Althouse: "The episode is a tragic reminder that even responsible gun owners can find themselves at the mercy of an unhinged gunman..."

March 9, 2013

"The episode is a tragic reminder that even responsible gun owners can find themselves at the mercy of an unhinged gunman..."

The episode, it seems to me, is a nontragic reminder that even responsible gun owners may not get mercy from gunmen who become unhinged when you have sex with their wives.

Lesson: Be a responsible penis owner too.

ADDED: This post is reacting to the way Think Progress goes for the anti-gun interpretation. I don't know exactly why the husband murdered the man he found with his wife. The two were not in flagrante.

41 comments:

traditionalguy said...: The dead Rifleman had a hunting show.

When you hunt another man's wife that man may hunt you back.; 3/9/13, 2:01 PM
FedkaTheConvict said...: even responsible gun owners may not get mercy from gunmen who become unhinged when you have sex with their wives.

Your conclusion is diametrically at odds with what the police have disclosed so far....

http://missoulian.com/news/local/outdoors-tv-show-host-killed-in-whitefish-murder-suicide/article_e3e272fa-881e-11e2-b23e-0019bb2963f4.html

“The victim was here on business and had stopped to talk to a friend for the evening and have a glass of wine,” Dial said Friday. “Mr. Bengston came into the home and shot him immediately. We think that it was just a professional relationship, but perhaps the husband thought it was more than that. But that is just conjecture.”; 3/9/13, 2:19 PM
n.n said...: It's not just the penis, there are vaginas that also run amuck. In fact, they always travel in pairs. Both cause individual and societal distress. Both too often end with the birth of an unwanted human life, which is willfully aborted so that the penis and vagina may continue their self-indulgence.

The penis with the gun introduced risk where it was previously lacking. The penis which decided to run amuck was reminded that liberty is unsuitable for penises (and vaginas) incapable of self-moderating behavior.

It is dissociation of risk which causes corruption.; 3/9/13, 2:25 PM
Oso Negro said...: Of course the vagino-American bears no responsibility for her part of the nastiness. Penis owners extend themselves to passive receptacles.; 3/9/13, 2:25 PM
Lyle said...: Amen. Just say no to married cunt.; 3/9/13, 2:36 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Someone smart once said something about trying to draw lessons from rare incidents.; 3/9/13, 2:39 PM
JAL said...: I also saw information similar to what Fedka noted. I believe they were sitting in her mother's kitchen (not the coolest place for hanky panky, but maybe ...) not a bar or restaurant, even.

There might have been romantic buzz going on behind the business aspect (I think she worked for a fiream manufacturer) or maybe the husband was simply jealous. What amazes me is the comments over at the link.

Here's a little info (repeated) for the anti-gun crowd: ONE HALF of all the homicides by firearms (~5500+ out of ~11,000+) are black males. (CDC 2010)

And they didn't get shot in Montana. The majority are with handguns, not AR-15s. And I think it safe to speculate that the handguns were mostly illegal.

Paraphrasing what the Knoxville law professor says, when the anti-gun crowd gets serious about what causes unnecessary deaths they might want to start with the causes and solutions of urban violence, or at least start by outlawing alcohol (except, of course, for state functions at the WH ... but hey, look how much $$ that would save!!!).

Oh. Forgot.; 3/9/13, 2:45 PM
YoungHegelian said...: Lesson: Be a responsible penis owner too.

Oh, so first you're against our useless White House tours! Now, we're getting lectures on keeping our penises responsible!

Little Miss Judgmental today, are we, Professor?; 3/9/13, 2:53 PM
Anonymous said...: When I first put on a big rock of an engagement ring at 24, I was surprised how suddenly this whole world of "young, cheatin' married guys" appeared before my eyes - at the store, the post office - it was spooky. I guess they checked for a ring first so that you both would have something to lose? Still don't know.; 3/9/13, 2:53 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "Little Miss Judgmental today, are we, Professor?"

