Gun Control Australia’s Piers Grove is founder of Betoota Advocate

Nope, this isn’t satire.

You may have noticed that satirical paper The Betoota Advocate has run several firearm pieces of late. The latest being in the wake of the Santa Fe incident in Texas.

Well it gets better. Turns out that none other than Gun Control Australia Executive Director, Piers Grove, is the founder and contributor to the paper:

And Wikipedia:

As you can see, he’s pretty much a professional activist. He’s also produced “comedy” for the ABC – which would explain quite a few things.

Now why is this important? It shows you how far the tentacles reach of the most dishonest and deceptive organisation in Australia.

Sure, Betoota may seem like harmless satire on the surface and most of their non-firearm articles are, but the problem is the subtle effect on the narrative. Comedy has been a very effective political and propaganda delivery mechanism since time eternal. There’s a difference between comedy and indoctrination by comedic imposition.

For example, this article that ran last year about Victoria’s gun owners vs a Cyclone:

“Just months after Floridanese police and sheriff departments had to ask citizens to not shoot at Hurricane Irma, a similar situation is currently unfolding in Victoria where thousands of gun owners plan to shoot the impending bad weather away.

Owners of Victorian shotgun, centre and rimfire rifle, as well as a few handgun owners, have vowed to make a stand against what the Bureau of Meteorology is calling a “big storm”. Speaking to The Advocate this afternoon via telephone, one Ararat shotgun owner said he will do his best to stop the storm before it does too much damage.

“I went down the Elders this afternoon and bought me some shells,” said Rhett Bong, a 47-year-old workman. “Also got some castor oil, polony and a few loaves of bread. I’m going to live like a king and shoot this got dam f–king cloud back to the Artic where the somabitch come from,”

“F–k you John Brumby! M—f–ka [sic] not laughing now! Praise be upon Ricky Muir, the merciful and kind, ya’ll. Woolooloooo!”

In other words, Victorian gun owners are just irresponsible, redneck yobbos who would use their firearms in this manner – from the article’s picture down to the text. Note the references to Ricky Muir and types of firearms.

Sure, I’m not trying to be an uptight stick in the mud and humour is subjective but this is left can’t meme territory and slyly serves the purpose of GCA, considering who is writing it.

A relevant comparison? Have a look at just about every late-night television host in America and their political views – they’re identical. The purpose isn’t as much humour as it is about pushing political talking points in the minds of the public. You can bet your bottom dollar that if you asked most Australian comedians their view points on firearms, aside from obviously Jim Jefferies, you would get a similar answer.

It’s generally the same with the firearm debate across the board in Australia. Apart from dedicated shooting organisations and groups putting out material, it’s constantly anti-gun or a variation thereof, comedy or otherwise.

The fact that Gun Control Australia have a direct stake in one of the largest growing media companies in Australia, should raise red flags. Not that it’s really surprising considering how a shady group that has basically no membership or credibility, is able to get access to any media outlet on cue.

While it’s surely not the last of their efforts, the smug and snarky overtones of Betoota’s infamous “Australia’s Oppressive Gun Control Regime” article have surely been quietly retired in the wake of the Osmington Massacre.

Pro tip Piers – you’d be better off just cataloguing the daily satire that comes out of your organisation rather than funnelling it through Leftoota. Sam Lee seems to have an endless supply of material.

GCA’s comedy writes itself.