Putting the “X” in Expert

"Over the coming months, gun control and the 2nd Amendment, already permanent fixtures in the national “debate”, will be flogged by more unqualified people than ever before. Expect to see, read and hear their ‘expert’ opinions everywhere and all the time."

“Those most passionate about 'gun control' tend to know the least about guns” – The Daily Caller.

It’s a common practice in academia, media, and politics to quote (alleged) experts to fortify a storyline or argument du jour. Nothing like a 500 pound Information Gorilla to pound the point home and the opposition into submission. Unfortunately, professional anemia in those fields has turned the gorilla into a paper tiger, permitting mis- and disinformation on vital matters to spread like a bad sneeze across all media platforms, infecting sources that should be providing accurate information.

Over the coming months, gun control and the 2nd Amendment, already permanent fixtures in the national “debate”, will be flogged by more unqualified people than ever before. Expect to see, read and hear their ‘expert’ opinions everywhere and all the time. We – and the ‘debate’ itself – would be infinitely better served if the majority of professors, MSM talking heads and elected officials would, in common parlance, SFU for the most basic of all reasons: they rarely have a clue what they’re talking about. And if they do, it’s not accurate.

There’s no need to be littering this piece with mountains of examples and buckets of quotes illustrating too many individuals from the above occupations have little to no hands-on experience with firearms. Their ignorance abounds in columns, broadcasts, the Congressional Record, ad nauseam. Prepare for an avalanche when Googling ‘gun control’ (846,000,000 results (0.48 seconds). All the usual experts appear with all their standard gibberish.

What qualifies as “standard gibberish”?

Aside from the regurgitation of previous ‘arguments’, the ad homonyms, innuendos and vacuous postings leveled at anyone who dare say anything contrary to the liberal’s ‘approved narrative’.

Certain TV and Cable hosts, more infamous for acting as Delphic Oracles on Everything Guns, more often shoot themselves in the foot and other body parts with their terminally ignorant pontifications. As we say at the range when someone misses the target, “They aren’t even on the paper.” (NB non-shooters: the target is made of paper.)

To wit: FOX ‘The Five’, Jan. 17, 2023. Well known egomaniac and investigative journalist failure, Geraldo Rivera (aka Jerry Rivers) revealed he rarely knows anything about what he opines. What started as a discussion about an ‘assault rifles’ ban went typically sideways when Rivera spoke. According to the Daily Caller account:

“In an exchange on the opinion round table show, "The Five," Rivera discussed President Joe Biden's pledge to ban assault rifles with his fellow co-hosts.

"I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, there is no legitimate reason ... to have an AR-15," Rivera tells the table.

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld pushed back on Rivera's opinion, however, and asked the former correspondent, "What does 'AR' stand for?"

Geraldo Rivera: "It is automatic rifle."

Greg Gutfeld: "No, that's not what it is."

Geraldo Rivera: "All I know is AR-15s have no place in American society."

Said differently: There’s only room in this argument for my opinion. Facts be damned! Especially if they contradict my opinion in front of a national audience!

To be fair and balanced, Greg Gutfeld did not follow up his comment with the correct answer to ‘What does AR stand for?” (Armalite Rifle) which missed the rare bullseye opportunity to educate and inform both the audience and the aggressively ignorant River.

While important to any discussion, it’s vital that only facts be the basis for an accurate conclusion. Opinions expressed without facts are called ‘feelings’. And ‘feelings‘ have never provided a solid foundation for legislation. A subjective emotional reaction is not any basis for laws that would negate basic human rights.

“Those most passionate about 'gun control' tend to know the least about guns” – The Daily Caller. Similarly, the qualification for ‘experts’ – especially cited in the media – must be those who have real-life experience in their filed, not just framed, hanging on the wall.

Taken to a logical, constructive conclusion, the same can be said about those who speak with more volume than intelligence on the issues of our day: “Climate change”, economy, cars vs EVs, fossil fuels, public schools, health care, law, war, and restoring Freedom and Liberty.

Not in that order.