THE IMPLICIT THREAT OF THE NEW YORK TIMES’ GUN CONTROL EDITORIALS: The Times Justifies Its War on Guns, Robert Farago writes at the Truth About Guns, who believes that Times editor Andrew Rosenthal may not have thought through the implicit threat of coercion implied by his editorials. “Rosenthal fails to understand that HIS position is ‘surrender your guns or we’ll shoot you.’ How can guns be removed from Americans without the use of deadly force? By the same token, Rosenthal only needs look here – or contact the NRA – to see that the vast majority of gun owning Americans are peaceful patriots. Well they are unless and until the government enacts the Times’ anti-gun rights agenda. At that point, the Times and its ilk will reap what they sow.”

Like Pauline Kael before him, Rosenthal lives “in a rather special world,” where American citizens beyond Manhattan are “outside my ken,” as Kael famously said. And similarly much prefers his ignorance to the risk of being permanently contaminated by the potential badthink emanating from The Other.

Related: Speaking of implicit threats (not to mention magical thinking!), New Republic: BAN ALL GUNS!