“Many people who own guns seem fixated on them. Is that worrisome? Are they safe to be around? I don’t own a gun because I know I am NOT sufficiently predictable and level headed, and I haven’t been drunk since I was 20!” – Eric Canon, When does gun ownership become a fixation? [via orgeonlive.com]
Time to clear out the kitchen knives and take away the car keys if your that volatile.
Actually, involuntary commitment might be more appropriate if this guy truly can barely control his own actions.
Does that go for bodily functions as well as the mental functions? The guy is in bad shape.
Don’t worry, I will have my minions control him when I invade OR. ; P
Get help, Eric.
When the CEO of Everytown says the word “gun” thirteen times in two paragraphs, we know who has the fixation.
Yeah it always makes me laugh when they talk about MY unhealthy fixation. Hypocrites.
And of course since he feels that he can’t trust himself then no one else is trustworthy either. Arrogant a$$.
That’s really the bit that bothers me. If you’ve got the self awareness to say: “I’m prone to violent outbursts so it’s probably a good idea for me to stay away from guns” that’s a good thing. Self awareness is important but what is right for you may not be for other people. It’s like saying you’re a recovering alcoholic so no one else should be allowed to drink either.
Well, that WAS the argument behind the temperance movement.
And that ended so well, too.
Although, I’ve heard that the original people behind the Temperance movement were basically the nagging, shrieking harpies the likes of which we usually see in MDA. The kind of women that can drive a man to drink. So of course, they then blame the alcohol.
Carrie Nation + Billie Sunday = Shannon + Mikey
More aptly called the Prohibition Movement.
“When does gun ownership become a fixation?”
Probably when you spend all night and day dreaming up “good first steps” to taking them all away. Really, this particular non gun guy is so obsessed with my firearms he’s leap frogged to blaming me for things HE might do. I’d say that’s pretty Fatal Attraction, myself.
^Winner!!
^^definitely!
And I own them because I AM sufficiently predictable and level headed.
Just because Uncle Fester is sick doesn’t mean I have to take the medicine. This guy is the poster child for projection.
And the poster child for retroactive abortion…
Or something. Ahem.
Good on him for knowing he is too much of a tool to own a weapon…
Most crazy people do not know they’re crazy, at least he can identify it and act accordingly. I can’t fault the guy for being self aware.
Just don’t assume I’m coo-coo for cocoa puffs because you are, Eric.
He seems pretty fixated on guns to me.
I suppose a bunch of us here might be fixated on guns … usually our own, however. Not those of others.
Well, okay, there is this XD(m) in .45ACP I don’t own … yet. 🙂
Totally worth fixating on. Take it from a proud owner. Awesome steel man. *chuckles*
….and then there’s the “guns are dangerous, especially if you are a woman” and “you’re much more likely to have an accident than run off an intruder” lies that all the gun grabbers like to tell. This guy is a blabbering, misinformed fool.
“guns are dangerous, especially if you are a woman”
Actually more like “women are especially dangerous with a gun, used for self protection of self and loved ones”
Fixation? How about those people who don’t own guns, but talk and write about them all the time?
I am absolutely dumbfounded by the number of anti-‘s who openly admit that, if they had a gun, they may do something awful with them. Why are these freakin’ people in society and not in a mental hospital? It reminds me of the article a few weeks back written by a woman who said (paraphrasing) that if she owned a gun and had a bad day at work, she might shoot her boss. Are these people for real?
Think and talk about them all the time but refuse to actually learn anything about them.
Personally, I am not fixated on guns aside from being another hobby. What does have my attention are those individuals who would infringe on my right to defend my home, my person, my family, and my property. It’s not about guns to me, it’s about not being victimized. Just because they are ok with being defenseless doesn’t mean I have to be.
What they leave unsaid is this: “I am a staunch progressive, and therefore morally superior to anyone who disagrees with me. If I can’t be trusted with a gun, bitter clingers certainly can’t be trusted.”
I think you nailed it.
I wouldn’t be “fixated” on them if people stopped trying to ban them.
That was my first thought, too. Of course, as others have mentioned above, the real fixation is the people who know little to nothing about how they operate but spend all their time fearing them, writing about fearing them, trying to enact bans on ownership, and stereotyping gun owners by projecting their own personality flaws.
This. I only “fixate” on them because my rights are under constant threat of the anti-2A folks. Back in the day, when ownership was not vilified, I’m sure gun owners and hobbyists were a lot less concerned. I bet that if the same attention was placed on, say, cars, that car owners and hot rodders would be just as fixated on keeping their vehicles. I understand it’s not a right, but it can almost be argued the same way…
I can envision a time where this might actually happen if the “driverless car” is ever produced. Why do you need a car you can drive? It’s so unsafe for a human to pilot when the computer NEVER makes a mistake, right?
