Without Strategy, Effort is Useless

Question and Answers Call Take Action Protest
Question and Answers Call Take Action Protest

New York – -(AmmoLand.com)- Let’s face it, Second Amendment supporters know what we want in the end: Our right to keep and bear arms respected by the federal government, and by all fifty states, in all American territories, and in the District of Columbia. We know where we are right now – in a situation where it is not respected. But how do we get to where we want to be from where we are? The answer, of course, is strategy and tactics.

Tactics are the short-term actions that can help us either gain ground, avoid losing ground, or minimize the damage to our rights. Their success depends on how well they are executed. When Second Amendment supporters write letters, call their elected officials, or send e-mails, those are just one set of tactics. Tactical decisions can also include what legislation that pro-Second Amendment groups push to pass, or how to defeat or mitigate the impact of anti-Second Amendment legislation.

Smart tactics can set up huge gains for the long term. In the wake of Columbine, the National Rifle Association’s tactics not only stopped any federal legislation from passing, it eventually led to a pro-Second Amendment president who appointed two of the five justices that made up the pro-Second Amendment majorities in the Heller and McDonald cases.

Now, well-meaning Second Amendment supporters can disagree on tactics. The NRA has one approach, Gun Owners of America has another, and so do other pro-Second Amendment groups, whether national or state-level. But one thing should be kept in mind – the tactics need to advance a strategy to achieve the ultimate objective.

They aren’t done in a vacuum. Anti-Second Amendment extremists are working to advance their agenda – with all the negative effects on our rights that come with it. So, we have to adjust the tactics to fit the circumstances. What works when people are calm and rational will not work in the aftermath of a mass shooting. The ideal is not always achievable right away.

Even with strategy, there are legitimate differences. Do you go for the whole thing and fail but get an idea of where you stand? Or do you take slices out of laws, make them less onerous, as was done with concealed carry, but show fellow citizens that contrary to claims by anti-Second Amendment extremists, the world doesn’t descend into the Wild West when gun laws are rolled back?

Each of these choices has pros and cons. The former course of action promises more gains in the short term, but the backlash could erase the gains. The latter takes time and patience, the latter of which a number of Second Amendment supporters lack, but the gains tend to last, and the chance to discredit anti-Second Amendment extremists helps make future gains possible.

Weighing the pros and cons of each possible strategy is not easy. It depends, among other things, on how many elected officials are Second Amendment supporters in a given lawmaking body. That could very well determine the priorities for a given legislative session. So can outside events, whether it is a horrific mass shooting, or if it is some new trick anti-Second Amendment extremists have come up with, like cities suing gun manufacturers.

This also leads to the last point, and why strategy is necessary. Michael Bloomberg will not just roll over – even if New York State Rifle and Pistol Association vs. City of New York, New York goes completely our way. While it will shift the landscape in our favor, anti-Second Amendment extremists will shift their fight to the boardrooms of corporate America and the cubicles of Silicon Valley, which will require different strategies than the ones used in the legislative and political battles we are currently fighting. If anything, strategy will be even more important that just fighting hard in those battles.


Harold Hu, chison

About Harold Hutchison

Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.

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TheRevelator

Just in case Harold forgot, That is the same Heller case that the NRA fought against and tried to get thrown out to keep it from going to the supreme court. So after the NRA tried to pressure Dick Heller into withdrawing his petition, only after it was a forgone conclusion that Heller would have his day in court, only as an afterthought did the NRA decide to file an Amicus brief after other organizations who got in early like the GOA had done…… Harold still wants to credit the NRA for Heller. What a sniveling little liar. Oh yeah..… Read more »

Knute

Mr. Hutchison is correct that an overall strategic view is necessary, not only in the fight for our rights, but in any complex endeavor. What I don’t see in any of his writing, though, is just what strategy he supports. All I’ve ever read of his writings only boils down to: Never offend your enemy, always be politically correct, and give money to WLP. Well, if that is his strategy, after long and careful historical study, I have concluded that that strategy sucks. Paraphrased from the AF General in “War Games” 🙂 Mr. Hutchison, if you read this and dare… Read more »

TheRevelator

@Knute Knute That’s because he has written a lot about his strategy in the past, and his strategy has always been to compromise and appease the anti’s “So they wont try to take it all at once”. That is his strategy, or as he puts it, “Minimizing”. Heaven forbid actually following the law. Your Conclusion is factually correct, and yes, it does most definitely suck. Now all we need to do is wait for his follower to show up and be upset that we are pointing this out. I’ll spell it out for both Harold and his little mini-me.. Those… Read more »

Knute

And so does the one from Taylor Caldwell. Esp. the part about the traitor speaking with his victims voices, wearing their faces and using their arguments…. could it fit Mr. Hutchison any better? It’s like a tailor made suit, it fits him so well. 🙂

Terry

Actually, Knute, I think the quote was “I don’t have to take that from you, you pig eyed sack of shit!”

Knute

I stand corrected. Yet again, showing that thirty year-old memories are not to be trusted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyFB2p1yrQI
Word for word it was actually: “I don’t have to take that you pig eyed sack of shit!”
I would’ve sworn that the “from you” was in there though… I’d have bet money on it.

