Guns in the US: two videos, worlds apart
Texas Representative Louie Gohmert (R).
Snoop Lion in his early persona as Snoop Dogg.
Across this country, in state legislatures and in Congress, at school board meetings and around kitchen tables, the debate about gun control, the meaning of the Second Amendment, the balance between personal freedom and public safety…continues. And pops up in some unexpected places, sometimes set against an unlikely background.
Earlier this week, two videos arrived in my email inbox just minutes apart.
One, from the rap star Snoop Lion, formerly known as Snoop Dogg who, in that earlier incarnation, sold millions of records often within the gangsta rap genre. Not any more. He is now on a mission of “peace and positivity” as he explains in this GQ interview. His latest release is called “No Guns Allowed.” Here’s the video:
Meanwhile, the other video (clip) and story came from a variety of sources about Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert’s remarks conflating gun control with gay marriage and bestiality. Here’s the story at Politico. And here’s the video clip, from remarks made by Rep. Gohmert at a Tea Party conference:
http://youtu.be/fiZiMA0D0OI
To my ears, the rapper makes a more straightforward and compelling case than the representative. Yes, there are gun control advocates who have failed to make a strong clear case for their position, but Gohmert has really tied his logic knickers in knots with this one.
Okay, take aim at me, but go easy.
Tags: gun control, guns, Louie Gohmert, Snoop Dogg, Snoop Lion
No one can argue that Gohmert has “tied his logic Knickers in knots” but there are extremists and nut cases on both sides of the issue. The video at this link might be more representitive of the pro 2nd ammendment crowd
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4123638147897
Yes, Jim, I agree your link takes us to a much more centrist pro-gun position. On the other hand, Snoop (Dogg) Lion doesn’t necessarily represent the centrist position of those pushing for gun controls. What struck me about these two videos is how surprising they both are: who would expect a “gangsta” rapper to be in favor of getting rid of guns (and it sounds like all guns); and who would expect an elected representative to move within the space of a minute from a pro-gun statement to linking gun controls with gay marriage and even bestiality? Both videos are so unlikely.
I think both are a few fries short of a Happy Meal; they do represent the fringes on either side of the debate. I have to agree that Snoop appears more reasonable and its hard to argue the emotion his video imparts, but we don’t live in a perfect world, and only fools allow emotion to dictate policy.
“…take aim…” ? Brian Mann would have censored me on that one.
See, Knucklehead, there is a difference between Brian and me 🙂 E