And now Walmart...

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

LOL you'd put those colored drinking fountains back on the street, wouldn't you. Tell the truth.

Woah

 

[Newtosavage]

And this is a perfect example of why discourse with liberals is impossible. The default reaction to any opinion not in line with the left is to go straight to "you're clearly just a racist."

Go back and answer Poser's question if you don't like mine.

 

[RockinU]

Man, it's a shame that a thread with a post as brilliant as Poser's is destined for a lock.

 

[Ratbeetle]

It's a pretty simple question really. Right-wing extremists always want to claim things are going to hell and were so much better back in the day. For whom?

Go back and answer Poser's question if you don't like mine.

So anyone who doesn't like the direction our country is headed is a right-wing extremist and a racist? Nice broad brush you have there and again a perfect illustration of my point.

No answer to Poser's "gotcha" question will be the right answer. It doesn't matter the answer, it would be twisted into racism. The only way to win the left's stupid game, is to not play.

 

[Newtosavage]

that have publicly spoken out against our kind!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"Our kind?" Could you elaborate?

 

[Ratbeetle]

"Our kind?" Could you elaborate?

You have achieved maximum virtue signal points for the day. We are all extremely impressed.

 

[Newtosavage]

So anyone who doesn't like the direction our country is headed is a right-wing extremist and a racist? Nice broad brush you have there and again a perfect illustration of my point.

No answer to Poser's "gotcha" question will be the right answer. It doesn't matter the answer, it would be twisted into racism. The only way to win the left's stupid game, is to not play.

I guess labeling any centrists as "liberals" is the way to play?

Those are really simple questions that I'm sure you have an answer to. Why not just say "no, I think the colored drinking fountains were wrong but here's what I believe we have lost..."

I've had a saying for decades now - Things don't get better or worse, they just get different." I refuse be a glass half empty, hell in a handbasket person. That's no way to live.

 

[RockinU]

So anyone who doesn't like the direction our country is headed is a right-wing extremist and a racist? Nice broad brush you have there and again a perfect illustration of my point.

No answer to Poser's "gotcha" question will be the right answer. It doesn't matter the answer, it would be twisted into racism. The only way to win the left's stupid game, is to not play.

Actually, I think the left-wing extremists don't like the direction our country is going either...at least that's what I get from their proclivity to protest, and prattle on about socialism...but I admittedly have no direct knowledge.

Pretty much it's a thing now that no matter your political affiliation, you have to think the country is going to hell in a handbag...I don't think you get to have a membership sticker if you don't.

 

[Ratbeetle]

I guess labeling any centrists as "liberals" is the way to play?

Those are really simple questions that I'm sure you have an answer to. Why not just say "no, I think the colored drinking fountains were wrong but here's what I believe we have lost..."

I've had a saying for decades now - Things don't get better or worse, they just get different." I refuse be a glass half empty, hell in a handbasket person. That's no way to live.

Because baseless accusations of racism don't justify a response. There is no way to "prove" that someone isn't racist. It's like an accusation of rape. Once that card has been played, civil discussion is over. The true intent is to discredit the other party, facts be damned, and no response they can put forth will be satisfactory. You win by not acknowledging that stupidity.

 

[Newtosavage]

Because baseless accusations of racism don't justify a response. There is no way to "prove" that someone isn't racist. It's like an accusation of rape. Once that card has been played, civil discussion is over. The true intent is to discredit the other party, facts be damned, and no response they can put forth will be satisfactory. You win by not acknowledging that stupidity.

Fair enough.

It was a counter point to the idea that things are so much worse now, but you won't engage that discussion either it seems. If you could elaborate on who things are worse for, that would be helpful because I don't believe things are worse for everyone at all. In fact, I think things are quite a bit better for everyone (and a LOT better for some) these days when you look at the reduction in crime, increase in opportunity and increase in disposable income over the past 30 years.

 

[THBZN]

Here's my take...

I don't remember people being gun nuts back in the 70's and 80's. I was raised in an extremely conservative family, and some of the very same relatives and friends of mine who might be seen as "doomsday preppers" today, could take or leave their guns back in those days. None of them carried, or even had guns in their vehicles unless it was a .22 in the back window for pot shots at the occasional yote.

But today, those very same people are pushing 2A agenda on their FB pages, stocking up on ammo, buying their 4th or 5th concealed carry handgun, building AR's and going through thousands of rounds of ammo each year.

Same people. Very different behaviors. So what changed?