You're missing the target of my judgment, which is Think Progress.

Try again.; 3/9/13, 2:54 PM
Anonymous said...: Fedka, seems the professor fell for the Think Progress edited version of the event in which "the gunman found Rodriguez with his wife".; 3/9/13, 2:59 PM
FedkaTheConvict said...: I'm obviously missing something since the Think Progress article does not even suggest that the two had some sort of sexual relationship.

JAL I saw that news report also that the two were sitting at her mother's kitchen table when Rodriguez was shot.; 3/9/13, 3:02 PM
FedkaTheConvict said...: Washington Post article

"Police identified the shooting victim as Gregory G. Rodriguez, 43, of Sugar Land, Texas. Bengston’s wife told police that Rodriguez was in town on business and visiting her at her mother’s house in Whitefish when her husband showed up Thursday at about 10:30 p.m.

Rodriguez and the woman, who works for a firearms manufacturer in the Flathead Valley, met at a trade show and struck up a casual relationship that police do not believe was romantic, Dial said.

She and Rodriguez were sitting at the kitchen table, talking over a glass of wine, when Bengston entered the house and shot Rodriguez, Dial said.

He then beat his wife on the face and head, most likely with the pistol, he said. She was treated at a hospital and released."; 3/9/13, 3:06 PM
Original Mike said...: A gun is not a force field; it's an option. A chance. Smart people increase their options. That's not to say that options always pan out.; 3/9/13, 3:13 PM
James Pawlak said...: NOT a "responsible" gun owner.; 3/9/13, 3:29 PM
Unknown said...: Not a lot of sanity in this example. I don't think you can draw any conclusions about guns or gun owners in general from this, but that won't stop people from trying.; 3/9/13, 3:41 PM
Beach Brutus said...: "Lesson: Be a responsible penis owner too."

And when the government tries to confiscate that they will have to pry it from .... oh wait.; 3/9/13, 3:43 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: It would appear that the guy's wife had left him, whether she had taken up with the other guy or not.

And it would also appear that both guys were responsible gun owners, until one became unhinged.

So you go to you wife's parents' house, perhaps hoping to patch things up, and you find you wife drinking with another man. Perhaps you've had a few drinks yourself to work yourself up to going over.

What would keep you out of this trouble is not bringing your gun with you.

We could try to teach men that. I can remember Johnny Cash doing just that, "don't take your guns to town son, leave your guns at home."

Here's what followed the ellipses at Think Progress: "... and that National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre’s claim that, 'the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun' doesn’t always hold up."

There's a truth in that, even if you don't want to buy the whole Think Progress line.; 3/9/13, 3:48 PM
edutcher said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/9/13, 3:51 PM
grackle said...: The victim was here on business and had stopped to talk to a friend for the evening and have a glass of wine[at her mother's house],” Dial said Friday. “Mr. Bengston came into … [her mother's] … home and shot him immediately. We think that it was just a professional relationship, but perhaps the husband thought it was more than that. But that is just conjecture.

Obviously, the wife's version as given by her to police. Anyone else who could say anything different is dead.

Myself, I would hesitate to visit a married colleague unless it was at her house(preferably with her hubby present). This would somewhat eliminate sex as the perceived motive for the meeting since in her own home the husband would either be present or could walk in at any time.

The articles do not say whether the wife's mother was at home during the "visit" but I think not since such a detail is likely to be included in most newspaper articles.

Mama's away, wifey has a key, arranges the meeting with the exciting celebrity who was so good in bed at the trade show and they were in the process of having a glass of wine while waiting for the kid to fall asleep. Hubby, perhaps knowing all too well what is going on, blows his stack when he confronts them.

But, as Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said, " … this is all conjecture."; 3/9/13, 3:51 PM
FedkaTheConvict said...: The surprise to me is that the wife wasn't armed.