I would argue that the Framers never conceived of the car, and if they had some form of “right to travel” in the conveyances of the era would have been in the bill of rights.
Oh wait, it is, the 9th and 10th amendments. Amazing foresight those Framers.
Because it’s not enumerated in the Bill of Rights does not mean that you do not have a right to own one.
Agreed, I should have said it’s not enumerated. I understand there’s a right to own property. I’m trying to highlight the idea that people are “fixated” when their rights are under attack. It would be the same with owning cars.
Gun ownership usually becomes a fixation when you start opposing it.
So because someone can’t hold his liquor that means that gun owners are irresponsible?
Lets see. Assumptions.
1) The writer questions that people fixated on guns are cause to worry others and may not be safe to be around.
2) The writer admits he doesn’t own guns because he isn’t level headed and predictable.
1) Some people are fixated on bowling balls, footballs, sports equipment, tools, vehicles, engines, motorcycles, etc. A gun is a machine. A simple machine consisting of maybe wood or plastic, rubber, metal components, springs, catches, machined steel. So being fixated on guns is not inherently bad. Being fixated on killing people with guns would be inherently bad.
I know people that fix up old cars. I also know people that fix up old guns. I know people that like to customize new guns. Just because a guy is fixated on a classic 64 chevy with wood plank bed slats, doesn’t mean he is going to laugh while driving people over on the sidewalk. Likewise, just because a gun owner likes to fix up old AK’s, doesn’t mean he is going to laugh while gunning people down on the sidewalk.
2) Just because you don’t think your level-headed and predictable doesn’t mean I am not, or my neighbor, or anyone other than you. Furthermore, if you are not level-headed and predictable and don’t feel you should own a gun because of “what you might do,” why should you also own the following items:
• hammer
• nail gun
• forks
• knives
• drano
• etc.
I’m a little confused why you think you aren’t level headed enough to keep yourself from lifting a gun, aiming, and squeezing a trigger, but are level headed enough not to swing a knife, or a hammer, or a crowbar, etc.
Because none of the others will go off by themselves and harm someone /sarcasm
This whole notion the gun grabbers have that somehow they can shame or insult us POTG by implying we have “fixations”, “penis confusion” and other unnatural attachments to our weapons just illustrates the infantile, poverty of their own thinking. Basically, they’ve got nothing and in order to delude themselves into denial of their piss-poor position, they have to resort to this kind of stuff so they can lamely puff their chests and make themselves feel superior. The truth is they are just projecting their own fear and cowardice because none of them has the courage to provide for their own self-defense and all of them are suppressing deep-seated anger and frustration because they know in their hearts they are craven sheep who “wannabe” wolves. It’s beyond tiresome. And when I read posts and tweets and Instagrams calling for the mass murder of “The NRA” and gun owners, in general, I am all the more convinced they are unworthy of being “Americans”. They are more like the rabid Muslim Jihadists, who want to murder people who do not agree with them anonymously and by treachery.
We should be very careful in our responses to them and always “turn the table”, rather than responding to the moronic epithets they hurl at us. So, to this guy I would respond, “Yes, Eric, I can tell how insufficiently predictable and imbalanced you are by just looking at the batshit crazy grin and wild-eyed stare in your photo (reminds me of J. L. Loughner). Please remove all sharp objects, cords, ropes, lengths of chain, caustic chemicals, poisons, baseball bats and heavy objects from your home, and be sure to surrender your car keys to your psychiatrist. I wouldn’t want you anywhere near me in any public place. You are way too dangerous to be around other people. Thank-you!”
I expect some of the other comment-contributors to TTAG can do better than I did
Is this article filler for lack of more relevant stories today? Seriously, who cares what this guy says or thinks?
Its no more a fixation than anyone who has any hobby who likes to talk about it all the time.
I am pretty sure the author Eric Canon who is a metal sculptor/craftsman is probably fixated on metal sculptor/craftsmanship. To each their own, but don’t tell other what they should be fixated upon or not.
Most gun owner are not in fact fixated until the anti-gun industrial complex comes looking to take away our guns and impose more gun control by fiat. Then, yes then, we become fixated at opposing these ne’er-do-well’s
I believe everyone should be fixated at protecting their own lives and not assume that some agency like the police will do it for them.
So just because this guy cant be responsible with a gun doesnt mean I can? Logical fallacy for the win…
I grew up with this mind set. West Coast, Bay Area and Santa Cruz. The bastion of Hippydom. This is what is known as Accepted Conventional Liberal/Progressive Wisdom.
They truly believe as a law of the universe that a gun in the hand of a law abiding citizen WILL turn them into a homicidal maniac shooting people over being cut off in traffic; or, that by carrying a gun; they will attract a confrontation that will escalate into a shooting situation.
They truly believe that by not being “paranoid” in carrying a gun; by not being “paranoid” in dwelling on being attacked; they will be protected from becoming a target. It’s called “The law of Attraction” and for them, it is accepted as a law of the universe.
