Makin' friends, influencin' people

Generally, I don't argue—I realised a number of years ago that it was a particularly fruitless exercise—but over the past few days I have been having a 'discussion' with some people on the subject of gun control in the U.S.A., and in doing so have managed to annoy more than one of them. And I have to admit, seeings as in my very first comment I used the phrase "you people are morons", well, they were probably justified in their annoyance.*

Anyway, I decided to stop annoying them, mainly because the blog's host's last reply had a tone peevish enough to make me realise I had outstayed my welcome. To wit, "I, for one, don’t give a rat’s ass what kind of laws they pass in Australia, and I don’t go to Australian blogs and comment on their political/social positions. You don’t have to live under our laws, nor we under yours, so why the obsession with the subject–especially when you already conceded that your position on the issue is immutable?"

But the whole process was so interesting that it quickly became almost an addiction, and I thought, hey, why not just start your own blog and work it out from there? So I did. Took about thirty seconds! You can see by the first three posts how delighted I was. (I may, possibly, have been drunk.)

So, here we are. And let me just say, I am assuming from the outset than no one in the world will ever actually read this. Also, the only reason I have access to the Interweb at the moment is because there is a very convenient wireless network that drifts invisibly through the lounge of my/our rented apartment, and that could cease at any time. But until then, I am going to investigate some of the issues raised by my recent experiences. Not gun control as such, because as Mr Munchkin Wrangler points out, I don't have to live under those laws (I lived in San Francisco for three months in 2001, and intend to go back there: Brother-In-Law's Ribs off Divisidero are worth travelling 10,000 miles for!), but rather the notion of discourse itself.
You see, apart from the comment which started all this, which was really just abusive when you get right down to it, I genuinely did think I was going to enter into a discussion.

Why? Well, I'm interested in America and Americans in a number of ways. The issue of gun control, in particular, has exerted a fascination I cannot really explain.

Yet I am more interested in Marko's (Mr Munchkin Wrangler) comment on the fact that he has no interest in the laws of Australia—and by extension any other country, I presume—and that he does not visit Australian blogs nor have the temerity to comment upon them.

Fine and dandy. But if he is going to put his opinions on a world-wide forum for all to see, and to offer the opportunity for his readers to comment on said opinions, then surely the tone of the above comment is somewhat at odds with that act, and the position it espouses?

I could be wrong. And please don't misunderstand me: I am not interested in attacking Marko. From his blog he seems a truly reasonable fellow, intelligent, articulate, caring, etc etc, and I have know doubt if I had ever met him in a bar by accident we would have got on swimmingly. Still might, even…

But I am going to leave it at that for now. I will think about this some more, and write again tomorrow. And I am also gonna get me a snappy sign-off line. But I'll have to think about that.

Til' then, then

* I have since apologised for my language.