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Gun Metaphors And Disrespect

By Mary Hamer

12 January, 2011
Countercurrents.org

*PURPOSE: The purpose of this essay is to investigate Gun metaphors.

*INTRODUCTION: CROSSHAIRS & M16’s:

*On Saturday January 8th 2011, in Arizona: A gunman shot at & critically injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords with a gun shot wound to the head; This gunman also killed & wound many other people. Congresswoman Giffords’ name was on a list of 20 Democrats posted on the Internet regarding a vote on the health care bill. The Crosshairs of a gun scope were marked over the 20 Democrat’s districts on a U.S. map. (1) In 2010, Giffords said: “We’re on (a) targeted list … There are consequences to that action”. Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva said the nation must assess the fallout of “An atmosphere where the political discourse is about hate, anger & bitterness”. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs said in a statement: “Today’s attack … cannot be viewed apart from the climate of violence & the degradation of civil society that are anathema to democracy”. (2) During Giffords 2010 campaign a slogan used against her said: “Help remove … Giffords from office” & invited people to “Shoot a fully automatic M16”. (3)

*GUN METAPHORS: The human race uses Gun metaphors in everyday language such as: Bang for the Buck, Best Shot, Bite the Bullet, Bull’s eye, Cocked & Ready, In the Crosshairs, Easy mark, Fire away, Fired up, Go out in a Blaze of Glory, Gun down, Half-cocked, Hit list, Hitting the Target, Hot shot, Locked & Loaded, Open season, Pistol Whip, Pull the Trigger, Shoot oneself in the Foot, Target, etc..(4) Keith Olberman commented on the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords: “We need to put the guns down. Just as importantly, we need to put the gun metaphors away.” (5) Free speech is an important right of citizens in a Democratic society, but Free speech also implies responsible speech.

*RELOAD: Does the Gun Metaphor ReLoad Incite Violence? CNN in a segment titled “Dangerous Rhetoric:When Heated Words Incite Threats & Violence” asked: Is it responsible for someone to say things like: “It’s not a time to Retreat, It’s a time to ReLoad”? The discussion centered around cross hairs on a map, gun language, militaristic language, etc.. (6)

*MURDER FANTASIES: The Michael Moore website discusses the topic of Murder Fantasies & cultures that “Fantacize about Assassination & other forms of violence against those deemed Enemies”. (7) When people use gun metaphors, do they have murder fantasies?

*VIOLENCE BEGETS VIOLENCE: What are we communicating to other people when we use these gun metaphors such as Cocked & Loaded, Hit List, Hit the Target, In the Cross hairs, Locked & Loaded? Gun metaphors communicate negative thoughts, anger, hatred & violence -- directed toward an enemy.

*MOTIVES: What are the motives for the use of Gun metaphors?

#1. Power & Control? Do gun metaphor users want dominate others?

#2. Advertising/Marketing strategy? To draw attention to an issue with Emotional drama. #3. Entertainment Value? To use a Macho, sexy, glitzy word/phrase.

#4. Do Humans have Murder Fantasies? – As the Michael Moore website discusses. (8)

#5. Or in George Orwell’s terms: (Are) “Noises coming out of (our) larynx, but (our) brain(s) are not involved?”. (9)

*FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT & NUMBING EFFECT: How many times has the human race heard a gun metaphor: A Million, Billion or Trillion times? Repeated use of such words has a numbing effect on our psyches. Gun metaphors are as familiar as drinking a cola & eating potato chips. We become gun metaphor zombies. But, There’s nothing routine or average or common about a gun shot wound.

*RATIONAL THINKING: Why can’t we use simple, honest, rational words to communicate with others? Why can’t we show respect to others when we communicate with them. – Rather than use gun metaphors. Or on a higher level, why can’t we use a win-win negotiation approach to conflict resolution & problem-solving? Why must we use an adversarial, antagonistic, aggressive approach to communication? Yes, rational terms & ideas are less sexy than gun metaphors, but rational communication is cognitively healthier & less emotional. Accurate words promote better communication & better relationships.

*RATIONAL & IRRATIONAL THINKING: Albert Ellis describes Robert Abelson’s concept of Cold –vs- Hot Cognitions as described below: (10)

The following discussion shows the different types of cognitive thinking progressing from the more rational Cold cognitions to the more irrational Hot cognitions:

*Cold Cognitions: Deal with the Facts only & No emotions. e.g. You are a stranger.

*Warm Cognitions: Show Preferences & Mild emotions. e.g. I don’t like strangers.

Healthy emotions: Frustration, disappointment, etc..

*Hot Cognitions: Make irrational Demands & show strong unhealthy emotions: e.g. I hate strangers. You must be like me & please me Or I will target you & shoot you down. The result of these hot cognitions is anger & violence.

*CONCLUSION: May we favor the more rational, less emotional & healthier Cold & warm cognitions in our daily dialogue with others & avoid the Hot cognitions which show great disrespect to people.

*LANGUAGE of PEACE & RESPECT Rather than the WORDS or WAR: Why can’t we speak a language of peace -- Rather than the language of gun metaphors & violence? Why can’t we speak in an open, honest language of Unity, equality & tolerance – Rather than use words of Domination, aggression & emotions? We all have a duty to use language responsibly. Words are powerful. May we all choose & use our words wisely. But even more importantly may we have dialogue that beneath the words, in our thoughts & in our hearts -- is respectful.

Thank you. Respectfully, Mary Hamer, M.D.

REFERENCES:

1. www.huffingtonpost.com. Sarah Palin’s PAC Puts Gun Sights on Democrats She’s Targeting in 2010.

2. news.yahoo.com. Tucson Rampage casts light on Toxic Political Tone. By Charles Babington. AP. 1/8/11.

3. www.washingtonpost.com. Gabrielle Giffords: Congresswoman seen as Rising Democratic Star. Washington Post Staff Writer Matt Schudel. 1/8/11.

4. www.squidoo.com. The Gun as a Metaphor: Parts I & II.

5. www.huffingtonpost.com. Keith Olbermann Issues Special Comment on Arizona Shooting: ‘Violence has No Place in Democracy’. 1/8/11.

6. www.newsbusters.org. CNN Convicts Palin & Tea Partiers of ‘Inciting Violence’ & Stoking Racism. By Brent Baker. 3/28/10.

7.www.michaelmoore.com Flashback: ‘Fox News: The No. 1 Name in Murder Fantasies’. Referencing Steve Rendall, Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting. Mike’s Blog.

8. www.michaelmoore.com Flashback: ‘Fox News: The No. 1 Name in Murder Fantasies’. Referencing Steve Rendall, Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting. Mike’s Blog.

9. www.world-english.org: Orwell, George. Politics & the English Language. 1946.

10. Albert Ellis References Robert Abelson’s Hot Cognition concept in the book: The Evolution of Psychotherapy. Edited by Jeffrey Zeig, PhD. Brunner/Mazel Publishers. C 1992. Pg 87.

 




 


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