A Texas radio commercial created controversy after the instructor basically said he won't teach liberals how to shoot (because they have shown inability to make coherent decisions) nor Muslims. The instructor, Crockett Keller, appeared on radio today and Glenn pressed him to explain himself on the issue.
"Tell me about, that people do not have the first part of this," Glenn said. "If they're a socialist that voted for Barack Obama, you don't believe they have the sound judgment to be able to have a concealed weapon permit?"
"That was somewhat of a tongue in cheek jab at some of my liberal neighbors that I have around me," Keller explained. "You understand I put this ad on a small local country music station. Has about a, less than a 50‑mile radius. And, you know, I was pretty well speaking to my neighbors. Now that's somewhat expanded, I think."
Keller continued to joke, explaining that in the class he has to teach people in ten hours to use their judgment on whether or not to exercise deadly force when faced with a threat where they only have seconds to act. He joked that people who voted for Obama had a whole year and a half to decide whether or not that was the right choice and they still messed it up - so clearly they shouldn't be given the chance to have a gun.
Glenn and Pat both wondered whether the refusal to teach non-Christians, Muslims, or Arabs was also tongue-in-cheek or was he serious.
Why Keller was quick to say he had never rejected anyone, he was much more serious about that line.
"I have never turned anybody away. But the challenge to me is why am I supposed to teach these people how to use a weapon and to give them the ability to carry a weapon legally when we have seen these atrocious acts. Nidal Hasan here in Texas killed 17 Americans," Keller said.
The interview then took a more serious turn as Glenn wasn't a big fan of the broad generalization of all Muslims.
"Hang on just a second," Glenn said. "Wouldn't you have to judge people by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin or by their religion?"
Keller explained that the rationale behind his rule about Muslims was based on the hindsight he has of the 9/11 hijackers.
"Those flight instructors don't have the hindsight that I do," Keller said.
Glenn argued that the instructors should have been alarmed by red flags like they didn't want to now how to land the plane, not their ethnicity or religion.
"How comfortable would you feel to be out on the range, nine people out here and a Muslim, if you will, and everybody has weapons that are loaded ‑" Keller said.
"You don't even have to finish the sentence. I feel very, very comfortable because if there's a Muslim out there or a crazy man out there that isn't Muslim who's Christian, I've got eight other people around me with loaded guns. And the minute that guy starts to do anything, those are Texans with loaded guns. They'll shoot and kill him," Glenn said.
When Keller again used the example of the Fort Hood Shooter, Glenn again said that this shouldn't disqualify all Muslims from gun ownership and training.
"He was a guy who was perfectly clear on what he was doing and he was serving Allah the way he understands it. And we ignored all of the warning signs. And one of the warning signs was not that he was Muslim. One of the warning signs was that he was a Muslim extremist. And he was hanging out with all the wrong people," Glenn explained.
"Essentially your argument here is Nidal Hasan and others who are Muslim have done horrible things, therefore you're nervous and don't want to necessarily give the, you know, this class to them or to other Muslims, isn't that the same argument liberals use against people when they say, 'Hey, well, guns, people go out there, gun owners are going out there and they are committing these crimes; we should really crack down on gun ownership?' I mean, you can't just categorize people like that. I think you have the right instinct when you say if there's something suspicious going on, I'm going to not give it to them and I'm going to report it. But like when you just, you know, kind of broadly go out there and say all Muslims shouldn't ‑‑ can't take my class -" Stu said.
"I don't like the broad generalization. I appreciate the fact that you're watching carefully on who gets a gun, who doesn't get a gun. That's why you have the license to be able to recommend who gets a concealed weapons permit and who doesn't. But I have to tell ya, the more guns, the better quite honestly. The more people that are armed, we have to use common sense and we have to look for warning signs and then point those warning signs out. But I will tell you this: I feel very comfortable in Texas. The more people carrying a handgun, the safer we are. And I know a lot of liberals will say that's ridiculous, but it's absolutely true," Glenn said.
While the interview was cordial throughout, Glenn and Stu made it clear to listeners that if Keller was using race or religion as a litmus for getting their license then he was in the wrong.
"I would hope, the State of Texas is not going to let a guy who is a racist have this job very long. I would hope. If you're turning somebody away because of their religion or because of their race, you are in violation of the Constitution and you absolutely should not be doing it."
"He said he wasn't doing it which makes me kind of think it's kind of a, maybe a publicity sort of thing which kind of saying something, you know, kind of loudly in colorful, in a colorful manner trying to get attention," Stu said.
"If he's doing it, then he will be stopped. If he's not, then keep going. Content of character. It's all that matters," Glenn said.
