Dirty Pool

     Recently, an ad agency working for a gun-control advocacy group tricked former NRA President David Keene and firearms-rights author/researcher John R. Lott into giving a graduation speech to 3,044 empty chairs, a number chosen to represent students killed by firearms who would have been graduating -- a stunt being reported in glowing terms in the advertising community.

     While I am very much in favor of people having their own opinions and beliefs, and being free to promote them (as long as they do not advocate harming others) even when I strongly disagree with their position, this is shoddy behavior.  Disagreement is normal, acceptable; deciding those with whom you disagree are fair game for dirty tricks is not.  Cheering on such behavior is reprehensible.

     This con job is right down there with the selective editing and trick questions used by "Project Veritas" to push their agenda.  It's not honest, nor is it effective debate.  It's not right, no matter who is doing it or how noble they believe their cause to be.

     The ends do not justify the means.  Period.*
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* This is very much of a piece with my strong belief that persons who have been arrested, even for heinous crimes, ought not be treated any more harshly than any other prisoner while awaiting trial.  Dealing fairly and squarely with people is a measure of your morality, not of your opinion of theirs.