Colorado News Site Calls for ‘Shaming, Humiliating and Castigating’ Gun Owners

Colorado Anti-Gunners Will Push Waiting Period, Safe Storage
Colorado News Site Calls for ‘Shaming, Humiliating and Castigating’ Gun Owners, iStock-884190572

In a recent editorial, the left-leaning news website Colorado Newsline called on its readers to publicly confront gun owners, because “only when gun absolutists become social pariahs can the nation start to establish comprehensive reform, allowing community members to attend schools, shop at grocery stores and visit nightclubs without fear of being torn to shreds in a blast of bullets.”

The editorial titled “Stop tolerating gun extremists. Shame them” was written by the website’s editor, Quentin Young.

“Castigation must befall anyone who obstructs gun violence prevention,” Mr. Young wrote. “Lawmakers should continue to enact measures to protect constituents from the daily massacres their communities suffer. But members of those communities can participate in the greater reform project by shaming gun proponents wherever they show themselves.”

As if this wasn’t dangerous enough, Young took it a step further, writing that society “should humiliate without restraint those costume-wearing soldier wannabes who show up with their shooters at rallies.”

To be clear, this is an extremely dangerous and irresponsible editorial. It should never have been published. Mr. Young’s shame, humiliation and castigation could easily be read as inciting violence. We have all seen the savagery the left uses when confronting those with whom they disagree. All that’s needed for a full-blown riot is for someone to point his readers in the wrong direction and light the fuse, and Mr. Young certainly did just that with his rash and incautious column.

Colorado Newsline should immediately retract the editorial and issue a public apology.

The majority of Mr. Young’s thesaurus-driven work is nothing more than the usual anti-gun talking points, which are so overblown his piece is left nearly unreadable.

“Reform is thwarted by cowardice, corruption and craziness,” he wrote. “As young children are slaughtered in their classrooms, conservative officials desecrate their memory by suggesting their deaths are the price of freedom. As mass shootings become a daily occurence (sic), gun-rights zealots double down on the bloodthirsty fantasy that more guns is (sic) the answer.”

Young reserves his harshest words for Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, a pro-gun Republican and one of his favorite targets.

“The Second Amendment won’t be repealed anytime soon, but Americans can at least begin a cultural shift and re-imagine (sic) what the law means,” Mr. Young wrote. “Society should no longer tolerate the kind of depraved fanaticism that allows someone like Rep. Lauren Boeberrt (sic) to tweet a Christmas greeting with her young sons brandishing weapons of war.”

Colorado Newsline claims to be a “nonprofit, nonpartisan, independent source of online news,” but like its editor, it leans strongly to the left. It is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which also leans very left. According to Influence Watch: “A past job posting by States Newsroom referred to the organization as a ‘progressive political journalism startup.’”

States Newsroom organizes stories from its affiliates into four categories: “rising trends, attacks on LGBTQ equality, reproductive rights and gun violence.” All of States Newsroom’s senior leadership came from left-wing media organizations. However, Colorado Newsline claims it maintains editorial independence from States Newsroom and that all editorial decisions are made locally. That claim is certainly suspect.

Seasoned journalists know the power a call-to-action can have in an editorial, which is why they’re used so sparingly. But make no mistake, what Mr. Young wrote is not a call to action. He incited violence. There is no doubt that when someone is harmed because of his work he will seek shelter behind the First Amendment, even though his column is the journalistic equivalent of yelling Fire! in a crowded theater and, therefore not constitutionally protected speech.

I sincerely hope Mr. Young will delete this dangerous editorial and apologize to his readers before someone is harmed. It’s the right thing to do. It also wouldn’t hurt to ditch the thesaurus co-author and invest in a good spell checker.

This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.


About Lee Williams

Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” is the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.

