Media Matters Attacks David Mamet for Criticizing Gun Control

Media Matters for America (MMfA) is accusing David Mamet, and by extension, Newsweek magazine, of “red-baiting” for showing the commonalities between the language of gun control and the language of Marxism.

As I wrote on Jan. 26, the cover story in the most recent edition of Newsweek contains Mamet’s column arguing that an “assault weapons” ban is a political “appeal to the ignorant.” MMfA is now claiming that Mamet is the truly ignorant one, and that his so-called misunderstanding of Marxism and current gun laws undercut any validity in his argument. 

For instance, MMfA criticizes Mamet for showing that Obama justifies confiscatory taxes by saying so-and-so makes more than they “need,” then using that same need-based argument to justify an “assault weapons” ban. The reason being, ostensibly, that civilians don’t “need” them.

MMfA even seizes on the fact that Mamet said that in his opinion, those who “need” such weapons are military personnel and police officers. 

But they jumped the shark on this one, because Mamet’s point is that “need” isn’t a justifying factor for gun ownership. 

It’s none of the government’s business to decide what I do and don’t “need.” And whether we are talking about income, gun ownership, or the number of shoes in my sister’s closet, the justifiable, constitutional basis isn’t “what is needed,” but the freedom to pursue and to own, period.

MMfA really steps in it when they try to show that Mamet is wrong for pointing out the forms required to buy a firearm, and for indicating that we’ve already given the government too great a role in the exercise of 2nd Amendment rights by handing them information on these forms. 

In response, MMfA says Mamet is “unaware” that there “are no longer forms” to be filled out for firearms purchases; rather, background checks are conducted.  Here, MMfA is so wrong that I’m actually embarrassed for them, for they apparently don’t understand that background checks are conducted only if correct answers are first provided on a form that requires substantial personal information.

Mamet’s concern is where that personal information is sent once the check is over. Is the government stockpiling a repository of information on gun owners?

Here’s the bottom line–Mamet realizes an “assault weapons” ban and other ploys for expanding the government’s role in our lives is ultimately a play on the ignorance of many of the American people. When MMfA does their best to to prove Mamet wrong, they show themselves to be among the ignorant about whom he writes.