Gun nuts just can't take a joke. I saw a vicious video last week, my edited version is below. It's in response to the Cocks Not Glocks protest at University of Texas where individuals with a concealed handgun license (CHL) are allowed to bring their handguns on campus, but people with sex toys can not, because they are deemed obscene.

The Cocks Not Glocks protest is a clever way to make a point. The TV stations can discuss the issue with a "Live from the University of Texas" stand up, state the current facts, make cute "We can't say it on TV" comments about the rubber penises the activists are bringing, interview a few supporters, give their detractors equal time, then it's back to Sunny Storm with the weather.

As far as media friendly protests go this one is pretty damn good. It has a message and makes a point. Even the way that TV stations have to dance around what they can't show or say helps make the point of the absurdity of the situation.

But from a "news" point of view the story is over. I think there needs to be more stories in the media about this issue. Because marginally trained, uninsured, drinking-age college kids with guns on campus will lead to more problems than it purports to solve. Activists need to find a way to tell the stories of these problems now, otherwise they are eclipsed by "News Math." Example:

X number of college age gun suicides don't count because, "They would have killed themselves with something else."

X number of separate gun incidents spread out over Y months does not equal TV news.

There are all sorts of incidents that should be covered but aren't. It's only the multiple shootings over a short time span that people notice now.

There are serious problems with guns on campus, but the TV watching public don't hear about them so they think the Good Guys with Guns are handling it.

So when I spotted this video attacking the Cocks Not Glock people I thought, "Wow, what a perfect example of the "logic" of gun nuts and their inability to address the issues. I can use it to discuss the issues and show the rest of the country what petulant, angry little babies the gun nuts are."

The video shows that gun nuts are frightened all the time, and if you aren't as frightened as they are, they will make sure you will be. Often by using their own guns to scare you! The video is also an example of how gun nuts over react when someone disagrees with them. Instead of having a rational disagreement, they go right to violent threats. I have friends who have gotten rape threats just for holding up a sign with some gun facts. And they want us to trust them with guns in a tense situation?

One message of the video is that people who challenge their behavior have to be taught a lesson about the "real world." They say they do this because they care about the safety of others, but it's really about their desire to have power and control.

Make no mistake, this video is designed to intimidate

They used a look-alike actress as one of the Cocks Not Glock activists in the video and actually TV footage of another. This had the desired effect, it facilitated the harassment of the activists. From the Cocks Not Glocks Facebook page:

Because they spoke out against gun culture, our activists have been subjected to a nonstop barrage of threats and sexist, racist, anti-semitic, Islamophobic, homophobic, transphobic, comments. When rabid gun fanatics can't win an argument, they resort to threats and publicly daydreaming and laughing about the rape and murder of their detractors.

On the other hand, there are laws that protect the identity of people with a concealed carry license. We can't know who the conceal carry permit holders are unless they tell us. What's the logic here? "If you hate getting harassed by gun nuts, get a gun! Nobody will know!"

Video: Graphic violence and gunsplaining

The video is a combination of a graphic violence and gunsplaining designed to show how stupid the Cocks Not Glocks protesters are about the real world.

In a bizarre route to proving his point, the creator used an off-campus scenario, written to demonstrate that using a gun is the only possible solution. (Why not do an on-campus scenario with CHL holders saving the day? Probably lazy, that would involve leaving the house.)

But using a worst case scenario, that doesn't really apply, is par for the course for gun nuts. After all, that's what they used to sell the law to the legislators. They created a worst case scenario--a mass shooter on campus--then applied the best case use of guns by concealed carriers, whom they expect to save the day.

The problem is that while gun nuts wait for their fantasy scenario, guns on campus are making things worse now.

The video maker did our side a favor by using stereotypes of characters that can be easily dismissed. "Scary black men are going to rob white girls and shoot them! Only a gun could have saved her!" They even had to give the white girl an ineffective defensive response as if to say, "See? Women are stupid! Their joke protest is going to get them killed!"

Gun nuts also have a sick sense of humor. They will tediously pretend violent threats are "Just a joke." They have to write "Ha Ha and LOL" because no normal people think raping and killing someone is funny. Example from the YouTube comments

Image from: Youtube comment screen grab

Then they try to hang their own racist, violent intimidation message on the protesters. "I didn't see his race, just his communist T-shirt! You are the one with the race problem! Also, too home invasions happen!"

Using the, "I know you are but what am I" gambit, some dude tries to excuse the racism and obvious death threat in the video.

If you try to burst their fantasy bubble, they get angry and lash out. If you don't see the world as the dangerous place they do, they will make it dangerous themselves. It's deranged thinking. "You think you are brave for trying to get rid of guns? Here's a few death threats, lady! I'll bet you wished you had a gun now!" (By the way, it's illegal to make death threats. How many "law-abiding gun owners" break that law?")

So how do you show these gun nuts that you won't be intimidated by them and help the Cocks Not Glocks people? You can do the usual social media stuff or, buy some merchandise! Personally I've got my eye on this rooster mug!