United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- When Second Amendment supporters are fighting for our rights, the exact nature of the fight can be very different. There are times when we are trying to make the biggest gains possible. Other times, we are simply fighting to keep the damage to a minimum. While the ultimate objective is the restoration of our Second Amendment rights, the fact the short-term objective will vary means that proper strategy and tactics are essential.
But then Second Amendment supporters face one big difficulty when trying to defend their rights. It comes from someone who shares the same objectives, but who seems to think “no compromise” means not giving an inch – even rhetorically, when a different technique might be better. They act as self-appointed commissars, and much of their time and energy is spent on denouncing Second Amendment supporters for being insufficiently pro-Second Amendment.
Historically, Soviet commissars were placed there to ensure the loyalty of those who were there to fight for their country. The need for commissars was, of course, a bit of irony that was lost on Soviet leaders who thought they had created a paradise on earth (they hadn’t). But commissars often forced Soviet troops to keep fighting, even when it was pointless, and nothing was to be gained.
Second Amendment commissars don’t cost lives. However, they are something that can cause us to needlessly lose battles, especially over the long term. Their tone and rhetoric often uses precisely the wrong approach when it comes to dealing with our fellow Americans, especially to those who have concerns touching on Second Amendment issues (here’s a newsflash to those commissars: Because of the First Amendment protecting the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the Second Amendment is up for debate). They often talk down to anyone who they feel doesn’t have sufficient zeal in protecting the Second Amendment. Of course, anyone who is volunteering time, money, or both to defeat anti-Second Amendment extremists IS showing greater-than-average commitment to the Second Amendment.
They make it easier for the media to get away with the double standards they apply in coverage on Second Amendment issues, often by providing just enough to make the media BS stick. As a result, the hard work done to make even incremental changes that improve the situation vis-à-vis our Second Amendment rights can be undone very quickly. It’s a form of strategic incompetence that is all too often whitewashed as “standing on principle.”
Meanwhile, those who are doing hard work trying to protect our rights get vilified as “Fudds,” compromisers, and sellouts, whether they are with NRA, GOA, Firearms Policy Coalition, or Second Amendment Foundation, by the self-appointed commissars who never have to face the music for having aided Bloomberg. It is enough to make some get very frustrated and give up.
That is bad enough, but remember how the vast majority of the media operates with a double standard. But when the media gets done with what the Second Amendment commissar does, it makes many of those Americans who were on the fence much less willing to hear us out. As a result, anti-Second Amendment extremists can make themselves look reasonable, even when promoting Australia-style gun control.
The fact of the matter is that we did not see infringements on our rights buildup overnight. This was part of a long-term plan by those who seek to strip our rights away. They were good at it, too, leveraging their support in the media and Hollywood. Eric Holder wanted to brainwash Americans against guns. And one way to do so is to highlight those Second Amendment supporters who stridency over strategy and tactics.
This is why Second Amendment supporters need to be mindful of how they come across. They need to have their facts down pat, and they need to be willing to deal with situations as they are. They also must not give up, even when those who loudly proclaim common cause set their efforts back.
About Harold Hutchison
Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.