand armed security or have concealed carry permits while objecting to the little people like me having access to the same thing give that up, they may have something to add to this debate.

In the meantime, they’re both just hypocrites.

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John McCroskey was Lewis County sheriff from 1995 to 2005. He lives outside Chehalis, and can be contacted at musingsonthemiddlefork@yahoo.com.