I had to overcome this brainwashing in the process of carrying a gun after being attacked by a human predator.
It is pervasive; when a whole society believes in a “truth” as truth. Then to over come this conditioning usually takes almost being killed to show the error of ones way.
Unfortunately; since this belief is not based on logic; rarely will logic overcome the delusion. Before my conversion experience; I would look those “gun-nuts” as nuts and would have been completely unconvinced of the utility of carrying a weapon for self-defense.
It is very much a “religion” by any definition; and like any religion, much is based on faith.
You can’t use logic to argue illogic. It doesn’t work. Someone that deep in, nothing you say is going to change their mind. They literally cannot be convinced that they’re wrong and no amount of logic, facts, figures or statistics is good enough.
Yep. I have found that in debating anti-gun people; all of their “reasoning” and “facts”; once they are shown to be not based on facts; invariably will close their debate for not having a gun available to the general public with “I am just afraid of what I would do if I had a gun on hand, I’m afraid that I would get angry and shoot someone”.
This really is simply projection; they are placing their own doubts and fears about their own self-control and projecting that on everyone else.
LOL – but I’ll bet he’s OK operating a motor vehicle on a public highway. Idiots walk among us.
On the one hand, if you do not believe you are responsible enough to own a firearm, you should not own one. He believes he isn’t, so he hasn’t bought one and won’t–so I’ll give him points for exercising that little bit of personal responsibility.
On the other hand, if he’s that irresponsible and uncontrollable, he likely needs serious psychiatric counseling.
If your not predictable enough to yourself to know that you won’t go shoot someone, and that stops you from owning a gun, then how do you know you wont go buy a gun a shoot someone? I mean your unpredictable.
I’m going to give this guy credit for recognizing the fact that he might not be a responsible gun owner and refraining from getting one. If he were to become a gun owner he could very well become the subject in the next story of an irresponsible gun owner and give the antis one more reason to group responsible gun owners in with people who probably shouldn’t have them.
I wouldn’t say that gun owners are really fixated on guns, but rather on their rights. It’s the antis who are fixated on guns. They don’t want us to have them and they blame guns for every accident and crime with a gun they can instead of blaming the people involved. So here’s my question, why are the antis so fixated on guns? Could it be some sort of insecurity?
“I know I am NOT sufficiently predictable and level headed”
At least he knows HIS limitations. Stop projecting yours onto those with stronger mental capabilities.
I don’t give this moron any credit at all. He is insulting everyone else, insinuating that no one can control themselves because he can’t. His superiority complex is insane, and this is the pathetic, evil mind frame these people have.
About the time that Golf does…
This fable does not even pass most basic BS test. THREE guns? A rifle, a shotgun, a handgun. That isn’t even a handful much less a collection. Certainly in Montana (or anywhere in the REAL US).
If ANYTHING in this story is true the Montana guy must be dirt/impoverished poor to only own three firearms. If so, then perhaps this is his only valuable property and thus he WAS proud.
We are to believe someone shows a new casual acquaintance, of 10minutes, the family firearms locker/cache? Throw the. BS towel. Who does such a stupid thing?
Arghhh…I wish I hadn’t clicked on the link. Never get that minute back. +1 Marcus Aurelius. I’ve only been a gun nut for 3 years and I’m over 60. It’s fools like this( & living near Chicago & having the “best gun salesman in America” as president) that fueled my interest. Honestly my wife didn’t know what was going on at 1st. Maybe artsy boy can hit the bad guy with one of his metal sculptures. He might go on a murderous rampage with a gun…
What a buffoon! For all the reasons listed (above)…
I enjoyed reading the comments to the original article (at the link)…one person mentioned that his use of the term for an “arsenal” consisting of THREE guns, was so ludicrous…if he saw number a a true collector accumulates, his head would probably explode…
Several other people in the original comments mentioned that he should probably get some help for his mental instability…
Others called him out on that “especially if you’re a woman” quote…
Basically, I see the original article as a business tactic; this guy is the “Leader Community Writer” for that local newspaper/website, so when your readership is flagging, what do you do? Why, write a ridiculous, outlandish article for your newspaper/website, so that you can get readers talking about it and drive readers to the website!
I’ve said this before on another article but I think it’s worth repeating:
Every rational human being knows that inanimate objects can’t magically will people to act a certain way by mere presence alone. This is why the anti-gun crowd projects one of their chief arguments onto us; that putting a gun on the table will turn Joe or Jane American into a violent murderer within minutes. They believe this witchcraft bollocks because their argument is grounded in purely emotional adolescence. They secretly know (but will never admit) that, had they access to a gun at any time (or outside severely restrictive government controls), they would be the ones capping people in the knees over losing a political debate in school or having their parking spot stolen at the grocery store, not us. They know they can’t control themselves, but want to feel like a normal human being, so they try to disarm everybody in an effort to rationalize their emotional disorder.
