Opinion
Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- Conservative New York Post writer John Crudele wrote a column about how upset he was that a gun company dared offer its wares for Christmas. Crudele is conservative, as such things go, in New York City. He is a Donald Trump supporter and has a roughly libertarian philosophy.
I don’t have hard-and-fast rules about many things. I go by the “it is none of my business if it’s not hurting anyone” rule. You might know it as “live and let live.”
I suspect John and I would agree on many things. It takes a lot of guts to be a Trump supporter in New York City.
Unfortunately, John stepped outside his area of expertise with the column on Henry Rifles Holiday advertising. He is perfectly capable of describing his own feelings, of course. It is his unfortunate linkage of his dislike for guns with his ignorance about them which created an emotional response from many of his readers.
John thinks everyone should be “pissed off” that a gun company dares to run an advertisement of its wares with a Christmas theme.
Sure, what a Christmas gift!
I don’t care what religion you believe in or what your feelings about guns happen to be, but this particular email should piss you off. I wish there was a more eloquent way of saying that but I can’t find it right now.
Companies like this give people who don’t like guns a reason to continue their dislike for them.
Henry Repeating Arms 2019 Christmas
A little introspection might be in order. I don’t know exactly why John seems to think guns should be taboo as Christmas gifts.
Many people I have met, who want a disarmed population, view guns with horror. They would hate the idea of showing guns as useful, morally neutral, desirable objects. Maybe that is what John is getting at. I am not a mind reader, nor do I know John.
I suspect he is immersed in hoplophobic attitudes in the New York metroplex. He may not know many people for whom guns are a treasured everyday implement, for whom guns are useful family heirlooms, for whom guns are associated with positive experiences throughout life.
It is probably unusual, in New York City, to remember how the gun you inherited was used by your father to feed the family when times were difficult during the Depression. It is difficult, in New York City, to understand the social bonding of entire small communities during deer hunting season.
It is difficult, in New York City, to understand the sense of accomplishment, self-confidence, and independence that comes with the mastery of the use of individual firearms. New York City has made that potential nearly impossible within its confines.
John may not know that New York City started its gun control program to disarm the victims of Tammany Hall, and was pushed by the infamously corrupt “Big Jim Sullivan“, for that purpose.
In New York City, John, your views on guns are moderate. They are not moderate in much of the rest of the country.
We both expect President Trump to be re-elected. I expect his second term will be good for almost everyone, especially Second Amendment supporters. If you ever get out to Arizona, John, I will work to arrange for friends take you to the range, to expand your shooting experience with a wide variety of guns.
My experience, with those of many others, is the best cure for those who are unfamiliar with guns, is to take them to the range. A fun time is had by all.
Merry Christmas to you, John Crudele.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30-year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Firearms make great gifts for Christmas. I will tell you that last Christmas was my family’s last Christmas in New Jersey as we all relocated in 2019. I was very please to present my two sons each with their own Henry Repeating Rifle in 357 Magnum. I went to the FFL to get the The Henry Rifle for my youngest Son and upon arrival home my eldest son ask me, Dad whats in the bag, when I showed him the gift for his younger brother the expression on his face said it all no words were needed. I got back… Read more »
@B, Texas is calling. You and your young sons would love Texas!
“The Christmas Story” must not be in John’s Repertoire Mr. Weingarten ..
It sounds as if John needs his safe space.
It has been a few years, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, that I bought a Henry H001 for my daughter and put it under the Christmas Tree for her. A little background is in order. I had bought a Henry H001 for myself a couple years earlier. My daughter lived out in the country and it was a great place for me to go plink with my .22s and shoot some trap with my clay thrower. The only fly in the ointment was that when I took my Henry down there, she took it over and I never had… Read more »
The best Christmas memory I have as a child was opening a Stevens double barrel 12 GA. I had a smile on my face for weeks after.
It’s a freaking 22! He should have done a little more research before writing the column.
Don’t make him work for his pay! Let him spout out his ignorant screed and make himself look like the total dork he is.
That NY Post business columnist John Crudele even considers the AR-7 in the same league as “assault weapons”, says all you need to know about his knowledge of firearms. The .22 LR, AR-7 is so low on the totem pole of powerful weapons that it is even sellable in highly restricted California. Fully assembled, it doesn’t even have much “intimidation value”. It resembles a plastic toy.
And it FLOATS!!!
