RESPECT FOR IDEOLOGICAL OPPONENTS IS A ONE-WAY STREET, PART MCMXVIII

CNN's Gary Tuchman and Mark Hertling did a segment on the AR-15 a couple of days ago...



... and, of course, the response on the right was pure contempt. Here's the teaser for a story at the Daily Caller:



The story itself has the headline "CNN Correspondent Has the Shooting Stance of Seven Year Old Legless Child."

Hey, remember that David Brooks column about how we need to show respect to gun owners, because our failure to do so is the reason we're in a gun stalemate? And remember all the pundit finger-wagging before that about our lack of respect for Trump voters? I guess the need to show respect goes only one way.

Tuchman, presumably, is not a gun expert. He's probably not a gun owner. He may never have shot a gun in his life before this. I don't care. The report may not have been award-winning journalism, but all the snickerers and smirkers probably looked just as awkward the first time they picked up a firearm.

This is mild criticism by the gunners' usual standards. The gun community regularly mocks even victims for getting the nuances wrong. That's obnoxious. If you have a family member who was killed by a defective Takata airbag, no one asks you to be an expert on automotive technology before your outrage and grief can be taken seriously. No one asks you to have expert knowledge of the chemistry and physics of incendiary devices if you're angry because one of the Boston Marathon bombs blew off your leg. But if you're grieving a shooting victim and you're upset about guns, you'd better not get your terminology wrong.

This isn't the only gunner mockery the CNN segment has inspired. In the segment, Mark Hertling says the following:

“Now, those are single shots. If I wanted to fire this on full semi-automatic, all I do is keep firing.”

Okay, this was not accurate -- a weapon is fully automatic or it's seni-automatic; it can't be both. Hertling wasn't weighing his words as carefully as he should have. Naturally, this was deemed to be hilarious on social media, and in a video posted by Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire. Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire said this in the video:

"He said, 'Okay, now I'm gonna go full semi-auto," and 'full semi-auto' is a contradiction in terms. There are guns that are fully automatic -- that's when you pull the trigger once and a gazillion bullets come out -- and then there are guns which are semi-automatic, where you pull the trigger once and one bullet comes out. And you can hold it down as long as you want -- it's just going to be one bullet that comes out.

Knowles then added:

So what CNN is obviously trying to do, very dishonestly, is conflate the two things. That's why they always say it's 'military-style weapons.' This is not what they use in the military. I assure you of that.

Nowhere in the segment does Hertling say that this weapon is identical to what's used in the military. (He says, correctly, that it visually resembles the military M-4 and is appealing to civilians as a result.)

Here's that Daily Wire expert who's lecturing Hertling on the difference between civilian and military weaponry:



Here's the life experience that led him to this moment:

Michael J. Knowles (born March 18, 1990) is an American actor, author, conservative political commentator, columnist, and podcaster.

Born in Bedford Hills, New York, Knowles began training as an actor with the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, as part of its Advanced Teen Conservatory. He then attended Yale University, graduating with a B. A. in History, and winning the Seymour L. Lustman Prize for contributions "to the artistic and cultural aspects of the life of the College."

Before graduating from Yale, Knowles participated in the web series, "Never Do Business with Friends" and "Survive." Upon graduation, Knowles participated in various short films and web series, as well as appearances in television shows, such as The Knick and New York-based films, such as "Clipped Wings" and, "They Do Fly."

After moving to Los Angeles, he acted in the TV Pilot, "Blend In," the TV movie, "I'm Back," and the comedy, "Hollyweird."

In 2016, Knowles was invited to join The Daily Wire, beginning as regular guest and cultural correspondent for "The Andrew Klavan Show" podcast. In 2017, Knowles released a book called Reasons To Vote For Democrats: A Comprehensive Guide. Containing 266 empty pages, it became a Number 1 best-selling book on Amazon...

Hertling is this guy:



Here's his story:

Mark Phillip Hertling (born September 29, 1953) is a former United States Army officer. He served 37 years in the U.S. Army and retired after serving as the Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe and the Seventh Army, serving in that position from March 25, 2011 until November 4, 2012, and retiring from the Army in December 2012. During his time as a U.S. soldier, Hertling served in Armor, Cavalry, planning, operations and training positions, and he commanded every organization from Platoon to Field Army. Most notably, he commanded the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division and Task Force Iron/Multinational Division-North in Iraq during the troop surge of 2007 to 2008....

Prior to his final posting as the USAREUR Commander, Hertling commanded the Army's 1st Armored Division from 2007-2009, and he was the first Deputy Commanding General for Initial Military Training (IMT) from 2009—2011....

As the first Commander of IMT, Hertling was responsible for integrating the initial training of approximately 160,000 officers and enlisted soldiers entering U.S. Army training every year at 27 installations across the United States.... IMT revised the Army's Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills and developed further training in rifle marksmanship, combatives, values instruction, first aid, and cultural training....

... during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm ... Hertling was wounded in action....

I'll stop there. I highlighted one point for emphasis.

Hertling has acknowledged the incorrect terminology.

For all those critiquing my phrase “full semi automatic,” you are correct. I was attempting to inform the crew that I was going from “single shot” to continuous trigger and rapid trigger pull using the semiautomatic capability. My apologies...but perhaps you’re missing the point.

— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) February 27, 2018

He was also mocked for saying in the segment that in rapid-fire mode you're unlikely to hit your target (in this case, at least, the mockery came from a former Green Beret).

After 24 years of military service, anti-2A activist and firearms novice @MarkHertling cannot put 5 rounds on target at 25 yards.

Pro tip: get your elbow down douche canoe#2Amendment #ShallNotBeInfringed pic.twitter.com/b50z5S9TIh

— Mike Simpson, M.D. (@DrMikeSimpson) February 27, 2018

Do I have to respect gunners? Let me know when they start respecting us.