#NOTASEAL: The ignorance and Logical Fallacies of the "intelligent" Benn Steil

Benn Steil is an economist and writer. He was educated at Nuffield College, Oxford and at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Steil is the senior fellow and director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the founder and editor of the journal International Finance. He has been awarded the Hayek Prize and the Spear's Book Award. Director of International economics, Council of foreign Relations. Author of the award-winning "Battle of Bretton Woods".

Mr Steil went on Twitter a few days after the Orlando shootings and asked this question...

Of course he got hammered, with many bringing up the obvious Revolutionary War. Some brought up WW II but I decided to go another route.

I was very careful with my response. I re-read his question multiple times. His question was very clear. "How many tyrants have been stopped or overthrown by liberty- loving American gun owners".

It really is a perfect description of most U.S. Special Forces Soldiers. He did not specify civilians or specify that it had to be done in the U.S.

With the typical snark of someone using the logical fallacy "Appeal to Authority", him being the authority.

He replied to me with this...

He used the logical fallacy of "Movient the Goalpost" by demanding that it wasn't in America.

After posting his question and my response on Instagram, someone in the comments brought up The Battle of Athens TN.

For those not familiar:

Revolt in Athens, Tennessee!
20 People Wounded
14 Autos Overturned, and Burned at Town Square
Jail Under Seize 8 hours
Sheriff, Senator & Others Flee County
Athens, Tennessee: The uprising was led by ex-GIs recently returned from battle, to discover dishonest election tactics and corrupt and crooked local government. Having seen first-hand, Tennessee blood spilled and Tennessee lives lost in the battle for freedom, these patriotic veterans weren't about to knuckle under to the special interests. Certain insiders, for their own profit and benefit, had taken control of the small community of Athens, a town of about 7600 people.
The violence started on election day when a poll watcher was attacked and thrown through a glass door. The town folks, already agitated, became incensed. They went home and returned with pistols, shotguns and whatever weapons they could lay their hands on. The incumbents and "insiders" had recruited extra deputies from neighboring cities and counties but they were no match for the now armed and angry citizens of McMinn County. Sheriff Pat Mansfield and State Senator Paul Cantrell, along with others, fled the scene. Twenty-five deputys retreated to the jail which was surrounded and fired upon by the civillian army.
At 4:00 A.M. the next morning, the "25" surrendered their arms and came out with hands up. Although a cry went up to "hang 'em", cooler heads prevailed. The "25" were taken to the edge of town, stripped naked and told not to come back.
The upshot was the incumbent and "insider-clique" were out. The slate backed by the citizens and supported by the GI patriots was officially certified victorious by State authorities in Nashville.
Thus, a new sheriff, trustee, register of deeds, circuit court clerk and county court clerk were seated (3 Democrats, 2 Republicans). All were new, all were honest and freely elected. The year was 1946. In 1948, a city council / county commission form of government, one of the first in the state of Tennessee was created. Athens prospered and grew and today has more than doubled in population.