"30 Days" Season 3, Episode 5 - "Gun Nation"

[NcongruNt]

I've been a fan of the show since its first season and thanks to TIVO I haven't missed an episode. Every time Pia opened her mouth though, I had to hit the pause button and laugh or yell at her through the TV. Her father the Marine sharpshooter, I think they labeled him, said something along the lines that he's fired just about every automatic weapon out there and that people shouldn't be allowed to have them. I wish Morgan would have gone into more detail on the gun laws and mentioned that full-autos are highly regulated and not easily attainable.
The gun enthusiast father and son relationship seemed a bit weird to me. The kid didn't seem to have any other interests other than guns and video games. Towards the end though the father did seem supportive of his son possibly going to college as a result of Pia's urging him to look towards his own future.

Well, to be fair... there are lots of kids (and many adults, even) whose only hobby is video games.

I also liked the gun store owner. His place was nice, clean and he seemed to be a very reputable dealer. I think they should've focused more on him, as Pia's stereotypes were immediately shattered when she walked in for her first day at work. I also agree with another poster that they should've started her on a .22 instead of a 12ga...that was just plain stupid. My wife has been around guns for about the past 5 years now and she still is a bit frightened of the shotty. All in all it was a decently balanced episode and once again the fish out of water starts to see things in a new way which is the point of the show.

-Rug

Since they were shooting skeet with an over/under, they probably had her on very light target loads. Having done the same thing with the same kind of gun and target loads, I will say that there's very little recoil in that setup. The only difference is the amount of sound that comes out of it. As a .22 is a more common weapon used by street criminals than a 12ga. (at least from what I've gathered), I'd say it was a good move, especially as they were in a sport-shooting situation (shooting skeet) where there's no inherent similarity to shooting a person, as target shooting could be construed. I think she would have had a similar reaction to firing any firearm. The fact that it was a heavy shotgun was good, as she held onto it (leaning on it immediately after the shot) where a .22 (especially a .22 handgun) may have gotten dropped.

[Snake Doctor]

I have never watched that show until tonight, and I had a preconceived idea of how this situation would turn out. Wow! Was I wrong!

I found this episode to be remarkably unbiased in its presentation.

You two watched it in an open minded manner. Congratulations. It amazes--and saddens--me how narrow-minded so many people on this board are. FYI, the 2A is not accepted by many because they, like you, are close minded and non-inquisitive.

[HerbM]

I don't think I could watch it. It would make my blood pressure rise too much, honestly.

It is very watchable. Anyone who knows the facts will not find it terribly slanted (Pia's [the gun control woman] beliefs are terribly slanted by ignorance and fear but this is not allowed to stand completely unanswered.)

The RKBA and firearms enthusiast is knowledgeable, articulate, and a patient respectful listener when the gun control spokespeople are abusing the facts. He avoids all the bad stereotypes by this method alone. He appears to be the range or safety officer at his club shoot, he has a CHL, he never forces anything upon her but uses facts and logic.

It is not a hit piece. They probably did edit out many of the RKBA enthusiasts responses to some of Pia's illogical emotional appeals, but not to the point you can say they sabotaged the RKBA position significantly, just omissions.

If you wish to see a REAL example of someone suffering from clinical hoplophobia (fear of firearms) there are several in this piece however. The most remarkable one is the first time Pia fires a gun, a shotgun. She breaks down at the mere sound, and thought that she might be killing by doing this -- she is not hurt -- she is having a visceral phobic reaction to the SOUND and the IDEA.

In other scenes she states explicitly that she thinks of the horror of people being killed EVERY TIME she hears a gunshot.

This is not the word hoplophobe being throw out carelessly at a gun control advocate but a real psychological neuroses and/or phobia. This is a form of (minor) mental illness.

There are other examples as well.

Watch it. It is interesting.

[retrieverman]

And, as much as I feel bad for their losses, the two older female activists at the park bench came across as the typical arrogant, condescending and emotion-driven antis they were.

The lady whose husband was killed made a statement, and I may have misinterpreted it. She said that, as a victim, that she and her "cause" was looking out for the greater good of the country as a whole, and the gun owners were fearful and only looking out for themselves.(paraphrased)

Came across a little self righteous and condescending to me, but like I said, I may have misinterpreted it.

