The Colt M1911A1 versus the Beretta M9, Glock vs. Sig, 9mm vs .40 vs. .45ACP; gun-culture folks love to argue. You know what, this is America and people have the freedom to do that, argue about minutia and trivial pursuits.

For as long as I have been paying attention to the gun culture, better than thirty years now, gun rags have been promoting the “versus” technique to sell magazines. If there had been a Guns&Ammo magazine in 1821, the cover story would have likely read “Flint vs. Percussion Cap; Our Experts Decide”

Perhaps instead of arguing about toys you might fight for your liberty.
Perhaps instead of arguing about toys you might fight for your liberty.

Am I telling you not to argue Weaver vs. Isosceles or Leather vs. Kydex? No, I am not. What I am going to tell you is that the United States of America as founded as a representative republic is in dire peril. It is far beyond time to get our priorities in order.

FaceBook Test (Posts Embedded Below the Article)

On Saturday May 16, 2015 we posted two article links to our official Student of the Gun Facebook page. The first article dealt with a small town in Kentucky that had pulled 12 of their 27 Glock 23 pistols out of service after “hairline” cracks were discovered in the guns. Said guns had been purchased in the year 2000.

The second article, posted deliberately after the Kentucky Glock piece, dealt with a Democrat prosecutor in Wisconsin partnering with a sympathetic judge to gain “John Doe” warrants. These blank-check search warrants were used to target political opponents and harass citizens who were campaigning against Democrats and pro-Democrat causes. This harassment went on over a period of several years. Neither the prosecutor nor the judge is currently incarcerated.

On the following Monday morning I looked at the traffic those stories had received. The KY Glock story warranted 77 “shares”, 67 “comments” and had reached 24,576 viewers according to Facebook analytics. The Wisconsin Harassment story garnered a meager 13 “shares”, 16 “comments” and reached 7,164 viewers.

Keep in mind that, while the KY Glock story was active and being shared and commented on, the Wisconsin story was listed above it, as a newer story, on the page. Both posts were at the top of the SOTG Facebook page and viewable to the public for over 24 hours.

What did we see here? The KY Glock story, an article about guns (hardware), had approximately 3.5 times the views, 6 times the shares and comments. “Likes” are a bit subjective so we did not factor them into the survey.

Screwed Up Priorities?

What is more telling is that with the Kentucky Glock story, the comments ranged from a couple of sentences to complete paragraphs. The pro and against Glock zealots took the time to insert photos and even video in their comments in support of their favorite hardware choice. Comparatively, only one comment on the Wisconsin Harassment post earned more than a single sentence.

Jarrad and I talked about this on SOTG Radio last week. Check it out below:

Some of you out there might think this an anomaly, a onetime occurrence. We went back a week to the Facebook post that detailed the expansion of the TSA Molestation investigation (TSA agents deliberately manipulating the system to allow homosexual agents to ‘feel up’ passengers they found attractive). That post, which gave a clear picture of systematic abuse by government employees against the citizens, gained barely a yawn and a nod; 13 shares, 7 comments, and 7684 views in a week’s time. A previous story link from the LA Times Op Ed about how Glock pistols are unsafe for police earned a serious 56 shares, 76 comments, and approximately 16,000 views. (Yes, the LA Times article was crap and did merit comment.)

Again, what do we see? Stories detailing direct assaults on liberty, absolute violations of the law by government officials, barely ping the radar. Meanwhile, articles about firearms hardware, toys, have the gun culture up in arms, so to speak.

Yes, this survey might have been impromptu and not at all scientific, but there is no denying that the gun culture, the supposed choir, is completely out to lunch when it comes to their priorities. Do we not realize that unless we support and defend the U.S Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, that it does not make one rat’s fat rear-end what your favorite toy looks like or who makes it?

Fan Boys

All of you Glock, Sig, M1911 fan boys need to put the same amount of energy into educating your friends and family about the perils facing our nation as you do extolling the virtues of your favorite toy. Yes, I said “toy”.  A firearm in the hands of a conscientious citizen is an instrument of liberty.

Try going to England or Australia and having the Glock vs. Sig, vs. 1911 argument. The point is entirely moot. Peasants in the aforementioned countries have all become disarmed tax slaves who must beg the government for permission to play any kind of gun game.

While you punch away at your keyboard expounding on the attributes of this toy over another, forces are working diligently to strip you of any toys whatsoever and firmly place you into the disarmed peasant class.

Then again, when you find yourself sent to the the work camps, you can while away those long sixteen hour days by arguing the merits of striker-fired Glock versus double-action only Sig pistol. So, you have that going for you.

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Paul G. Markel has worn many hats during his lifetime. He has been a U.S. Marine, Police Officer, Professional Bodyguard, and Small Arms and Tactics Instructor. Mr. Markel has been writing professionally for law enforcement and firearms periodicals for nearly twenty years with hundreds and hundreds of articles in print. Paul is a regular guest on nationally syndicated radio talk shows and subject matter expert in firearms training and use of force. Mr. Markel has been teaching safe and effective firearms handling to students young and old for decades and has worked actively with the 4-H Shooting Sports program. Paul holds numerous instructor certifications in multiple disciplines and a Bachelor’s degree in conflict resolution; nonetheless, he is and will remain a dedicated Student of the Gun.

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