America Vision's Amusing Phone Call:

If one publicly takes strong opinions on controversial matters, one is bound to be contacted by people who strongly disagree, sometimes in ways that could be threatening and harassing.

It rarely happens to me (and my cobloggers at Positive Liberty). But it has happened. I think the more reasonable and civil one is in putting forth his opinions, and the more reasonable those opinions are (something for which I strive) the less likely it is that angry folks will bother you.

Gary Demar's American Vision is a theocratic Christian Reconstructionist group who, in their first best world, would impose literal Old Testament punishments in civil society. Even if one puts forth these ideas using a civil tone, we are already in the land of extremist wingnuttery. Plus, this groups posits the "Christian Nation" myth which I have painstakingly debunked over and over again on my blogs.

So it's no surprise that American Vision gets a phone call like this (listen here). None of this excuses the caller's behavior. Though, when I listen to this, I have a hard time taking it seriously. It almost sounds like a comedic-prank harassing phone call, something that Crank Yankers could animate with their puppets.

Strangely, this phone call amuses me and seems more funny than mean. But as Mark Knopfler (not the guitar player) has shown, pranks can be both funny and mean at the same time.

In my head I could imagine what puppets I would use to reenact American Vision's call.