Ole Johnny-boy IS sitting at the wrong campfire. You need to go across the isle and sit with the DemoNAZIS. That is where your heart is lying. As for President Trump, I believe he will grasp/understand WE the People want, NO – WE DEMAND the Constitutional guideline of rules and laws be HONORED and OBEYED. Hey Johnny, IF YOU do not like guns, DO NOT OWN ANY !!!!!!! DO NOT try and PUSH your NAZI FEELINGS upon FREE American Citizens who CHERISH OUR FREEDOMS and RIGHTS. WE have the Constitutional SUPPORT and RECOGNITION that these RIGHTS existed BEFORE the Constitution… Read more »
People stabbed by muslims in The Hague, Netherlands and London Bridge, London, England. The English, buoyed by President Trump’s talks about freedom, wrestled the muslim to the ground and disarmed him. In the Hague, no description of the muslim could be collected as the Dutch people dropped their phones and covered their eyes to prevent being stabbed. The Nazis invaded The Netherlands in May of 1940. By 1942, The Netherlands had capitulated. Gun ownership in the Netherlands is restricted to the police and rich, connected hunters and target shooters. Christmas is a GREAT time for guns and ammo for the… Read more »
What an unmitigated load of horse manure. He was fine until he said “BUT”, because ‘but’ cancels EVERYTHING SAID BEFORE. I can’t think of ANYTHING more suitable for Christmas than giving a good firearm to a relative or close friend!! It’s a gift that gives everytime you go to the range, go hunting, or whatever. Oh, and the gun-haters? They’re gonna hate ANYWAY. You shouldn’t self-censor on their account! In fact, this NYC RINO tool is cut from the same cloth as Harold Hutchinson! Matched bookends, would be my assessment. Personally, I PREFER TO DELIBERATELY TRIGGER LEFTISTS. It’s great fun… Read more »
A close friend? But, but, but, isn’t that a “straw man purchase”? Oh wait…Only if your friend is in the Wizard of Oz
@CL – Not a lawyer BUT, it is my understanding that while it is illegal to fill in background check for someone else who is buying a firearm – it is perfectly legal to buy as a gift. Now how to prove it was a gift if BATFE decides to investigate could pose a significant problem. Not like they even pay lip service to the whole innocent until proven thing anymore.
It’s only a straw man purchase if you buy a firearm from an FFL and then turn around and immediately SELL said firearm to someone else for the purpose of helping them evade the BGC. Since a gift does not involve the exchange of money or other fungible medium of exchange, any 2 bit lawyer can beat this IF somehow the gubbint found out. But giving the gift of a firearm in a state that requires UNIVERSAL BGC’s like NM would be illegal in their eyes.
Now that`s what I call a real Christmas card!
@GO, Tut tut, I want Johnny boy to know that I am buying another gun for Christmas. I want him to dwell on the fact that the purchase will be due directly to his efforts.
Barkeep! A round for the House!
@OV – or don’t lie, but tell him the same thing. If I had the cash, I’m looking at half a dozen I’d like to buy!
I’ve already bought two what’s one more…
“people who don’t like guns a reason to continue their dislike for them.”
Those people probably won’t ever change their minds about guns until they are a crime victim.
Then, like most Democrats, they won’t want others to have them.
He doubled down in his next column and got snarky as well. I sent him a response, you all might want to as well. Mine is too long to publish here. Make sure that you don’t give him more ammunition. Here’s his 2nd article: https://nypost.com/2019/11/28/readers-fired-up-after-post-column-about-ar-7-christmas-ad/
@Dave in Fairfax The second article should be the wakeup call. Crudele is not really a moderate. He’s an immature Crispin who for reasons that some people disagreed with his opinion felt the need to write article two out of spite. To point out a turn of phrase he chose to use, there is no such thing as a “Moderate stance on Gun Control”. There is only an unconstitutional and irrational stance in support of that subject, but the modus operandi has long been why let truth or facts get in the way of opinions. As such, my response to… Read more »
REV, I’m a bit disturbed that Dean thinks that he’d agree with Crudele on many things. I’m trying hard to think of one. Crudele repeatedly, across his articles, does the “I’m pro 2A, BUT” thing. He obviously has no respect for the Constitution and has no issue with more government control over its citizens. I can’t hold with any of that.