Lee Williams

Lee Williams
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gregs

historically, virtually all of the political violence has come from the left. yet they see themselves as paragons of virtue, which they certainly are not. most recently, we see it in atlanta. there will come a point where a group of anti’s will confront a firearm owner and someone will get hurt. if it is the firearm owner, the media will ignore it. if it is some of the anti’s the media will claim they have been right all along and continue with their false narrative. “rising trends, attacks on LGBTQ equality, reproductive rights and gun violence.”  these are all… Read more »

Bigfootbob

It’s started already. Here’s links to several feel good stories. https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/10/portland-anti-fascist-activist-killed-after-crash-shooting-it-looked-like-road-rage.html https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/he-felt-really-deeply-the-man-killed-outside-tacoma-ice-detention-center-had-a-complex-life/ The last link is from the Commie Seattle Times and gives a sympathetic account of a very dangerous individual. Unlike their comrade publication the oregonlive, the Times at least makes mention of the most dangerous subsection of the antifa organization, the Puget Sound Chapter of the John Brown Gun Club! These thugs are the protection arm for the glass breakers and Molotov Cocktail throwers. They are present at every antifa riot and are everywhere that group assembles. If you’re unfortunate enough to have these unsavory thugs in your… Read more »

TGP389

Since many, if not most, worship at the altar of secular humanism, they HAVE no moral compass. The do feel smugly virtuous, as you say, buthow can someone who doesn’t believe in the foundation of morality behave morally?

The short answer is, they almost never do.

I looked at the nauseating article you linked. He was a hero to all the yurt dwellers and heroes only because of what he decided to burn. His apparent love of firearms would have made him anathema, except for his willingness to use violence against social order.

Last edited 1 year ago by TGP389
Wass

“It’s the criminals, stupid, not guns!” This is how to respond.

Toxic Deplorable Racist SAH

Along with the prosecutors who decline to prosecute, and the judges who refuse to enforce the law.
Notice two things missing from the above; guns, and the gun carrying law abiding citizen.

BigRed

Ha… Lol… Yeah, you tell em ol timer… The bolsheviks really want to know what you have to say…

Jonesy

Ahh, I see. A Quintin Young Troll.

krunchnik

Fentanyl kills thousands more a year than guns do-
To bad the idiots don’t want to discuss that fact-

Bigfootbob

They do, just not what you would expect to hear. I heard yesterday that TriMet, the owners of the Portland Max light rail system has commissioned some lefty professor at the University of Washington to do a study showing riding in one of TriMet’s coach’s breathing Fentanyl smoke is safe for non-addict riders! Here’s a pretty good article describing the insanity.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11833409/Woke-Seattle-health-official-says-GOOD-folks-smoking-FENTANYL-citys-buses.html

Montana454Casull

There is no such thing as “gun violence ” but there is such a thing as Mr. Young inciting violence with his threats too law biding citizens exercising thier lawful second amendment rights. Mr Young appears to be a domestic terrorist.

JimQ

Lee Williams,
Thank you for bringing this to light. I must disagree with you at least one point though. This editorial should not be taken down or deleted. It must be kept in place as a constant reminder of how nasty and violent these people are. Share this editorial far and wide. This is nothing short of inciting violence in the same vein as Maxine Water’s encouragement years ago to get into people’s faces at gasoline stations and restaurants which the left has done repeatedly.

Bullfrog

Hell, if they can sue the guy from Infowars for what he said, then the precedence is set…

Zhukov

Verbally, and possibly physically assault someone who may very well be carrying a firearm. That’s real smart, but leftists are all great dozy pillocks.

Logician

Back about 25 years ago I think it was, there was a 2nd Am. rally somewhere, and there was a man who was carrying his gun in a shoulder holster under his coat, as he had a CCL. Some rabid anti-gunner came up to him and was getting in his face, yelling at him with his eyes bugged out and spit flying from his mouth. Mr. Armed man kept backing up to get away from the kook, but the attacker just wouldn’t let up. Finally he started to push him with his hands, and that was when Mr. Armed man… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Logician
BigRed

The majority of adults in this country are armed. I’ve seen bs numbers printed on this site saying that is not true, but those numbers are coming from organisations that want to demoralize gun owners. Why they’re printed on this site is anyones guess. If you study it, it is clear that the majority of american adults own guns…i live in colorado and have lived all over this state for 26 years and i can count the number of people that i know do not have guns on one hand…and most of the hundreds of people i have gotten to… Read more »

Stag

Eh, I’ve been saying the other side deserves the same treatment for years. Shaming, humiliation, and castigation is reasonable treatment for anyone who enacts and/or enforces any and all arms laws.

