This is one of our classic hate mails received some years ago.
Even though time marches on, the thought processes remain the same.
Enjoy.
[This letter is reproduced exactly as received.]
To whom it may concern,
I’m so sick of driving to and from school and seeing your pompous signs line the highway. Your organization typifies what is truly wrong with America: dangerously violent ignorance along with an outright lack of intellect and class. You should consider putting up political signs that back the candidate that you oppose, because I’m sure more passerbys see your idiotic signs and say, “I won’t vote for that person if that man backs him,” than say, “WOW!! This man’s signs are highly intellectual and preach healthy reform for a weaking class of American society. I shall vote for that candidate!” I’m sure there’s no hope of convincing you to take down your ridiculoulsy self-degrading signs; however, I would like to voice my opinion to you – whoever you are – in the same manner in which you voice your opinion to thousands of motorists everyday: I think you’re a moron, you should worry about getting a life before you get uptight about saving lives.
one more thing
Freedom isn’t the right to carry guns around, freedom is the mentality of being safe from weapons and acts of violence in every public place. How free is a society that must constantly worry about who has what weapons under their coat? I hope you can’t honestly say that this type of society is better than one without weapons. Go read you Bible, and stop with the dumb signs.
John O’Brien
Student, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Cockalorum student closed-minded to facts, history
Chuck Kuecker took a few minutes to respond to the author of a nasty gram received and later published by CCRA. We’ve republished Mr. Kuecker’s letter and the vitriolic response it earned as an example of how those staunchly opposed to civil- and firearm-rights are typically irrational and closed-minded.
Dear “Jack”:
I just read with quite a bit of amusement your email to the Champaign County Rifle Association published in the February 2002 GunNews Magazine. I am sure that by now you have received many responses to your posting.
I fail to see how letting people who have been brainwashed by the liberal media for decades know that they have the right to self defense, and that self-defense is preferable to allowing criminals to run roughshod over them is “dangerously violent ignorance”. Perhaps you slept through the required civics class (if you are an Illinois citizen, you had to take it to graduate from high school) when they discussed the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Perhaps you went to a “progressive” school where the teaching of the basic laws of our country is seen as somehow outdated and quaint.
We believe that saving innocent human life is worth getting “uptight about.” I guess you don’t mind reading of the dozens of innocents murdered by gun toting thugs in Chicago – home of some of the most restrictive gun ownership laws in America. All those people were killed because none of them has the legal right to defend themselves. The Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley, has decreed that no one has the right to life or liberty in his town. This is true “dangerous ignorance”.
“Being safe from weapons” was the mindset of the German government in the 1920’s. They passed the first gun registration laws, and the good people of Germany dutifully obeyed. A few years later, when a fellow named Hitler (ring a bell?) gained power, he used those registration records to ensure all the people he intended to murder later were first disarmed. That is what “freedom from weapons” will get you.
Freedom is being able to walk the street without worrying that you will be defenseless against criminals that might be lurking in the shadows. Criminals, by definition ignore society’s laws – gun control laws or otherwise. They will be armed if they so desire.
Speaking of getting a life: I recommend you to my two oldest children who are students at SIU in Carbondale. Both of them know gun safety from the best possible teacher – I taught them to shoot, to care for their weapons, and most of all, RESPECT for a tool that, like many other tools, can be dangerous in the hands of an idiot. I also impressed upon them, from an early age, that they must respect the rights of others – up to the point where others begin to disrespect their rights – and that if they are ever attacked, it is their moral duty to defend themselves if they cannot escape the attack. Submitting meekly to a criminal, as liberal pundits recommend teaches the criminal that CRIME DOES, INDEED, PAY. In fact, it was this submissiveness that allowed thugs armed solely with box cutters to successfully commandeer three airliners on September 11th, 2001.
Before you further embarrass yourself with self-professed ignorance, why not go out and learn about the Constitution, American history and what being a gun owner is all about. Then you can make a reasonable comment on those “ridiculously self-degrading signs”.
By the way – exactly what is “a weaking class of American society”? Is this something only taught in modern colleges? Most email programs DO have spell checkers – learn to use yours!
Regards,
Chuck Kuecker
Here is Mr. O’Brien’s response, in all of its run-on glory:
Dear Chuckie,
Sorry if I had a misspelling in my email to you, I guess I have a little too much to be doing to worry about grammatical correctness for the likes of you. I really can’t believe I even wasted my time on your stupid signs and organization in the first place. I’ll keep this short and simple, I don’t think anything long and complex would benefit you at all. A couple of pointers for when you harass future mailers: 1. I wouldn’t brag about my kids being “students” at Southern Illinois University, from what I hear, it’s not too highly regarded as an institution of higher learning, 2. don’t sign your letters with your company name and personal qualifications, it really just screams, “unsuccessful, but desperate for recognition,” and 3. citing Hitler and selective facts about Chicago clearly undermines your entire argument due to lack of relevance/biased data insertion. A good book on learning the strict syntax and diction of fallacy-avoidance and the syllogistic approach to logical argument can be found in your local bookstore (not your local Bible bookstore) perhaps one by acclaimed lawyer Gerry Spence. Also, 4. learn sentence patterns! If you were truly a literate person, you wouldn’t need to use CAPTIAL letters to get a point across, instead you could use words to your advantage, 5. take a lesson in grammar. Finally, 6. Way to end with a personal insult with the spell-checking thing! That was definitely mature and professional! If I wanted to do that, I could too! Like this: why don’t you go find some criminals in those “weeds” that you’re talking about and use your gun to make the world a “safer” place, if that’s what you like to do, instead of just smoking those “weeds.” Perhaps you’ll die by your own precious gun one day so that you’ll have a chance to discuss the irony of your measly life with “God.” Take care, and good luck on your next email! Also, don’t forget what I said about the “getting a life” part either!
John O’Brien
Student, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Photo by WindySydney
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