It’s hard to believe a show that occasionally features a masturbating bear could feel the need to lecture its audience about their Second Amendment rights, but that’s what happened in the aftermath of the deadly Jihadist shooting rampage at a gay night club in Orlando.
In an uncharacteristic plea to his audience, Conan O’Brien called for America to do something about semi-automatic assault rifles…which critics have highlighted displays the comedian’s ignorance or arrogance (perhaps both) about what a semi-automatic rifle actually even is…it’s a standard manufacturing technique for virtually all rifles, and is not a weapon of war.
Critics note that military weapons are incredibly more potent and capable of three round burst or fully automatic features…something that is not remotely legally accessible to law abiding gun owners in the United States.
Conan’s anti gun rant went as follows:
I have really tried very hard over the years not to bore you with what I think; however, I am a father of two, I like to believe I have a shred of common sense, and I simply do not understand why anybody in this country is allowed to purchase and own a semiautomatic assault rifle. It makes no sense to me. These are weapons of war, and they have no place in civilian life. I have tried to understand this issue from every side, and it all comes down to this: Nobody I know or have ever met in my entire life should have access to a weapon that can kill so many people so quickly. These mass shootings are happening so often now that lamenting them afterwards is becoming a national ritual. I do not know the answer, but I wanted to take just a moment here tonight to agree with the rapidly growing sentiment in America that it’s time to grow up and figure this out.
But despite the passion it ultimately came across as a sanctimonious speech delivered in an echo-chamber for those that already have decided to blame the existence of guns for the motives of a self loathing homosexual Jihadist…
Some have made note of Conan’s ironic anger at the romanticizing of guns given that one of his most famous sketches EVER involved shooting guns…among them semi-automatic rifles, with the late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
