McWhirter and Elinson’s ‘American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15’ is A True Story, but Not THE True Story

25

 

They promise fairness and compassion in telling the story of the AR-15, but I don’t think gun owners get it here.

We see this McCloskey guy who confronted Black Lives Matter protesters with his Colt AR-15 on his front steps of his mansion in St. Louis. We meet Kyle Rittenhouse. We meet a white nationalist group called The Base, the Boogaloo Boys, extremists who build “ghost guns,” MAGA supporters with AR-15 confederate battle flags, and Oath Keepers.

All of which are absolutely true. They’re not making this up. But they’re giving a very partial view of the eleven million AR-15 owners in the United States, most of whom are not involved in this culture war over guns in the United States. …

One of the reasons why they don’t [present a more complete view of AR-15 gun owners] is that it would disrupt a very coherent narrative that they’re constructing that really looks at AR-15 owners as cultural dopes, in a sense, to gun industry marketing and political pawns of the NRA, they’re right wing culture warriors and insurrectionists and, of course, they’re also murderers. 

So I say in my review that a more accurate, though less marketable title than The Truth About the AR-15 would be The AR-15: From Stoner to School Shootings. Because is really what their focus is. …

By framing the book in such a limited manner it really makes the truth that it conveys limited as well. So this is, I would say, a true story of the AR-15, but it’s not the true story of the AR-15. 

— David Yamane in his brief review of American Gun: The Tru Story of the AR-15 

25 COMMENTS

    • No, it was published by Farrar, Straus and Giraux, which is a division of Macmillan, one of the Big Five and itself a subsidiary of a German publishing conglomerate. So, it appears to have big money backing for a niche leftist book that is currently ranked 6,623 at Amazon, where listings for used copies are piling up.

  1. Yeah I haven’t killed anyone with my AR but get blamed by Dimscum©. By an obese billionaire and his bribed “judge’s”. That’s MY true story!

  2. It’s obvious to me that this is just propaganda from gun grabbers.

    Perpetuating lies and distortions.

    • sometimes the incomplete truth is the most effective lie. sounds like that might be the case with this book.

  3. If guns are actually literally killing so many, then all the knives, swords et al must be extremely jealous!

  4. I got a neighbor that claims Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were collaborating on an AR prototype in 1798. The project was near completion but abandoned when Sally Hemmings, who was the real brains behind the operation, got mad and went on strike.

    Another neighbor says Stoner was an actor, and that the NRA invented the AR in 1963, and passed them out free w/500 rds of copkiller ammo to thousands of 6th graders – in hopes of getting them addicted.

    I said, “No more scuppernong brandy for you guys, but y’all oughta write a book. ”

    My bad…

    • xzx,
      The neighborhood needs to tell their ‘shine provider to switch to lithium based batteries in the mash.

      The Walmart garden tractor batteries they are using are not working out so well…

      • I have been to downtown Seattle, fished the Hood Canal, and explored points in between – therefore I can understand why you would make such lowdown assumptions – but I guarantee the local shine to be equal to the best and cleanest available anywhere. At +160+ proof it is best served in 5 ml doses. Although Jim Dandy dog food was a popular feedstock back in the old days.

        Soon as those morons get the book done, I will post relevant excerpts. I guarantee you will realize mere battery acid could not do that kind of damage.

        • xzx
          The hills around Darrington had some places you really didn’t want to investigate too closely, unless you were on good terms with some of the, err, residents…. :0

        • lol, true everywhere. I noticed several areas of that type. Being outdoorsy, I was mostly on the Peninsula. No lack of grit there. Nice folks. Totally missed Darrington.

          Walked into Starbucks looking for a cup of coffee. 40 lb bags of beans stacked halfway to the ceiling. No coffeemaker. I said, “Man, y’all oughta set up a little bar so people can try all these cool coffees.”

          They looked at me like I was from outer space. “We only sell wholesale, 40lb bag or nothing.”

          Guess they hadn’t met Howard yet. What a cool looking logo, only thing that hasn’t changed.

    • “Sally Hemmings, who was the real brains behind the operation, got mad and went on strike.“

      Sally Hemmings could not go on strike, she was a sexually abused child at the time and as a slave she had no rights.

      • MINOR49er, you would do anything to besmirch one of our founding fathers, wouldn’t you?

  5. I’ve put my AR’S on surveillace camera with alarm system monitoring and warned them very sternly “if any of you try to sneak out and comitt any crime I’ll know about it and turn you into .177 cal SBR’s without braces. On the other hand, if you are going out for donuts then pick up a few chocolate for me and make sure you put gas in the car.”

    That should do it. Can’t be too careful with these inanimate objects…the second you turn your back its like another ‘Toy Story’ movie and they come to life.

  6. All anyone really needs to know about the history of the AR is that it was invented by a Stoner…

  7. Sad part is, there are going to be people who read this book and think it is the absolute truth.

Comments are closed.