Perhaps instead of arguing about toys you might fight for your liberty.
The Colt M1911A1 versus the Beretta M9, Glock vs. Sig, 9mm vs .40 vs. .45ACP; gun culture folks love to argue with each other. And, you know what, this is America and people have the freedom to do just 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”
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?
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.
Don’t forget to leave your comments below these Facebook posts!
Yep, .40 S&W is high a pressure cartridge. 9x19mm is better choice.http://www.wdrb.com/story/29078319/bardstown-police-replacing-guns-after-dangerous-defects-found
Posted by Student of the Gun on Saturday, May 16, 2015
Does this concern you at all? http://www.nationalreview.com/article/417155/wisconsins-shame-i-thought-it-was-home-invasion-david-french
Posted by Student of the Gun on Saturday, May 16, 2015
-_- Shocked Face. Still think these thugs are there to “keep you safe?”http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/us/tsa-groping-scandal-just-got-a-whole-lot-bigger
Posted by Student of the Gun on Thursday, May 14, 2015
Nothing like reigniting a 20 year old argument that was pointless two decades ago.http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-owens-glock-accidents-20150508-story.html
Posted by Student of the Gun on Saturday, May 9, 2015
Paul Markel
Curious. What was the reach data from the first time you posted the Wisconsin article about a month ago?
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Next you’ll discover that pictures of scantily clad women get more views than news articles, too. I really don’t think you’ve uncovered anything groundbreaking. People vastly prefer to engage about tangible objects than abstract news stories. Social media is about hitting someone’s critical threshold to push them into engaging with your content and far more people are going to hit that seeing a technical question than a news article that likely looks just like the rest of their news feed. I dunno if I’d go making huge sweeping statements based on your anecdote. 🙂
When Congress passes legislation 90% of the time in favor of corporations and big business compared with 10% of the time in favor of the people, our conversations are reduced to topics over which we (the people) have some influence. It’s time to have the conversation about cleaning House, both of them.
and then I look at my data and find the complete opposite of yours. News articles are engaged at a far higher rate than anything else except amusing pictures. http://i.imgur.com/7HWqJtF.png
I think it’s a fair point. So much more fun to salivate over the broken Glocks than the corrupt politician and people tend to gravitate towards entertainment.
Excellent refocusing on the topic. If we spent more time hammering the criminal politicians and protecting our rights, weapons ownership would follow. and things should improve. I am very active in raising hell and I truly expect a KNOCK ON MY DOOR if they are so inclined to actually knock. I expect a crash instead…..
My internet usage has doubled because of NSA monitoring. Comcast is charging for it. NOT COOL is it?
If we could just end the GOD Complex in our political leadership things would be so much better.
Mikie
Point taken. Now to throw a rock back at you. On Facebook,anyone who is in the “gun culture” is bombarded by different gun news agency’s headlines at a near constant level. Some are political,sometimes tactical and sometimes about recreational shooting. I ask you to scroll through your own F.B. Page and see what comes up. There is not a day that goes by that I do not see something about Govt.or political corruption. We have all become “numb” to it. So yes,your point is valid and eye opening. However, as the old saying goes. If you point a finger at someone,just look at your hand and you will see three more fingers pointing at yourself. Meaning this,writers make headlines to catch the eye of the reader. In the Glock story. Two words caught my eye,the word Glock, and Ky. I have friends that shoot Glocks and my home state is Ky. Wisconsin and politician was quickly omitted by my thoughts. We all shoot for our recreation,which a story on our tools ( or toys if you like to word it that way ) for our hobby will catch our eye much faster than another story about political corruption. Thank you for a stimulating article. I hope both gun media and the culture of gun users take it to heart.
So, my only issue with this article is that it does not account for Facebook’s “algorithms” for what they choose to display in users’ news feeds. Facebook has been clearly documented and has admitted manipulation of users’ feeds for “research” purposes. And we’ve all agreed to it in their terms of service.
The author’s points are quite valid otherwise. But I will also say that I saw the Glock article and didn’t see the other until just now.
“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.”
Wow, here I am supporting your argument all the way through the article and then you say something like that? Instead of being supportive of those of us “peasants” who go to great lengths and cost to have guns, you belittle us as though you are above us.
Australian gun laws changed before I was old enough to do anything about it and now I do my part by buying guns (American made guns mind you) and ammo (American made ammo) at a cost that would have you folks thinking there had been another school shooting.
So hey, thanks for the mention, I’ll keep it in mind the next time I consider defending you guys when some anti-gun hippie starts talking about “American gun nuts”.
Thank you for a thought filled exposition on the “face book” rat catcher comments.Ive been ridiculed ,had a photograph of myself lifted off of my personal photos and posted by some one who was a a uneducated and legally inane individual,which could jeopardize mine and my families safety.Its just not worth commenting into a testostorone pot of selfindulgence and chest pounding.Those who know don’t talk unless being compensated and to think anything other then helpful contributions to subject at hand is just plain “silly ” as an advanced instructor of mine used to say.Being said 1st ammendment does give everyone the opportunity to vent or whatever,I just wished people would get with the program and understand we are all on the same team.Freedom isn’t free and has been painfully paid for since sticks and stones could break bones.Thanks again for setting us all straight.Myself included.
Hate to tell you this but model and manufacturer arguments are part of American culture. Has been that way since the 1860’s with firearms. And honestly don’t think it will ever go away.
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I like to do both: talk guns and talk serious stuff– they’re not mutually exclusive. Guns are more fun.
I think the problem is, we all – already know the Government has the power to rape, pillage, plunder and burn not only our civil rights, and our selves (read persons) but also our personal belongings. Also consider the demoralizing type of “content” this presents – we tend to shudder away from or even shun washing ourselves with the bad news of today’s reality and march off to find some eye candy that feeds our insatiable appetite for items which we lust over. It’s called Human Nature. Now the reality check is – WE HAD BETTER WAKE UP! We are not in Neverneverland anymore.
You are right. No excuses, no reasons, no arguments.
Faced with a corrupt DOJ that won’t hold government accountable, but instead is back in Waco killing people that are easy to demonize to an ignorant public, it seems that, on the contrary, the comments on government abuses are moot, until we’re ready to employ these instruments of liberty and establish a zero-tolerance policy for government corruption that actually effects some real change.
Keep on preaching Paul! I don’t care what weapon people carry, we must carry in our intelligence and heart the Constitution first. Wake up America! Don’t lay your head on your pillow with a smile on your face because you have the best gun, don’t go to sleep while America fades away. Wake Up!!! Get up! Stand Firm! Prepare. Educate. Learn.
I wonder if Facebook manipulation of posts and their reach has anything to do with it? We all know that they are pro Liberal and might be purposely limiting Anti-Liberal or Anti- government posts…
“…unless we support and defend the U.S Constitution…” — Hey: You can jam the first ten words of Article 1, Section 8 straight up your ass and out the other end. You think gun people have their priorities whacked? Son, it’s *you* who do. William Lloyd Garrison knew what to do with that rag, and so should you.