Comic Steve Hofstetter doesn't get what's so patriotic about needing guns to 'kill the government'

Comic Steve Hofstetter certainly thought he’d tapped into something brilliant with his hot take on guns. Notice how deftly he manages to take self-styled patriots down a notch by questioning their need to defend against their country.

Why do people who say they love America also say they need guns to defend themselves from the government? Doesn't sound very patriotic.

— Steve Hofstetter (@SteveHofstetter) October 4, 2017

Steve thinks he's made a good point. https://t.co/otMP2GCnmw

— Ned Kelly (@ShootingHipster) October 4, 2017

There is a fine line between funny-stupid and not-funny. https://t.co/YvtAf7cjwf

— bdunbar (@bdunbar) October 4, 2017

This is something so stupid, only a blue checkmark could tweet it. https://t.co/C1r0tnL2ES

— AgainstTrumpDude (@TheAmishDude) October 4, 2017

Unfortunately for Hofstetter, this isn’t stand-up, and he’s not the only one holding a mic. Maybe liberals can’t see past citizens having a parent-child relationship with the government, but plenty were able to explain that loving one’s country doesn’t mean placing all trust in government.

You can love your country without loving the governement

— Chrispy (@chrispycaked) October 4, 2017

There are a few steps between not loving the government and wanting to kill the government.

— Steve Hofstetter (@SteveHofstetter) October 4, 2017

Definitely, but I was talking about defending against the government, not necessarily wanting to kill them.

— Chrispy (@chrispycaked) October 4, 2017

So assuming the government may try to murder you and thus you have to murder them first. Yeah, doesn't sound patriotic.

— Steve Hofstetter (@SteveHofstetter) October 4, 2017

Is this a bit? Because we’d need to be well over the three-drink minimum to even have a chance of understanding what Hofstetter thinks he’s trying to say here. It’s a particularly bad take when leftists are out marching every weekend with the sworn goal of outing the “fascist” Trump administration and restoring democracy.

Why do you conflate our government with America?
And hasn't your side been screaming about fascists, Nazis, and police brutality for a year? https://t.co/ZraA4PeTJH

— Azathoth (@ArkhamRealty) October 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/molratty/status/915673880286568448

Pro tip:

https://twitter.com/hboulware/status/915666204060250112

https://twitter.com/Hella_Right/status/915665872865431552

https://twitter.com/GLKavanagh/status/915675556619984897

Because the government is not the country. The sovereign citizens are the country. https://t.co/amv6onBqBG

— Antonio Martinez (@djtechchicago) October 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/ClarkHat/status/915654754797223938

It boggles my mind that someone… anyone would think the people temporarily elected to hold office are "America."

— BonkPolitics (@BonkPolitics) October 4, 2017

This is so silly it's laughable.

The 436 people who hold elected Federal Gov't positions + their bureaucrat cronies aren't "America."

— BonkPolitics (@BonkPolitics) October 4, 2017

"Government" is ppl temporarily holding positions. They take an oath to defend the Constitution.

Bad ppl sometimes hold those positions.

— BonkPolitics (@BonkPolitics) October 4, 2017

It's not the govt people love. It's the freedom. https://t.co/FWrG03LWQi

— Casey Biemiller (@cbiemiller) October 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/crkbackt/status/915653438163341312

thats sorta the point. We love America so we should defend it from corrupt plutocrats https://t.co/YAis31KhxY

— Andrew Quackson (@AndrewQuackson) October 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/hboulware/status/915666055372136450

Gun ownership is an understood right. America is founded on freedom and liberty. A tyrannical government can take that away. We fight that. https://t.co/8j61E8Jwkm

— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) October 4, 2017

You could say this about basically any check on government power https://t.co/l8RaCxcOqh

— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) October 4, 2017

"Just pay the damn Stamp, Tea, etc. taxes." – Steve Hofstetter's great great great great great great grandfather. https://t.co/BfpDT5VzCl

— Crusty Gobblestein (@NathanWurtzel) October 4, 2017

Oh.. So we are all about blindly trusting the government now? Why do you say you love America and question any government official? https://t.co/R4BG22KmtZ

— Carma (@Carma_2012) October 4, 2017

Why do people who say they love America also say they need a lawyer to defend themselves from the government? Doesn't sound very patriotic. https://t.co/URKROhQMLA

— Owen Barcala (@obarcala) October 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/TheJeffBurkett/status/915675334233739264

It’s the epitome of patriotism. https://t.co/gnAIaLVicm

— Cringe (@cringetalk) October 4, 2017

1. Invent premise.
2. ??????
3. Pat self on back for winning invented argument. https://t.co/BfpDT5VzCl

— Crusty Gobblestein (@NathanWurtzel) October 4, 2017

Steve Hofstetter, comedian, makes a Soviet-esque argument and insists its a good point.

And THAT is comedy. https://t.co/TMF1tcYkFT

— Wesley Kushner (@WesleyKushner) October 4, 2017

* * *

Related: