At least one tweeter called it “quite possibly the stupidest column ever,” even by Salon standards. D. Watkins, described in his biography as an adjunct professor at Coppin State and winner of Baltimore magazine’s “Best Writer” award in 2015, last week suggested a rather dramatic form of gun control that we can’t reconcile with the Second Amendment no matter how hard we try.
“You will be granted the right to purchase the firearm of your choice,” wrote Watkins, if you first agree to be shot. “You need to feel a bullet rip through your flesh, and if you survive and enjoy the feeling — then the right to bear arms will be all yours.”
The NRA isn’t mentioned except in the headline, which Watkins might or might not have written, and which calls those who enjoy and exercise their Second Amendment rights “gutless NRA cowards.”
The NRA responded to Salon today, not with an equal measure of “violent rhetoric” but the frustration of trying to find common ground with anti-gun rights extremists.
It’s kind of hard to find common ground when your opponents think you should be shot #2A https://t.co/AW6kJ40GFZ
— NRA (@NRA) October 20, 2015
Funny, non violent Democrats pushing for gun ban want gun owners shot…total disconnect. Pay attention! @NRA @Salon
— ♡LadyAndTheTrump♤ (@PinkUSADreamer) October 20, 2015
@NRA @dangainor @Salon Lol the people trying to take guns away are the ones suggesting people be shot!
— Megan Beams (@MeganBeams) October 20, 2015
https://twitter.com/NorthBridgeTac/status/656470773167726592
https://twitter.com/Staticline40/status/656591162921349120
@NRA @Salon And people wonder why I carry.
— Paul Zarnay (@paulzarnay) October 20, 2015
@NRA I find it ironic that those who oppose #2A are the most violent people when they claim that we are violent by just owning a tool
— Jon (@Jon_UPA) October 20, 2015
@NRA @Salon great idea, now all the people with mental health issues who don't mind getting shot would have the guns…..
— Ouimet (@Caution_Cole) October 20, 2015
@NRA @Salon obviously being lobotomized is a requirement of being liberal.
— Todd Davis (@ToddDavis6518) October 20, 2015
@NRA @MissSelfDefense @Salon "Buying a car? You have to get run over first…" Morons.
— ? (@Diomed33) October 20, 2015
https://twitter.com/pistolgrippimps/status/656472688630730752
@NRA @nranews @Salon And I believe that being intelligent and witty should be required for online leftist entertainment blogs in America
— Mark Evans (@HTownMark2014) October 20, 2015
Take a bullet? Who wants to take Watkins’ writing class for a semester, and what stunt do you have to perform first to earn your right to free speech in the classroom?
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