“What we need to do is change the way in which people think about guns, especially young people, and make it something that’s not cool, that it’s not acceptable, it’s not hip to carry a gun anymore, in the way in which we changed our attitudes about cigarettes.” – Then US Attorney Eric Holder talking about a campaign to “really brainwash people into thinking about guns in a vastly different way” in a video from 1995 via breitbart.com
I think Mr. Holder succeeding in changing attitudes about guns as evidenced by the increase in ownership across all demographics. Thanks Eric!
Overblown… He’s saying the reason young men are attracted to guns is because they’ve been “brainwashed” by Hollywood’s violent culture… So it needs to be counteracted and made “uncool” with advertising, messaging, etc… His context for the word “brainwashing” is simply messaging and advertising to make them seem uncool.
Aside from the fact that it will never work, I think this is pretty silly to worry about. Of course a liberal democrat in the mid 90’s would talk about that. In the context of what was underway at the time with big Tobacco it makes sense he’d be trying to use social engineering and messaging to curb kid violence the same way they were curbing smoking. Poor logic, but understandable from his mindset.
This is in no way a gotcha thing. He was talking about kids using guns for violence, and his intentions weren’t bad even if he was going about it in a silly, illogical way. We all know about the “road to hell”… but, I don’t think he’s hidden his ambivalence/antipathy for guns, so no big revelation here.
If he was a Republican.. this would be huge…
Is Holders view on youth culture limited? The only TV shows he mentioned were The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and Martin. And since when were those shows saturated with violence? I’m surprised he didnt reference N.W.A. or something.
His context of brainwashing was far more than advertising or trying to make guns uncool. He said he wanted two minutes hate everyday at school, and to train the children to tell the government who they know who carries guns.
Obvisously he doesnt listent to NWA or watch violence saturated media or he would clearly be out shooting innocent bystanders
Maybe it worked? Pretty much everyone I know who carries a gun (aka pretty much everyone I know) would probably be considered ‘uncool’ by whoever it is that determines who is and is not cool.
When you’re holding up Marion Barry as an influential role model in 1995, well, that’s your problem right there.
A-MEN brother!
Shortly after Bill Clinton took office, Hillary who was never elected to an office or officially hired as a WH staffer made the comment that people need to learn to think differently about some xyz. What the elites usually fail to recognize is that unlike their ignorance of power-politics, international events, and the Washington-Banker Alliance, the average person is way ahead of the elites in understanding the realities of living on Main Street America.
Because it worked so well with cigarettes…
Idiots doing what idiots do.
So Holder is a snake. Since he’s a consistent and obvious snake, anything he does to screw us and 2A is to be expected.
”really brainwash people into thinking about guns in a vastly different way”
I can really see Holder in the room of Commie brainwashers in the old Manchurian Candidate Movie. Classic movie.
He makes a great point. i dislike smoking too, so why should anyone be able to smoke? i really dont like cats either, can we do something about those?
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