@Dave in Fairfax That is just it. Crudele is a card carrying FUDD. It’s that “But…” that I have a major problem with as well. It’s why at times call out those who also proclaim to be on our side here at ammoland for trying to justify their opinions with a “but” because they don’t want to admit to a factual truth, and would rather defend their hypocrisy as Crudele has done in his articles. You either stand for and protect the constitution all the time, or you are not protecting it at all. I’m with you, I don’t hold… Read more »
Rev, I expect 2-faced behavior from people like Crudele, I’m disturbed to hear that Dean finds common ground with him.
I agree and appreciate the point, BTW, that principles are held or not held. Fair weather principles are nothing more than situational ethics, a far cry from morals.
@Dave in Fairfax He may just be giving Crudele “Benefit of the doubt”. It is with hope that he(Dean) is paying attention and will do further homework on this. Should Dean continue Trying to reach agreement with people such as Crudele(who clearly have no plans in changing their minds) after having been presented with further evidence and argument such as you did citing Crudele’s follow up article, then it will be time to worry about Dean’s principles foundering. (On your second point, excellent argument. It’s why you often see me cite the phrase “Acta non verba”. A Man’s actions will… Read more »
I just sent John an email of my own. I observed that I find an ad for a $300 caliber .22 survivor rifle, not offensive at all. And I find really offensive the TV ads for expensive cars and upscale pickup trucks (those are very popular here in Hicksville where I live) that induce gullible people to go into debt for a new car, when half of them are upside down on their existing car loans–which they probably incurred when suckered by the Lexus ad from three Christmases ago. I said to John that rather than putting an AR7 under… Read more »
ROTFLMGO! If you serialize them, mark them 4JC-xxxx
I, on the other hand, will not be buying a gun for Christmas. I will be making yet another AR15. I just haven’t decided whether it should be a rifle or pistol and what caliber. With more than 40 to choose from it’s…….decisions, decisions…….so very many decisions! Any suggestions John Crudele?
@Vann, Santa’s little work shop!
@Vanns40
For a pistol, have you considered a Law Tactical folding mechanism with a Spikes extended pistol tube? Inconspicuous, fits larger individuals for comfortable shooting, packable, no title 1. 100% legal and non-faultable with stubby barreled uppers.
Hint hint, nudge nudge, know what I mean…
Wish I could say the same. Offered an AR to our son and he flat out turned me down. Says it’s too powerful! Wherever did we go wrong?
I would be happy to be the recipient of your generous gift of an AR pattern rifle. Email me through my blog https://tfbel.blogspot.com so I can receive it. Thanks you in advance!
Now I’m motivated to buy one…been putting it off but this reporter lit a fire under my behind. Anything to thumb my nose at him. He needs to know that there’s more to the US than NYC.
People that live in NY and LA think that everyone else in America is ignorant.
What a wonderful Christmas gift!
Bump Stock Ban; Appointment of Attorney General Barr who enjoys putting forth gun control; “no Mike, take their guns away now, due process later”; enhanced background checks; red flag laws; the full congress passed reciprocity in the beginning of 2017 then Trump said “forget hand gun reciprocity now Mitch, we can’t pass that we’ll work on that some other time”…
One thing Crudele has right is that when Trump is re-elected in 2020 he will have no more use for the Second Amendment Voters and the NRA.
@The other Jim
The problem is, the NRA has been part and parcel with some of those points you listed, as well as many other infringements against the Second Amendment. As long as Wayne clings to his grip on control over the NRA, it will never be fixed.
I have no trust of Trump either when it comes to the constitution, and knowing how speaking of it can put a target on your back I commend you for having the gumption to stand up and state your position on it.
The other Jim, First term presidents always want a second term. Second term presidents want a flattering legacy. A second term Trump may have no use for 2A supporters, or any other supporter, directly, but turning on 2A supporters would not leave a flattering legacy.
The leverage we will have is the specter of an undesirable legacy.
@WB – Also impeachment. Nothing would stain his legacy more. You know impeachment would sail through if he turned on us and we weren’t so concerned about the other options.
@Fin, I don’t believe that it would. There has to be a crime.
@Wild Bill
How about violation of oath of office? That would fit the misdemeanor definition, as the office is held on condition of that oath.
As per the current inquisition, yes the trail they are following is a pile of bull intended to cover up the misdeeds of the Democrat party and trying to remove him out of spite for 2016.
The AR7 Assault survival rifle! It even floats! What more could someone want in a assault survival rifle…Oh, I know…SOME STOPPING POWER!