Knute

Now that I looked up the clip, though, I have the names. General Beringer and Doctor McKitrick. 🙂
Thanks for prodding me to go find it. Now I want to watch the whole movie again. The green screen, all text monitors are classic. I’m now remembering the kid logging into the net by placing a telephone receiver into a 300 baud modem. Dial-up, naturally. I can’t believe I wanted one of those back in 1980. 300 bits, 30 bytes per second. Imagine how long a video clip would take at that rate!

Knute

Now I remember who the kid is too. Ferris Bueller. Can’t remember his real name though.

JoeUSooner

Harold, “might” in and of itself, never makes “right.” That much is true. But in the real world, might is ALWAYS required to enforce right! There is no “compromise” or “negotiation” possible when dealing with hoplophobes. The ONLY “strategy” or “tactics” available to firearms owners is to be prepared – if the ballot box fails, resort to the bullet box. Problem solved. End of discussion.

OSR

If Harrold would become a prisoner of war he would be the weasel guy that will sale out others and negotiate for his comfort. You know the type the type that kiss the enemy’s ass while let others die. His solutions are always the same, don’t rock the boat and let’s be nice BS. He needs to stop and understand that we either fight or go the way of NY, CA and VA.

Knute

Just as John McCain did. Nothing more dangerous than a traitor INSIDE of your walls! I’d like to thank Mr. Hutchison for pointing this out so perfectly… “A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to… Read more »

loveaduck

And WA and OR. However, to castigate Harold just because he’s Harold doesn’t help either. Now and then he writes something useful. In the modern US of A strategy is required for success.

Wild Bill

@wjd, All true, but even Harold needs an income leading up to Christmas, so I make a motion that we give him a pass on his bs strategies and tactics. You know … in the best traditions of this Christian season.

Knute

I kind of did. The post above was mostly for laughs. I found the “War Games” quote to be both funny, and apropos. 🙂

Ansel Hazen

WB, but what if he donates some of it to the NRA?

Oldman

@Ov Same here. In fact you just have to see the silly cartoons as you stroll through the days postings to know who wrote it.

Knute

I’ve noticed that as well. Many used to be the guy holding an old fashioned horn megaphone, but all of Hutchison’s items are under pastel colored childish cartoons.
I think it must be in his contract, so as to better appeal to the infantile minds that he must know are the only ones foolish enough to fall for his drivel.

wolfzatDawn

Bull-pucky, crap and socialist dogma! Go find another website to write for or, Ammoland quit putting his crap on your website!!

Tionico

Harold, grow up. I am NOT interested in “minimising the damage”, I am interested in PRESERVING my/our collective and individual right to be armed when, where, and with what I choose. Those who, as the perverts now in charge of Virgina (or so they would assert.. reality may be somewhat different before long) are rattling their sabres of war to disarm us, as General Gage of old was wont to do, MUST either be infused with a sudden and overwhemling dose of wisdom and common sense, or be infused with whatever convicting force may be necessary to cause them to… Read more »

Neanderthal75

Well written sir, and with more intelligence and wisdom I am afraid than Harold is capable of understanding. Sadly, I do believe that blackface Northam, his attorney general, And the rest of the Dems taking power in January will in fact cause a bloodbath to ensue. They will do this because of their hubris: they believe they are Untouchable and that no one actually has the backbone in the sheriff’s departments, or Police Department, to go up against the state troopers he will send to do his Dirty Work. Northam and Company do not believe that the average gun owner… Read more »

TexDad

Harold, please go away.

JPM

What’s that brown stuff on Harold’s nose? I bet the source is LaPierre’s back side. Harold continues to advocate compromise and restraint on Second Amendment issues, which is not just foolishness, but folly at its worst. Compromise can be a good thing when it comes to governing, but not when it comes to “Inalienable Rights”, any of them. I’m reminded of when in the 1800s the slavery issue was being debated by the Congress and compromise was being advocated. The conclusion of all those individuals who used their eyes, ears and brains, was that there are times and issues when… Read more »

Charlie Foxtrot

It is interesting that Harold Hutchison continues to lie about the NRA’s involvement in Heller and McDonald. The NRA’s “tactics” resulted in the NRA not supporting Heller early on and almost derailing both cases with their own cases. The NRA was NOT a plaintiff in Heller or McDonald! The NRA did NOT win either case! All the NRA did in support of both cases was writing an amicus curiae brief. Once the hard work by Alan Gura, who actually litigated both cases, was done, the NRA swooped in and claimed they won the case. Alan Gura’s own words on the… Read more »

Considerthis

Without dedication to principles,strategy and effort are useless.
Harold, please visit the GOA homepage. They have a message you can send to your senators asking them to support the ” Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act “. This bill would undo the unconstitutional registration,taxation,and regulation of short barrel rifles.
I know it is highly unlikely that you would support a gun rights group that not only takes a no compromise position, but also seeks to undo the compromises of the past , however there might be other people here that would support this.

Ansel Hazen

Boogaloo

PRO: Republic saved.
CON: I’ll miss work for a week so it’s not really a bad thing.

tetejaun

As for the American People, refuse to obey the unconstitutional ‘gun control laws’.
Stand ready to defend your position by force, as is your Right & Duty.
Until then, we will continue to lose, bit by bit. Like the frog in the pot.

Everyone wants to be a Patriot, until it is time to do patriot things.

cav2108

My strategy: Cross the Constitutional line? ACTION. That day. Make sure you aren’t in the way, Harold.

loveaduck

Well said.