Ok, I’ve tried to not pass judgement on James Yeager gun ban tirade but his actions have brought some serious heat unto himself, and by extension law abiding pro-gun advocates. I understand the frustration behind his sentiment, it’s his actions that are most questionable. After posting a widely circulated video on the internet saying that he would “start killing people” if the President enacted executive orders that would restrict gun rights, the state of Tennessee has revoked his CCW license. This is already some pretty serious business on the surface. But after reading this statement, I’d say that he is on double secret probation and being used as unwitting fodder for the opposition.
“The number one priority for our department is to ensure the public’s safety. Mr. Yeager’s comments were irresponsible, dangerous, and deserved our immediate attention. Due to our concern, as well as that of law enforcement, his handgun permit was suspended immediately. We have notified Mr. Yeager about the suspension today via e-mail. He will receive an official notification of his suspension through the mail,” Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons said in a statement to Newschannel5.com.
I hope Yeager, and others reflect on how his actions have contributed to a negative perception of the pro-2A community and consider any future actions in light of how they might be negatively perceived before acting. I’m not saying to remain silent or to not take positive actions toward maintaining our rights. I’m saying, consider any possible repercussions of your actions. Always ask yourself, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” There are positive actions and negative actions. Let’s stay positive people.
Tags: Yeager
I learned while in high school that if you want to fight city hall, you have to clean yourself up, put on a suit and state your case succinctly.
Yaeger is no doubt under the micro scope and even if “cleared” he has already done damage to himself and the image of gun owners.
Yeager is a symptom. The disease is the depths to which the level of discourse has fallen–especially INSIDE the community.
I’ve had hundreds of civil conversations with non-shooters, both on the sidelines and in elected office, about the detrimental effects–to me, to American ideals and eventually to THEM–of draconian legislation (or Executive Action). I never once said that I was gonna hurt or kill someone, violate the law or the oath I took when I enlisted.
Inside the community, however, anyone who takes a nuanced view is monkey-stomped. I’m not talking about some one-post wonder who found out about ARFCOM by reading Gawker. I’m talking about tenured, contributing members known for posting good scoop about goings-on downrange who other members owe successful careers (or their lives) to–who are called out as apostates, attacked personally, even slandered for suggesting anything that looks like compromise, surrender or even nuance. That’s going to work out POORLY in the end. Ronald Reagan said so.
Like I always say, I know that this is an industry forum and the philosophical take favors the status quo, with an eye to liberalizing or eliminating regulation of the BUSINESS AND COMMERCE this site promotes…
Yeager needs to challenge himself to a duel!
While this might be beating a dead horse.. trying to educate friends and family about responsible ownership, and the ‘formal’ training required..
Something like the latest ‘after action’ video Haley endorsed.. is a good starting point. (check facebook or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvnG0SQE2XA&list=UU193r5YXcpQJV34N99ZbhzQ&index=1)
While the video is largely a fluff piece, it points out that some people train for the 1%. The 1% where wrong actions, or even no action can have dire results. It reinforces the idea that many people were trained, or actively seek training, to protect themselves and others.
My 2c, this goes a long way for making aunt Patty feel safe around me, even though I spent time in Afghan and she knows I ‘like (or own) guns’.
These are our family and neighbors that are scared of guns. While I can’t say it’s “our” duty, I consider it my duty to act like a human being and if someone else brings up these tragedies, point back to training I have received, and the training I go through on a regular basis.
disclosure: never taken a Haley course, the link I provided has some fluff at start and end.
Right, whole reason I started this, Yeager, a nonproductive 1% that, after the media gets done with it, stamps a bit ‘crazy’ on the foreheads of us all.
I think I watched that video like five times… Kept paying parts over and over to hear what he has to say I really like Travis and his explanation on things he does a great job. He is a true ninja
I like his bravado. I like his videos. Even if everyone of us are thinking exactly what he said, he is the proof that 99.99% of us know not to say we are going to start killing people. There is a fine line between passionate and dangerously stupid, and you Mr. Yeager have officially crossed to the wrong side of it.
Although I completely agree with your thesis, I wish you’d used the word “emotional” rather than “stupid.”
The videos are pretty stupid, in fact, but the real problem for our team is that we must proceed with cold rationality–and not emotionalism–to stay even in this dire situation. We’re not going to “get ahead,” unless you consider retaining our existing 2A rights as getting ahead.
Semantics aside, it’s important for all of us to maintain an even keel at all times in this great national debate. The other side will lie, cheat, and steal, because that’s what they do and who they are. We on the other hand, are–and must remain–the adults in the room.
I don’t know Yeager, but I suspect he thought he was coming across as a serious bad-ass who’s not going to take any crap and willing to fall on his sword to inform the confiscators what they’re up against as they try to take away or severely limit our ability to protect ourselves.
While I’m essentially on the same side as him–at least insofar as 2A rights are concerned–to me he came across as a dangerous asshole. Based on these two videos, he’s exactly the kind of dude everybody hates to deploy with: half-cocked, loose cannon, and likely to be unreliable when you most need it.
