We're just hanging around at the Compound and wondering, is the Pen mightier than the Glock? Good question, let's do a quick thought experiment and see where it takes us.
You're in a restaurant in Rochester New York, enjoying Italian fusion cuisine with a twist, having a good time. Life is good after months of lockdown. Then, suddenly, as if out of the very aether, up comes a mob of rampaging undergraduate Marxists.
They're overturning tables, screaming, bullhorn in your face. Yes, you, you systemic racist Nazi, are guilty of eating out while white. So what do you do? Pull out your Glock and shoot the nearest Bolshevik or, and here's the rub, pick up the pen your lefty waiter's ironically delivered to you and stab the commie in the neck?
I'd argue that the Pen, in this instance, is paradoxically mightier than the Glock, even though it's an ostensibly lesser weapon. Granted, more bloodthirsty than a pistol, but seemingly less so. More to the point, you might not have a Glock or even be allowed one in Rochester. Different story with a Pen. Every restaurant has one, delivered right to your table, unlike pistols, which aren't.
In similar vein, you may have noticed that 45's banned racist critical race theory training in the federal alphabet. No longer, we hope, will Marxist 5th Columnists be paid on the taxpayer dime to teach government employees that they're guilty of "whiteness," and have to be "dismantled" along with the country they serve. No more racism masquerading as tolerance, by Executive Order.
Trump did this at the stroke of a Pen, without firing a single shot. I rest my case, feel free to disagree.
Gun Rights,
LSP
28 comments:
Well said, Parson!
Now we'll be hearing cries for "Common Sense Pen Control"!
"Tactical" pens are for sale.
https://www.galvatronflashlights.com/tactical-pen-home?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7sz6BRDYARIsAPHzrNI8kKPNA2nFQP_cPrxNhyPc7zJtktnxPTK6J0Qt1Gp7vP3UkFz8kVcaAhMNEALw_wcB
What would law enforcement/prosecutors say about one?
I would argue it takes both. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. The Minutemen made it stick.
I would also argue that the pen is somewhat lost on a generation half of whom can't read or think.
“The pen is mightier than the sword, only if the sword is very small and the pen is very sharp.” Terry Pratchett, The Light Fantastic
Unfortunately, the problem for the diners isn’t their, or the mobs, possession or not of a weapon (or what type). It’s the ‘mindset’.
The mob is acting in the confident knowledge that ‘the law’ (establishment, media, etc.) will allow them free reign. The diners are reluctant (even those too few who are capable) to react offensively in the sure knowledge that ‘they’ will be arrested.
The predictable outcome is that: 1) the mob ‘will’ escalate (as the Stanford experiments demonstrated) until someone is seriously injured or killed ; and/or 2) the victims will contain somebody, or more likely a group, who are both physically and (more importantly) mentally capable and who feel their life (or those of loved ones) are at risk, they have no options left, and who then react.
People, thankfully, are not generally capable of deliberately severely harming others. You need to either be ‘an exception’ (ie. mentally ill) or be ‘conditioned’ to do so (not surprisingly the ‘scrappers’ and ‘brawlers’ of adolescence, “guilty M’Lord”, already partially conditioned are much more easily trained). The mobs are not just working through that conditioning process, but are being allowed, even encouraged, to do so consequence free.
Are you, and all the rest of the ‘normals’ out there, ready and willing to face that demon? Ask any military vet, whose been ‘up close and personal’, and they’ll tell you, you really, really aren’t (yet). (Are you, not just willing, but capable of emulating a particular favourite [and toasted in the mess on more than one occasion] of that Ranger who, in an ultimate life/death struggle, stabbed the insurgent to death with ‘his MRE spoon’? It's not the weapon, it's the man wielding it.).
It’s why young Mr. Rittenhouse impressed me so much. The aplomb, the deliberate assurance of a much more experienced man in a definitive ‘it’s raining a$$holes’ situation, indicates to me he’s one of Heredotus’ 1%. Most will not react even close to so well … without a lot more training.
Act accordingly.
(It's a fallacious arguement, really. Given my druthers I don't want a pen, or even a Glock. I want the rest of my brick armed to the teeth with anything/everything we can carry... and possible artillery/air support. Carry what you can, but be ready to use whatever it is).
