LETTER TO THE EDITOR / Double Down Doublespeak
The “double-down” lie is a significant ingredient in the deterioration of productive political dialogue. Critical thought has been replaced with the sound bite. The idea is when caught in a lie, DO NOT be contrite; become indignant and repeat the lie and keep repeating it. Today, there are no consequences for lying; ergo a lie is as good as a truth. Somewhere Orwell shakes his head. The lie as a tool to control and manipulate the citizenry is as old as human civilization itself, however with today’s myriad means of dissemination of information and our willful buffet selectivity of data we are, at best, hobbled when it comes to making informed decisions and at worst incapable.
An essay in another local Key West publication’s op-ed page was a sterling example of the doubling down of right wing nonsense. I read with stunned incredulity Thomas Sowell’s diatribe on “gun control zealots” and their lack of factual evidence in making the case for gun control legislation. Mr. Sowell uses the word “zealot” numerous times (9) to drive home his belief that anyone advocating for sane gun laws is a traitorous unbalanced fanatic. He goes on to describe “mountains of data” that gun restriction has no affect on gun death and that “restrictions actually increase gun deaths”. Balderdash.
A few minutes of web searching and you soon discover Mr. Sowell is nothing more than a shill for the highly lucrative gun industry. In reality the mountains of actual data disputes the entire thrust of his essay. Sure, one can find obscure sites that proclaim the virtuousness of guns and their owners, but the consensus from respectable bona fide sources consistently bears out the connection between stricter gun laws and less murder and mayhem. In the real world there are no absolutes. No laws end crime completely, but they sure as hell can reduce it.
It disgusts and saddens me that I have to even write this letter in defense of rational thought.
http://www.businessinsider.com/americas-gun-problem-2015-6
Alex Symington
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Firearm control laws ( I hesitate using GUN Laws because of definition and uses) are a mockery no matter how you write them. In a sane society only Game Wardens and Zoo Keepers need to defend against unruly animals. No human should logically have to bring harm or death to another. BUT, in todays Petri dish of incompetent groveling meat eaters, one has to defend oneself somehow. A Firearm, sword, spear, club, trained fist, big boot or fast sneakers have become the way sadly. Those at the criminal and mentally ill level of our greatly undereducated tribe have no means to correct their situation. This is why violence is paramount in their deranged thought patterns. Sadly there seems to be little hope for the sane and logical members of our cave dwellers except flight to another rock around another sun, but that is in the dreams of a few. Suffer as me must with the ill, the mad, the hate, and the arms manufactures profiteering, I see no bright light at the end of the target range. So with that in mind and the fact that the Bad Guys will always harbor deadly weapons of some sort, I will too! Sometimes it is very good to be very old!
Big deal!
You should be worried about the “good ole boy” politics in our city and county. Look at the deal with Robert Dean. Two City Council Members and the City Clerk saying that he LEGALLY lives/Votes in Key West, when ALL the evidence shows that he lives in Key Haven. Apparently these two learned nothing by seeing their Cohorts in crime just got voted out of office.
Perhaps, instead of focusing on the content of Sowell’s article pro-gun article, attention should be given to the where and the why of its appearance. Therein lies the real issue. The publications advocating and proliferating the content represent a greater threat. Without a Joseph Goebbels to propagate his lies Hitler would be little more than a pathetic footnote in German historical annals.
For Loyd. The Blue Paper article on Bubba Dean:
http://thebluepaper.com/state-attorney-will-take-no-further-action-in-the-bob-dean-case/#more-28152
My comment:
Wow…This is such a clear cut violation of trust of the people! Jimmy and Clayton, I thought I knew ye. This will hurt you guys in the future. By the time anything gets done to alter this travesty, Dean will probably have expired anyway. Disappointed doesn’t describe it. What does Dean have on you guys?