Quote of the Day

 

“Giving a motorized scooter to a kid is a moronic thing to do. It’s like giving somebody in West Virginia a gun.” — Los Angeles talent manager David Steinberg.

Not a profound quote, but it profoundly reflects on how the liberal blue states on the coast perceive flyover country. West Virginia, ranked fourth in the nation for the percentage of the population that owns guns, has 54% ownership with most owning multiple arms. If we are to take David Steinberg at his word, then more than half of West Virginians are morons.

Dad built a pistol range in our basement. I was taught from a very young age to respect guns. Basic rules: always treat a gun as if it is loaded, never point a gun at anything you don’t want to shoot at, always be aware of where the barrel is pointed, never keep your finger on the trigger, etc. Owning guns was as safe as owning cotton balls. No one ever was injured or threatened with either in our house.

Obviously, Steinberg thinks owning guns is moronic. And more so if they live in G-d forsaken West Virginia. It is his perception that the people of West Virginia (and presumably everyone else in flyover country) are too stupid to be responsible with gun ownership.

This attitude would seem to permeate all of his thought processes. Kids in LA are also not mature enough to handle a motorized scooter. Yet in Alaska, kids can get a driver’s license at the age of 14 and farmers everywhere have their children driving tractors at much younger ages. For David, and in general who I will call global elitists, only they are wise enough to make decisions and rules for the rest of us.

I wish I had a profound conclusion to offer based on this quote. Perhaps the best is simply that it is this attitude which divides the Left from the heartland. And it is why we need to remain vigilant and determined in our efforts to return to and maintain a more conservative and libertarian society.

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There are 18 comments.

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  1. dnewlander Inactive
    dnewlander
    @dnewlander

    It’s more like giving a kid in Portland a Che Guevara t-shirt.

    • #1
  2. PHCheese Inactive
    PHCheese
    @PHCheese

    You don’t give a kid in W.V.  a gun. It’s a birthright.

    • #2
  3. Douglas Pratt Coolidge
    Douglas Pratt
    @DouglasPratt

    It points out the problem of trying to engage such people in a discussion: their contempt for anyone who disagrees with them. That’s what happens when politics replaces religion. Disagreeing makes you an apostate.

    • #3
  4. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    You can’t give a motorized scooter to a kid. You have to be 18 with a valid driver’s license. That’s the law, Mr. Steinberg. Oh – hold on, you mean the laws intended to keep scooters out of the hands of kids don’t work when the kid’s bent on breaking the law? 

    Huh. Who’d have thought that would happen.

    • #4
  5. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Once again, the urban “elite” reveal their ignorance. Unfortunately they persist in trying to rule everybody else from their narrow-minded perch built upon that ignorance. 

    • #5
  6. DHMorgan Inactive
    DHMorgan
    @DHMorgan

    We lived in Keyser, West Virginia and, other than the police, I don’t recall seeing anyone carrying a firearm, other than for hunting purposes. I also don’t remember many shooting incidents.

    We lived there 8 years. Mr. Steinberg lived there how long?

    • #6
  7. Nohaaj Coolidge
    Nohaaj
    @Nohaaj

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    You can’t give a motorized scooter to a kid. You have to be 18 with a valid driver’s license. That’s the law, Mr. Steinberg. Oh – hold on, you mean the laws intended to keep scooters out of the hands of kids don’t work when the kid’s bent on breaking the law?

    Huh. Who’d have thought that would happen.

    Of course James, in the article, it clearly states that you must be 18 years old to rent a scooter. However, it is possible the only enforcement is the app, which likely asks you to simply click (here) to confirm you are 18 and also have a credit card to charge.  If that is the case, it would be pretty easy.  I would see many parents supporting that too. Adds convenience for junior to get around to his practices, get an ice cream or whatever.   Actually, I have no issue with a kid riding a scooter (BYOH).  Not sure it is a law, just a regulation. However for Mr. Steinberg, allowing them to ride said scooter, would be moronic. 

    • #7
  8. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    Sorry. Hit wrong button

    • #8
  9. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Once again, the urban “elite” reveal their ignorance. Unfortunately they persist in trying to rule everybody else from their narrow-minded perch built upon that ignorance.

    The thing that cracks me up about our coastal elites is that so many of them are from flyover country themselves and think that saying these things will make them sound sophisticated.

    • #9
  10. Nohaaj Coolidge
    Nohaaj
    @Nohaaj

    aardo vozz (View Comment):

    Sorry. Hit wrong button

    vozz a matta wit you? eh? type some more and hit the right button!

    • #10
  11. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Nohaaj: “Giving a motorized scooter to a kid is a moronic thing to do. It’s like giving somebody in West Virginia a gun.” — Los Angeles talent manager David Steinberg.

    Or giving somebody in California a vote.

    • #11
  12. Vectorman Inactive
    Vectorman
    @Vectorman

    Nohaaj: I wish I had a profound conclusion to offer based on this quote. Perhaps the best is simply that it is this attitude which divides the Left from the heartland.

    There are many potential comments about leftist trying to explain their rationale. For me, it’s willful ignorance on how the world really works..


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    • #12
  13. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    aardo vozz (View Comment):

    Sorry. Hit wrong button

    vozz a matta wit you? eh? type some more and hit the right button!

    • #13
  14. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Nohaaj: “Giving a motorized scooter to a kid is a moronic thing to do. It’s like giving somebody in West Virginia a gun.” — Los Angeles talent manager David Steinberg.

    Or giving somebody in California a vote.

    • #14
  15. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    aardo vozz (View Comment):

    Sorry. Hit wrong button

    vozz a matta wit you? eh? type some more and hit the right button!

    Love it. Thanks!🙂

    • #15
  16. barbara lydick Inactive
    barbara lydick
    @barbaralydick

    Progressive David Steinberg probably also disagrees  with P J P O’Rourke:

    “Sending money to Washington is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenagers.”

    • #16
  17. Boney Cole Member
    Boney Cole
    @BoneyCole

    Wonder what the gun homocide rate is in WV vs. LA?

    • #17
  18. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Boney Cole (View Comment):

    Wonder what the gun homocide rate is in WV vs. LA?

    You prompted me to go looking for data, and I immediately ran into the definitional problem that gets in the way of rational discussion – “death” rate vs. “murder” rate (and I suppose if I kept looking I’d run into a “homicide” rate that is different from the “murder” rate).  

    • #18
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