When does gun ownership become a fixation?
I have a compelling question: when does civilian disarmament become a fixation?
Nah, its still a gun ownership fixation. It’s just a negative fixation instead of a positive one. Instead I have a follow up question for Eric Canon.
Why is it that for every commodity in this world; oil, diamonds, gold, iPhones, does their sacristy make us treasure them, except for the commodity of Rights. Which when so scarce throughout the world, that when they only exist in America, why then do Americans seek to destroy them solely on the basis of their sacristy?
“I don’t own a gun because I know I am NOT sufficiently predictable and level headed…”
The problem with statements like this is people typically self justify their actions even (or especially) when they don’t make sense to outside observers. To get right to the point: Crazy people don’t think THEY are crazy. They think EVERYONE else is crazy. A person’s actions typically make sense to them, thats why they go through with them. So, when all these gun grabbers pop up and say, “I KNOW I’m to crazy to own a gun!” I can’t help but wonder, if you know you are “that” crazy how much crazier are you from an objective standpoint? I realize that “crazy” is not a clinical term, and even a derogatory term, but I seriously wonder for the sake of public safety.
I don’t fear a man who owns one gun, or ten, or more. I fear a man who says, “I know I’m too crazy to own a gun!” Why the hell do we (society) let you out in public, of your own free will, if you are so crazy even you can see it?
“I don’t own a gun because I know I am NOT sufficiently predictable and level headed, and I haven’t been drunk since I was 20!” – Eric Canon
Thanks Eric, just remember your explosive, irrational insanity is your own problem. You aren’t the litmus test of society or any standard of human that people aspire to. In fact you are a lower lifeform on account of being unpredictable and not level headed. That’s on you, and your irrational, unpredictable volatility should be prevented from dictating how the rest of us live.
WTF is his point? Because he’s incompetent and unstable we’re all incompetent and unstable?
Projection much there Eric?
Good for this clown that he recognizes he is volatile. Hey, pal, I’m not you.
That’s what I always suspected. Much of the anti-gun hysteria is simply projection by emotionally malformed, emasculated, self-loathing liberals.
At some point along the way, “I’m OK, you’re OK”, degenerated into “I’m a conceited basket case, you can’t possibly be OK.” Good grief, people.
Well then, since I’m cool, calm and collected and have more hair on my head than that hormone-deprived, snaggle-toothed old schmuck Canon, I guess I’m good to go!
Actually, pattern baldness is frequently a sign of too much testosterone.
Maye he IS that unpredictable, believes that everyone else is as well and is overcompensating?
Just a thought.
Psychological projection. What a Richard.
A Richard Cranium?
Maybe he suffers from Rectal-Cranial Impaction? Unfortunately that does not disqualify you from possessing a firearm.
I listened to Adam Corola on the Joe Rogan show and he said something along the lines of it he had a gun there were 3 or 4 times he thinks he would have shot himself. He went on to make some other stupid coments before I turned him off. Guess somebody should put him under evaluation before he hurts himself with a nail gun.
“Psychological projection. What a Richard”
Nailed it. When the Peoples Revolution, this man named Dick wet dreams about comes, he will be bringing up the rear (so to speak) with a VW bus loaded with tools of torture, the better to ply his avocation with. Kitzhaber will no doubt give him a get out of jail free card so he can play Misogynistic Dexter to his heart’s content.
This is why an armed populace is vital to the safety of a Republic
I feel safer knowing that he’s not armed.
He is fractionally safer because others are armed.
I would not use my weapon to preserve this “person’s” DNA.
yea, I’m stroking mine now as we read…. oh wait a minute… no, no I’m not…. idiot.
I cleaned mine this morning and it wasn’t even dirty (yet) but the day is young, still
“I don’t own a gun because I know I am NOT sufficiently predictable and level headed, and I haven’t been drunk since I was 20!”
You haven’t been drunk since 20? Way to go, but that doesn’t count for much if you’ve been a raging dumbass since birth. Don’t trust yourself with guns? Then don’t own any, psycho. While you’re at it, stay the hell out of my business and don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t be able to do.
I once knew a guy who could not be trusted with a gun. He was not only a liberal, but also very clumsy. I mean he was the type who would lose tools without ever leaving his seat, or knock his drink over while looking right at it. Many car accidents, too. Not very encouraging, but you know what? He turned his life around; learned to put things back where they go, started paying attention to where he was reaching and how he was driving. At the end of this self induced transformation, he was a fully responsible and capable republican voter who now feels perfectly able to own and occasionally operate a number of firearms, as well as other things he never saw himself mastering, such as power tools and sometimes even heavy machinery. That person was ME, and it’s called GROWING THE F**K UP.
How is Mr Canon around goats?
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