Since we're speculating; my guess is that she and her husband were estranged and she and their son moved in with her mother. The husband was probably stalking the wife so he knew she had a visitor and surprised them.; 3/9/13, 3:54 PM
edutcher said...: Even though the victim was from Texas, the offended hubbo acted as if he was.

The unwritten law is still law down there.

Ann Althouse said...

Little Miss Judgmental today, are we, Professor?

You're missing the target of my judgment, which is Think Progress.

Try again.

No, the penile-Americans are taking exception to a rather gratuitous shot which assumes complete innocence on the part of the vagino-American in the story.; 3/9/13, 3:56 PM
chickelit said...: The author of the Think Progress article appears to dislike penises. link; 3/9/13, 4:01 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: You can say that again CL!; 3/9/13, 4:36 PM
chickelit said...: The author of the Think Progress article appears to dislike penises. even more than I thought; 3/9/13, 4:45 PM
FedkaTheConvict said...: Did her resemblance to Rachel Maddow giver her away?; 3/9/13, 4:53 PM
edutcher said...: I thought she looked like Ms Fluck.; 3/9/13, 5:07 PM
chickelit said...: Actually, she looks more Patrick Carney from "The Black Keys."; 3/9/13, 5:08 PM
Big Mike said...: Interesting that Annie-Rose Strasser is forced to admit that the murderer may have had a gun that was not legally obtained.; 3/9/13, 5:40 PM
Tim said...: Yeah, I pretty much never have sex with anyone else's wife but my own.

And by "pretty much never" I mean never.

Gun-owning husband or not.; 3/9/13, 5:58 PM
Tim said...: Yeah, I don't think Annie-Rose Strasser has any familiarity with a penis at all.

Or at least not the natural kind attached to a living male.; 3/9/13, 6:05 PM
Glen Filthie said...: Well chickie, how about you women take some responsibility for your vaginas too?

You know - that extra hole between your legs you use to manipulate men with? The ones your babies pop out of when YOU are irresponsible with it?

I have a strong suspicion there is more to this story than meets the eye. Mind you, I am smart enough to see the media for what it is too....; 3/9/13, 7:50 PM
Emil Blatz said...: I think it all depends on what the meaning of "visiting" is.; 3/9/13, 10:30 PM
Scott M said...: Lesson: Be a responsible penis owner too.

No responsibility for the wife to keep her labia in her pants?; 3/9/13, 10:33 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/9/13, 11:59 PM
Lipperman said...: From the linked article:
...that National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre’s claim that, “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun” doesn’t always hold up.

Why does the Think Progress writer assume Greg Rodriguez had a gun on him? Responsible gun owners don't carry and drink alcoholic beverages.; 3/10/13, 1:03 AM
roesch/voltaire said...: I think the lesson is, to quote Althouse, Karma's a bitch. When Good guys with guns are playing around they tend to kill each other as well as bystanders, but I guess just reporting on the many daily deaths by gun owners is now considered anti-gun interpretation. Back in the days before we all were armed this things were settled by fists-- I can remember watching more that a few fights at family reunions.; 3/10/13, 8:00 AM
Unknown said...: Just when we're these days you speak of r/v? It's more like back in the days when we were all armed we settled things with fists because we were smart enough not to pull a gun. The inevitable result would be someone dying and that was unthinkable.
Now in the days when we are all armed we settle things with guns because we live in a culture of death. It's not the guns that have changed.; 3/10/13, 9:06 AM
Original Mike said...: "I can remember watching more that a few fights at family reunions."

Heck of a family you've got there.; 3/10/13, 9:50 AM
Jason said...: So the editors of TP and their 2nd-amendment-hating allies are intellectually dishonest fucks. What else is new?; 3/10/13, 11:24 AM
_Jim said...: Any mention of Nick Meli by ThinkRegress (SPEAKING OF RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP NOW)?

You know, the RESPONSIBLE gun owner who faced down the Clackamas Mall shooter but ***couldn't** get a clean shot off so didn't?

That Nick Meli?

Ya ... thought not TP ...; 3/10/13, 3:24 PM