The Smallest Minority

What is a "GFW"?

GFW = gun-fearing wussy or some variation on that.

Michelle Malkin linked to a story about this in which a Vietnam vet -- who should know better -- commented that the statue of Dietz should show him holding a child, because guns are not protective. Good grief.

Uh, Ballistic? I put an acronym tag on "GFW" - just put your cursor over the letters.

(Man, all that work, and nobody utilizes it... ;))

First of all, let's take a look at where this story originally came from. Michelle Malkin? C'mon, Kevin. She is a mindless sychphant who's central purpose in life is spread fear and ignorance through sensationalism. You, btw, are ten times the blogger and writer she pretends to be. You actually employ facts to support your argument.

Second, dude, c'mon it's Littleton. Can't everyone just leave those people alone? I know he is from there but good lord, that community has suffered enough with media circuses.

Third, why is it so important that he has a gun? He was fighting in a just war (the only one since WWII btw) and performed many other protective duties throughout his tenure in the army that he could just as easily be depicted holding an Afghan child. We all have to consider that there are many people here and many more in the world that view us as violent, aggresive people. Whether or not that is "true" is in the eye of the beholder and a statue like this just adds credence to their argument. The image of the men planting a flag at Iwo Jima had soldiers without guns and it is revered as quite possibly the most famous heroic troop shot of all time, regardless of the story surrounding how the photo was taken.

To me it doesn't matter if he is holding a gun or not because I already know he is a hero. I know all troops are heroes and they don't need to be holding a gun to prove that to me.

It is important that 'he is holding a gun' because it is important that people, particularly children, learn the difference between violent and predatory and violent but protective, as has been said here.

If more of the good folks in Littleton had known that and lived it, there is a good chance they wouldn't have lost so many of their children to violent and predatory.

Mark:

Michelle Malkin is just a right-wing version of what we've seen from the left in the media for decades. She is neither "mindless" nor a "sycophant" - she's an opinionated intelligent person whose opinion does not match yours.

Second, no, Littleton does not get a pass. A significant portion of the problems we have as a society today is the ability to identify what is and what isn't really the issue. Guns, in this case, aren't the issue, but they are erroneously identified as the culprit by the people of Littleton. As Sarah noted above, "guns are not protective"? Sheesh.

Let's compromise: The soldier's statue can show him holding an Afghani child and his M16. How's that?

I'm heading out on a business trip. Depending on whether I get connectivity at my hotel, I may not be posting again any time soon.

Kevin-

I did put my cursor over the letters. Nothing happened. That's why I posted the question.

Ballistic:

I just did it too. That's odd. It works when you use Firefox, but not when you use Internet Exploder.

Well, crap.

(Yes, the hotel has internet. Poor, but internet.)

Kevin,

I dislike Michelle Malkin because she is a terrible writer, a hate/fear monger, and a liar. It has nothing to do with whether or not I disagree with her opinions. She is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

I disagree with the things you have written...we don't share the same opinions on many things but I have a tremendous amount of respect for you because you are a good writer, intelligent, and you don't twist facts to prove your point like she does on a daily basis.

I could go with the compromise on the Afghan child and a gun. I wouldn't have a problem with that in my hometown but I don't live in Littleton so I guess I feel like I have no right sticking my nose in...

Flattery will get you nowhere.

Malkin actually (IMHO) writes pretty well, is no more a fear-monger than most people who consider themselves journalists, and please cite, chapter and verse, her lies. I'm curious, really.

It's not like I'm not used to being lied to by the media, but I like documentation to back it up.

I think we can have an opinion, even though the town will make it's own decision.
Look at the National World War Two statue (commonly called the Iwo Jima Monument), M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, and .45 Colt pistols are all visible. Monuments are made of cannons, statues hold rifles and swords. The staues at the Vietnam Wall are carrying weapons, an M-16 and a machine gun.
These weapons represent the tools that brave men held in defense of those they would risk and spend their lives to protect. They help us to remember that our freedoms were bought with blood.
They should remind us that some of the children who see these monuments will be called to put on a uniform, pick up the next generation of weapons, and defend these freedoms again. We will only get to keep the freedoms we are willing to fight for.
This statue, like the Iwo Jima Monument, was designed from a photograph, a real image. Not what someone wished, just what was.

Semper Fidelis,
ASM826