The rhetoric changed. The propaganda changed. That's what. Someone somewhere figured out that if they scared those gun owners enough, they could essentially lock in their vote. First they scared them with stories about crime. Because they knew that would make those people want to buy more guns. Then they scared them with stories about "the gubment" coming to take those guns, and that triggered their "freedom" gene. And once that happened, they were a lock. They were guaranteed to keep those voters so long as they kept the fear streaming. Fear of crime, fear of guns being taken, and now fear of immigrants.

It keeps those votes locked in, regardless of what else is going on, or who the candidate is.

Gun owners have been played in this way for the past 25 years. Wayne LaPierre is an evil genius IMO and he and others have carefully orchestrated this whole thing. They are okay with our streets being flooded with cheap handguns because it helps their friends in the gun industry and it helps get their candidates votes, who in turn defend those friends in the gun industry.

Nevermind the fact that crime is down significantly over that same period of time. Just keep the fear coming and you can lock in those votes. Plain and simple.

This is how I see it based on my own observations of friends and family that I know, their behavior and the things they say and do over the past 30 or so years.

I'm a gun owner and I enjoy using my hunting rifles. I enjoy shooting, reloading and I enjoy the history behind many firearms. But I'm not going to be blindly led by the nose down a path some deranged zealot with political motivations when the facts simply do not support anything they say. I remember very well when Bush Sr. withdrew his membership from the NRA and I still think it's one of the most brave and bold moves I've ever seen. It's just one of many things I admire him for.



https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opini...blic-rejection-nra-exemplified-his-ncna944086

So far the most accurate observation and comment on the entire thread.

 

[Ratbeetle]

Fair enough.

It was a counter point to the idea that things are so much worse now, but you won't engage that discussion either it seems. If you could elaborate on who things are worse for, that would be helpful because I don't believe things are worse for everyone at all. In fact, I think things are quite a bit better for everyone (and a LOT better for some) these days when you look at the reduction in crime, increase in opportunity and increase in disposable income over the past 30 years.

Is life more comfortable for most, sure. But there is more to life than cheap chinese TVs and iphones for everyone. Is it better though?

What good is an increase in disposable income when inflation has vastly outpaced any increase? $100 in 1960 is worth about $866 today, a 766% increase. During that same time frame disposable income increased by about half that.

And for crime? Well as a rule, yes crime has been on a general decrease for the last few decades but overall violent crime per 100,000 people is still double what it was in the 1960s.

Opportunity? More kids have access to a watered-down, overpriced and "soon to be obsolete because everyone has one" bachelor's degree? Fantastic.

So sure, everyone has an iPhone and there are endless hours of reality TV, but it's all bread,and circuses. Things are certainly worse for folks that value personal liberty and small government, which of course has absolutley nothing to do with skin color.

 

[Newtosavage]

Since you brought up personal liberty and small government.

My point about the drinking fountains was exactly about personal liberty. So yes, for so many Americans, there are more personal liberties today than there were in the 60's.

your small government comment reminded me of Eisenhower's warning -

https://www.npr.org/2011/01/17/132942244/ikes-warning-of-military-expansion-50-years-later

 

[rodney482]

Carry concealed... buy sporting goods from mom/pop shops.

 

[Ratbeetle]

Since you brought up personal liberty and small government.

My point about the drinking fountains was exactly about personal liberty. So yes, for so many Americans, there are more personal liberties today than there were in the 60's.

your small government comment reminded me of Eisenhower's warning -

https://www.npr.org/2011/01/17/132942244/ikes-warning-of-military-expansion-50-years-later

Which is a great thing. However, what the left can't seem to grasp and what infuriates "right-wing extremists" is that equality of opportunity is not the same thing as equality of outcome. It is not ok to rig the system to ensure outcomes are the same. Doing so will always elevate some at the expense of others.

Of course this has nothing to do with Walmart caving to anti gun pressures.

 

[Daubsnu1]

Wal-mart decides to ban...BassPro/Cabela's, Scheels, etc., are grinning ear to ear...because their sales will make huge increases.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

Freedom of choice, free market, capitalism is the foundation your nation is based on.

Walmart exercised it's freedom of choice to make a business decision which will please more people and make more money. The sole goal is to make money, to make rich people richer, so they can live their American dream.

If people's legal choices that don't directly affect you are cause for great consternation, then your life will be filled with much weeping and gnashing of teeth (<I think that's in the good book).

 

[Poser]

Walmart shares are up reportedly up 1% today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rob86jeep]

I just read through this entire thread trying to understand what WM is going to do exactly but it seems everything but the original post's information is being discussed.

So, what ammunition is WM going to stop selling? Will they stop selling 5.56 but continue to sell .223? I don't really understand what their message stated.

 

[Ratbeetle]

Walmart shares are up reportedly up 1% today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well they're actually up 0.06% while the rest of the DJIA is up 1.52%. Your smugness is duly noted though.