Common Unity Against Gun Violence Town Hall in Pensacola
January 21, 2020 9:08pm
Well, I just got home from the Common Unity Against Gun Violence Town Hall at Pensacola's Mount Canaan Baptist Church, which was sponsored by Moms Demand Action, Change the Ref, and other organizations that advocate more unconstitutional gun control laws.
One of the panelists was Manuel Oliver, the father of Joaquin Oliver, who was murdered in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Other panelists were Cindy Martin of Moms Demand Action, a representative of the Pensacola Police Department, and a member of the NAACP. I don't recall their names.
Earlier this evening, my wife told me it was going to be an echo chamber of gun banners doing a big circle jerk (those are my words paraphrasing her better words), and that I would be wasting my time to go. But I went anyway, knowing the conversation would be filled with anti-gun lies.
After the panel spoke, the microphone was brought into the audience by the moderator, and people were given the opportunity to stand up and speak with questions or comments. Almost everybody made comments and didn't actually ask many questions.
I sat quietly through the first dozen or so statements made in support of infringing upon the Second Amendment Rights of law-abiding citizens. Then I raised my hand to speak and was handed the microphone.
After expressing sincere condolences to Manuel Oliver and another woman whose son had been killed by firearms, I spoke of how infringing upon Constitutional Rights was not the proper way to address the problem of gun violence in America. I then went on to politely refute a few inaccurate points Oliver had made earlier in his presentation.
For instance, he said we have too many gun deaths because we have too many guns. I pointed out that, according to FBI statistics, in the last 50 years the number of privately owned firearms in America has more than tripled, but the firearm homicide rate is at a near 50-year low. Someone shouted out that that was not true. It is completely true, but I moved on to another point, since the event was not a debate format.
I brought up the recently enacted Florida law that prohibits gun purchases by 18, 19, & 20 year-olds unless they serve in the military or law enforcement. When I asked what other Constitutional Rights can be denied to 18-20 year olds, Manuel Oliver shouted out that his son had a right to life. I responded that, of course he had a right to life, but his life was taken unlawfully.
When I pointed out that the exemption for 18-20 year old military and law enforcement personnel means that the laws of Florida say Constitutional Rights are earned through one's employment, a few groans of disapproval filled the air.
As I continued to very politely refute some statements made earlier, several others in the room heckled my words. Then Oliver interrupted me by shouting, "You're lying!" At that point, although I had the microphone for less than half the time most attendees did, the moderator came up to me and said, "This is a House of God, and we are not going to allow you to lie in the Lord's House." Then he took the microphone from me.
A few subsequent speakers attacked me and attacked my words. I did not engage to defend myself because I was there to educate not to argue. That, and I needed to show proper decorum.
After the event concluded, another attendee approached me and very politely asked if the Second Amendment only protected single shot muskets. It was refreshing to be ASKED that question, since it is usually stated as an indisputable fact.
As he and I were having a very respectful dialogue, Oliver barged into our conversation, called me a liar, and told me that I was not really sad that his son was killed. He then said I don't like him because he is a naturalized citizen (from Venezuela). It brought to mind what Herman Cain said to me the night of the Orlando presidential debate in 2011: "Do you know why they play the race card? Because they've got no other cards to play."
Since he had raised his voice to make those accusations, a crowd gathered, and pretty much everyone there, including at least three people videotaping, were watching us. He again called me a liar, so I responded that I value the truth, and that if he would point out the lies I told, I would never repeat them again if they were really untrue, because I had no interest in being wrong.
He said his organization "doesn't want to ban guns." When I responded that he wanted to ban what he characterized as "assault weapons," and that was a type of gun ban, he got mad, raised his voice even louder, and told me that I was "full of shit," "everything (I) said was bullshit," and that "(I) don't know what the Hell (I'm) talking about." I gently responded that this is a House of the Lord, and he really should use better language than that. He raised his voice more and began to rant with additional psychobabble, anti-gun, drivel against me, including a few more words that really shouldn't be said in a church.
Yes, I understand I probably didn't change anyone's mind there tonight. But at least I had my say - until the microphone was seized anyway. I was the only speaker in support of the Second Amendment and the only speaker whose microphone was taken while still talking.
But I will go anywhere, anytime, to speak to anyone in defense our Second Amendment Rights, even when I know I will be the lone voice of reason in the wilderness of lies.