[Rugrash]

[/quote]Since they were shooting skeet with an over/under, they probably had her on very light target loads. Having done the same thing with the same kind of gun and target loads, I will say that there's very little recoil in that setup. The only difference is the amount of sound that comes out of it. As a .22 is a more common weapon used by street criminals than a 12ga. (at least from what I've gathered), I'd say it was a good move, especially as they were in a sport-shooting situation (shooting skeet) where there's no inherent similarity to shooting a person, as target shooting could be construed. I think she would have had a similar reaction to firing any firearm. The fact that it was a heavy shotgun was good, as she held onto it (leaning on it immediately after the shot) where a .22 (especially a .22 handgun) may have gotten dropped.[/quote]

Well the recoil on a .22 is significantly less than a 12ga no matter what load. Also they could've had her shooting at plates that have no resemblance to a silhouette. From my experience taking someone out to shoot for their first time, you can't go wrong with a .22. I do agree that really anything she shot (including a BB gun) would've made her cry. :-(

-Rug

[Snake Doctor]

In other scenes she states explicitly that she thinks of the horror of people being killed EVERY TIME she hears a gunshot.

It's terrible that I would laugh when reading this, but I am reminded of this scene. Even worse, I'm quite sure she said the sound of gunshot made here think of a baby being shot every time she heard it. Overreacting, much?

[DParker]

The lady whose husband was killed made a statement, and I may have misinterpreted it. She said that, as a victim, that she and her "cause" was looking out for the greater good of the country as a whole, and the gun owners were fearful and only looking out for themselves.(paraphrased)

Came across a little self righteous and condescending to me, but like I said, I may have misinterpreted it.

No, I'd say you pretty much nailed it.

[Bart]

Every time a shotgun breaks a clay, an angel gets its wings.

[KBCraig]

I haven't watched it yet (the teenager who cancelled it on tivo because she was too busy watching live tv has been duly counseled), but I appreciate the reviews thus far.

Let me say that in general, I hold Morgan Spurlock several degrees below Michael Moore when it comes to honesty, objectivity, and truthful reporting. In this case, I'm glad to read that he at least attempted to counterbalance the content.

[killerfly128]

I haven't watched it yet (the teenager who cancelled it on tivo because she was too busy watching live tv has been duly counseled), but I appreciate the reviews thus far.

Well it seems hulu takes about 8 days to upload it. Ill be posting a link to it as soon as it is up.

[HerbM]

I haven't watched it yet (the teenager who cancelled it on tivo because she was too busy watching live tv has been duly counseled), but I appreciate the reviews thus far.

Well it seems hulu takes about 8 days to upload it. Ill be posting a link to it as soon as it is up.

You can still get it Friday or Sunday at 10pm Central time. FX.

[tboesche]

I finally watched this episode on DVR last night. Not bad. I was impressed by how she "seemed" to sway a little towards our side by the end of the show. It sure appeared as though she was starting to see the light a bit. Hope so anyway. I do think that the first gun she ever fired should have been something other than a 12ga. A .22 or even a .223 would have been a much better starting point.

[Pinkycatcher]

I finally watched this episode on DVR last night. Not bad. I was impressed by how she "seemed" to sway a little towards our side by the end of the show. It sure appeared as though she was starting to see the light a bit. Hope so anyway. I do think that the first gun she ever fired should have been something other than a 12ga. A .22 or even a .223 would have been a much better starting point.

Yah, and they shouldn't have taken her to a fun shoot like that on her first or second day, whatever it was, that was a mistake, she should have gone to a near empty range and started off with some plates, or basic non-human/animal like targets with a .22 in my opinion.

[Dan20703]

Well I now have it scheduled to record. I want to see it based on these reviews. I would usually ignore stuff like this because it just gets me upset listening to the dribble that anti-gun people spew. Hope it's as good to me as others have said. Now I can't wait to see it.

[razoraggie]

In all fairness...Morgan Spurlock ( I assume he is liberal minded ) allows the episodes to go in the direction the guests take them. My wife and I are avid viewers of "30 Days" and thouroughly enjoyed "Supersize Me". A lot of people have this preconceived notion that ALL documentary film makers that are publicly advertised in the mainstream are cookie cut from people like Michael Moore. Honestly, not so with Morgan. Although I may not believe everything he has to say or all of his points of view, but he does allow the truth to reveal itself and he does a very good job of not making either side of his program appear to be the "nut job" of the episode. I give him credit for letting the viewers decide how to comprehend the information shared.