P.S. When he finishes his second term, is there any chance you could get him to emigrate and consider running for PM here. Pretty please!
One of the ‘funny’ things about we humans is that: if just one of those diners reacted, someone else ‘may’ have reacted too. If two or three had reacted, almost all would have followed suit. If that isn’t evidence we’re herd/pack/social animals I don’t know what is.
The lessons?
By sitting passively and ‘taking it’ you’re not just signalling to the mob that they can, and are in ‘the right’, but you’re signalling to the other diners that you feel ‘in the wrong’ and perhaps ‘deserve it’ (and certainly feel you ‘can’t’ defend yourself).
Either hope someone there, or better still bring with you (sitting separately), who is like minded. Not to motivate, but to ‘give permission’ to react to the others. (Rabble-rousers and terrorists use it regularly, with widely separated, ostensibly independent ‘shouters’ to spur a crowd/mob to action).
Don’t ever ‘expect’ anyone to aid you (at the least, feared social pressure may stop them even if they wish to) unless/until some ‘rebel’ acts as leader/trigger/permission.
Be that rebel.
These tactical pens will have to Remove the plunger cap,reduce the pocket clip length and adhere to certain ink capacity limits in NY.
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
Sun Tzu
The pen is much mightier, since it's what's used for the official complaint given to the grand jury. That, and the judgement against the defendant of a huge law suit against the parents of the "golden child" they financed.
Sobering post over at Vox Day blog this Sunday. The organization of these 'spontaneous' protests suggests military chain of command w/sophisticated gear. Unless local militia become as well trained the chaos of this civil war will escalate.
Time to stop feeling superior because of individual prowess and organize.
Once again Anonymous knocks it out of the park with his commentary. I find his take on things as interesting as anyone else's.
Love the Pratchett quote, but then he was a true wit of the sort rarely seen.
John Wick killed 3 guys in a bar with a pencil.
There is such thing as a pen gun.
Best of both worlds.
If asked to raise a fist, I will.
Actually two. And an occasional foot.
But the gun is my fallback.
Ain't that the truth, drjim. And I hope you've got a license for that pen.
In Swindon, the pen is mightier than the sword. Nobody knows how or why to use one there.
WSF, it's weird, I was thinking the very same thing down to the link. I applaud your psychic ability! But perhaps something that's not made out of metal is better?
Police/Prosecutor teams? Interesting -- off topic(ish) -- LL once said, "Our job is to prosecute the criminal, not persecute the poor."
Wisdom and humanity in that, imo.
RHT, I agree, and Frank Zappa comes to mind, of all people. Rock journalists are: "People who can't write, writing for people who can't read."
We must (I know the promise is now ancient...) meet up for a shoot.
Cheers.
Right on the money, Anon, and I may have to quote you, again!
Sorry, this ill-read mind blog isn't sponsored or I'd offer a cut of the proceeds.
But so true. How easy it is to write belligerent things from behind the safety of screen and keyboard (mea culpa). Another thing again to whack someone with a Pen, a Glock, fists(!) or even an MRE spoon. In my day that would've been the serrated edge of a compo ration tin. I know you remember them. Vintage, and I'd argue better tasting, but that's just me.
Curiously, your comment reminded me of something my Father (RIP) said some years ago, about sales work, of all things. I was doing exactly that in Dallas, for an IT concern. He said, "It's unnatural, so you have to train to do it." His meaning was exactly yours.
Be that rebel? Someone's gotta step up to the plate.
Arc, please don't forget California.
And thanks for your blog(s). Nice one.
Anonymous -- one of the things this recent disturbance has done is highlight the failings of the militia. Next to useless, apparently.
Then again, we have the Army and Police Force. Or do we?
Art of War, Anonymous? Right on.
Jim, in full agreement.
One of the best things about John Wick, Kid, is how awesome he is.
LL, you are, as always, a solutions provider.
Ed, same here. But I'm just a peaceful Padre, so.
Juliette, I love Swindon. Especially its fine "Tapas." Better than Aber? Hmmmm.
"We must (I know the promise is now ancient...) meet up for a shoot.".
Indeed, the promise is ancient, but we are nothing if not persistent. We shall yet prevail.
We must! Soon!
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