Eric Kross

“…conservative officials desecrate their memory by suggesting their deaths are the price of freedom…”

This idiot is clearly one of those “giving up your rights is the price of safety” proponents.

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

How are you more safe without rights is my question.

PMinFl

These “progressives” are going to go too far with the wrong person and somebody’s going to pay dearly, I fear, for their own defense. The liberal courts and police are afraid of these “peaceful protesters”, only an armed self defense will save you from the mob.

Last edited 1 year ago by PMinFl
jukk0u

Calling on the community to “castgate” gun owners as they (you/us) obstruct ‘gun violence’ prevention by merely existing. [eyeroll] How many logical fallacies can fit in one editorial? “Castigation must befall anyone who obstructs gun violence prevention.” So much for compromise or even ‘common sense’ gun laws.  “The project must start with a shift away from tolerance of gun extremists. Acceptance must cease of these murder-mongers in the media, government, public gatherings and the home next door.” You…you… you MURDER MONGERS! Unfortunately no ability to comment is offered on that web site. But how about this for tolerance: No more… Read more »

Idaho Bob

The only shame I have for being a law abiding 2nd Amendment loving gun owner is the fact that I haven’t had enough money to buy every gun I have ever wanted. Other than that, I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Bozz

That strategy worked for smoking. They will start with the image smearing in grade school (if they haven’t already) and continue the shaming in print media and television and movies. In one or two generations gun owners will be looked down upon as second class citizens just as smokers are now. .

CaptainKerosene

I watched C-SPAN last night. Senator Durbin presiding. A woman supported all the anti gun proposals. Another woman supported the rights of a wife/ f2f to defend from husbabd/ by who is 100 pounds heavier and can beat at woman to death with bare hands.

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

My response to Quentin Young on that rags Fascistbook page: Dear Quentin Young…Americans need to have all their guns taken away so that the police can stand around and wait while our children are massacred and take a knee while our cities burn. Gun prohibitionists think that their lives are so much more important than police or military. They want THEM to protect them from bad guys even though they are never there when a bad guy is. They do not operate using reason, logic and common sense. They are IRRESPONSIBLE people who want someone ELSE to protect them rather… Read more »

The other Jim

Yes, Quentin Young should retract the article and apologize. He’s taking on the role of that hateful failed Congresswoman Maxine Waters here. No doubt some Loose Canon Lefty’s will read his article and act upon it forcefully and people will be hurt or killed.
And further, he writes “attend schools, shop at grocery stores and visit nightclubs”. He left out Churches. Homosexual and Lesbian night club visitors lives are more important then Churchgoers Lives to the Left Democrats such as Quentin Young.

BaerArms

well good thing gun owners, mostly, are not like the lefties and go from 0 to 100 when approached/challenged in their way of thought and pull it out to “defend” themselves

BaerArms

never forget John Tiegen

Chuck

F**k Them! I’m a Native Coloradoan and Proud Gun Owner. They can go F**k themselves.

Toxic Deplorable Racist SAH

If someone were to come up to me and start that rant, first thing I’d do is to laugh at them, then walk on and (try to) ignore them.
No sense in discussing, arguing, or “fact”ing the Libtard. Their mind is made up and they will not be swayed.
If said Libtard were to continue to follow me and yelling at me, well, let’s just say there might be self-defense violence involved. But no gunz. Don’t feed The Beast.

BigRed

Wow, that sounds really effective, did you come up with that on your own?

Toxic Deplorable Racist SAH

Wow, that talking point sounds really effective, did you come up with that on your own?