Thursday, February 5, 2009

The Language of the Lie


"There's glory for you!"

"I don't know what you mean by 'glory,' " Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't—till I tell you. I meant 'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!' "

"But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-down argument,' " Alice objected.

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."

"The question is, " said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."

"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty. "which is to be master—that's all." -- Alice in Wonderland


Here is the latest from that incessantly croaking collectivist frog of victim disarmament, the Brady Bunch's Paul Helmke:

Statement Of Paul Helmke
On Confirmation Of Eric Holder
As Attorney General

Washington, DC – In response to the confirmation of Eric H. Holder, Jr., as Attorney General of the United States by the U.S. Senate, Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, issued the following statement:

"Eric Holder has been a long-time supporter of strong Brady criminal background checks to stop prohibited purchasers from buying guns, as well as other common sense gun measures to keep dangerous weapons from dangerous people. As Deputy Attorney General, he worked on many proposals to help protect our families and communities from gun criminals (emphasis supplied, MBV), using a coordinated approach that included both prevention and enforcement. America is fortunate now to have him as chief law enforcement officer.

"Though his nomination was strongly opposed by the gun lobby, I am gratified that the Senate agreed with the judgment of law enforcement, the civil rights community and gun violence prevention organizations and confirmed Mr. Holder by an overwhelming margin."

Ah, the language of the lie. Helmke's side in this argument over basic natural rights and God-given liberties would not be half as far along in our disarmament if they had not learned to be uncommonly good liars. Each deceptive phrase, each bit of lying language serves their purpose, frames the argument and when they are accepted, gets them half-way to winning.

You know the litany: Saturday Night Specials, cop-killer bullets, Assault Weapons, gun show loopholes, even gun violence (as if the guns themselves were responsible for crime). And now, dear hearts and gentle readers, we have "gun criminals." Like every other term these lying collectivist bastards use, this one is slippery, mutable, subject to instant redefinition in light of "common sense reasonable regulation."

What is a "gun criminal"? A criminal who uses a firearm? Or is it someone who, by virtue of owning a firearm, becomes a criminal? I rather think that Helmke has the latter in mind, rather than the former. For gun control has never really been about controlling criminals, who by definition obey no laws, but instead about restricting the rights of the law-abiding.

So enter "gun criminal" in the lying lexicon of the collectivist gun banners. Remember it is every bit as deadly a lie as "Arbeit Macht Frei" above the Auschwitz gate. We are probably out of time to refute these lies by force of verbiage. There are, however, other forms of persuasion. They can cut through all the lies in an instant.

11 comments:

jon said...

"front sight. vote. front sight. vote."

Anonymous said...

Exactly so, Jon. Exactly so. That is all we are left with.

Atlas Shrug said...

Jon,

Very good, very funny, very big smile on my face....

I'm gonna spread that one around some!

Front Sight....Vote.

Rinse and Repeat.

Johnny said...

Clearly you're paraphrasing The Guru but somehow I don't think he'd be unhappy with it given the present context. Channelling my Guru I'm going for: "Front Sight. Vote. Repeat as required."

Anonymous said...

"Gun criminal". That is one downright dangerous term right there.

This term is just like "terrorist". What is the similarity between such words in the English (tactical) language? These words can be used to paint with broad brushstrokes. These are PROPAGANDA words, to be used to attract the attention of all of those ignorant enough to accept brainwashing. These are terms that may be used by ANY totalitarian state to make the people WANT to have MORE security, GIVE UP more of their own liberty, and at the SAME TIME have a SCAPEGOAT to blame their fears upon.

This piece goes on to show that Helmke and other freedom haters are well educated in the use of propaganda. Joseph Goebbels would be proud of Helmke, for continuing to spread the Fuehrer's beliefs and ideologies far and wide.

Dakota said...

It just occurred to me that as, or if, we vote there will be those that will be howling to stop and talk. You know the routine gang, these dregs of society that have turned our country into what we see before us today. Voting is a very private and special priviledge. We must turn off our communications and continue voting until we have our Republic back to where it belongs. No smooth talkers allowed they will be voted against also.

Farm.Dad said...

I read this blog , I read some of ( as they are called here ) Prag's blogs . For myself i am convinced by neither side of the pro gun debate . Just think about that a minute we have a " pro gun debate " ? I am not stockpiling guns or ammo. For one thing i feel it will be handled peacefully , for another i don't need to , if they come for me either i will be dead or i will feed off their ammo and weapons . However back to the real political world ..Just what can obama do .. not much . Just what can he do with the support of pelosi and reed .. not a lot . I fully expect a " close the gunshow loophole " law which will be overturned because you and i as persons cannot access nics . I expect a renewal of the assault weapons ban which will be overturned because of the " common use " in Heller. Will this admin try to " ban guns " mostg likely they will. They however wont succeed by any measure that a peron could apply ( assuming they can pass a law ). Now understand i am ready to " negotiate " my second rights .. I will formally put them on the table as equil to abortion rights because frankly i dont care what gal kills her kid in utero
, and i really could use the $$ for a new pistol .

Anonymous said...

No, Col. Cooper would approve, I think it is safe to say.

Anonymous said...

jon,

That would make a GREAT t-shirt! I can see an M1/M14 sight picture printed just below the words...priceless!

Dakota said...

Dear farm dad,
Just a couple of things to think about....no one is asking you to stock pile ammo that would only be taking valuable resources away from the rest of us that "have" a use for them. The gun show loophole if closed will not be overturned with libs in control sparky, the Heller case was after all a 5 to 4 decision. There are at least 2 lib justices that have been wanting to retire. Therefore your whole premise is pretty much shot to hell. "May your chains rest lightly"

Kurt '45superman' Hofmann said...

Another of Helmke's lies:

Though his nomination was strongly opposed by the gun lobby . . .

"Strongly opposed" by what "gun lobby"?

The NRA (entirely predictably) did little more than shrug, and even GOA was not exactly raising hell.

"Strongly opposed," my ass.