There will be many types of reaction to his videos, but without doubt they play EXACTLY into the hands of the confiscators.
We must be strong, but dignified. And we must protect our rights by legal means.
You know you f’ed up when the state of Tennessee takes your permit.. if would only be a bigger kick in the junk if it were Texas. Not saying it wasn’t well deserved.. freedom of speech is a right, but you can’t blame the state taking some sort of action for his over-passionate comments. Word.
He probably shouldn’t said, true…
But when are we going to get mad and start speaking out….we can be civil and lawful but we need to get passionate NOW and start calling Senators and Reps…they need to be flooded to state that WE DO NOT WANT ANYMORE GUN LAWS…PERIOD!
You can be passionate without going full retard and threatening to kill people. Period.
Who didn’t see this coming? The guy want to be Costa or Vickers so bad he cant stand it. The problem is that he isn’t a quiet professional – he’s a loud mouth blowhard. Notice how people respect the other two and so many people think an idiot.
Cheers.
T. J.
This is exactly the problem. He wants to be something he is not. He tried to put in some time and pay some dues downrange 8 years ago, and it was an abysmal failure that haunts him to this day. He failed under fire, and then his integrity failed after.
Well said. QUIET Professionals…Yeager will never be one. Either he is mentally ill, steroided up, or an actor. He makes gun owners look like retarded hot heads.
James Yeager has already exceeded his 15 minutes of internet fame. He is the problem not the solution.
Agreed. He needs to shut up, and fade away. He is nowhere close to being part of the solution to the 2A problem, or any other problem.
Well, he’s put “Pack Your Bags Pt-3” up on YouTube. A bit more contrite this time, and wit a guest attorney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wD5kuOMIVts
Damage Control Time! Guess he isn’t so tough….
He says he was sorry for the first video and he didn’t mean it because he was angry but fails to mention his second video where he said he has an army ready to fight and everyone should fill their mags or they are ‘on the other side’ and that he doesn’t need no lawyers or legal advice. He is an embarrassment.
Is there a best of James Yeager Quotes video or article? From the top of my head, bring guns to school, I’ll challenge you to a duel and now he’s going to kill people…..go away James and buy some crayons.
Sounds like someone is volunteering…
DId any one honestly expect any thing more form him? He is a loud opinionated and self righteous individual, there are a lot of them in our culture. Just ignore him along the Piers Morgans and Alex Joneses they will eventually fade away. Instead give the MR Collin Noir and Travis Haleys the support and attention they deserve and these guy will be less prevalent.
The guy is a joke, again we all laugh at him
Next, Yeager’s spin doctor is going to draw attention to the fact that NBC’s David Gregory has gotten away with violating the District’s magazine restriction law. If Yeager would have “thought” he could’ve exploited this travesty of justice. But oh no, he had to go run his suck
which again would have backfired because they would have spun that as “only a madman would think this should be prosecuted” and use it to further distance Gregory from punishment.
For his defense, if it was a Muslim Imam saying that he’s going to start killing people it would be labeled as freedom of speech.
Yup
Agree. Or if you say you want NRA Members and gun owners shot and killed…there is indeed a double standard.
Did he learn nothing from Tropic Thunder?
He went full Yeager… LOL
There’s a graphic tee in there somewhere…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58NFQtv5FIw&feature=youtu.be
That’s what I didn’t want
When he’s done going Full Yeager, do you think he’ll apologize to the 2A community for representing us so poorly. I think he if he wants to be a leader in the community he has a responsibility to just that. Too bad when the RPM’s go up – the IQ goes down…and I think he started kinda low to begin with. He’s likely reading this. James? Got something you want to say?
Cheers.
T. J.
Is Yeager’s real name Kenny Powers ?
The Pro-2A seems to love loud mouthed white trash hotheads. As a former cop he should have been able to figure out what the result of tirade would be …
Half of you are as bad and as emotional as Yeager. Take one minute and ensure the use of proper grammer and punctuation before commenting. How dare you attempt to berate an individual for emotion based “quick-draw” videos and commentary when you are guilty of the same. Elevate the discourse… The fact that you are on the internet does not mean that you should trash the English language.
Grow the fuck up.
First rule of internet debating:
If youre loosing, correct other peoples grammar…
Sir! You spelt losing wrong and now are banished from the internet. Now take your emotion filled drabble and leave with James Yeager.
I have vanquished the uneducated swine Edna Schultz.
He’ll be lucky to stay out of jail and keep his guns. Very lucky. Pretty easy to slap the terroristic threats label on a public video. Especially that video where he explained how he tells his daughters not to tell kids at school about his collection, “so I don’t have to kill them.” How is that different than the Dad who was charged after posting the video of shooting his rebellious daughters laptop? Dude is done. Even I want him to be made an example of. I learned very quickly in my initial training that we always need to police our own.