Orioles Star Hitter on Guns, Obama, Deer Jerky, and Ted Nugent

Luke Scott slammed 27 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles last year, a fact that goes largely unmentioned in Yahoo baseball writer David Brown's new Q&A with the 32-year-old designated hitter. Instead of discussing his approach to hitting, Scott voices a variety of interesting theories about President Obama's country of birth (not America), the fall of the Soviet Union (not enough freedom), and the tastiest jerky (deer). Some of Scott's most intriguing pronouncements, grouped by topic:

American Exceptionalism

• "This country is basically built on an attitude. It's a way of life. It's not because you're born here. It's not that you're supposed to take from those who have and give to those who haven't. That kills a country. It killed Russia."

• "Cuba, Venezuela. People are trying to escape these lands like a plague. What would make a human being swim 90 miles in shark-infested waters on a raft made of tires and planks? To leave their culture, their family, their language, their way of life. Everything they've ever known. What would make someone do that? You don't see people in America doing that. There's no one here in America swimming the Pacific Ocean--or the Atlantic, or the Caribbean--to leave this place. The reason why is because of the freedom."

The Economic Downturn

• "People want the same result, but they don't want to pay the same price. They want equality, but not by earning it--they want it given to them. It's a recipe for disaster and it will kill the entire nation."

• "We're experiencing all of these negative things that are happening in our land as a direct result of that type of attitude--of too much government involvement, of moral decay, and of people lacking honor and integrity."

President Obama

• "Obama ... hmm ... Obama does not represent America."

• "[Obama] represents, 'Hey, everyone. Give me votes and I'll give you stuff.' And there's even people on TV who [are asked], 'Hey, who you voting for?'

'I'm voting for Obama.'

'Why?'

'So I can get more free stuff.'"

• "I was born here. If someone accuses me of not being born here, I can go--within 10 minutes--to my filing cabinet and I can pick up my real birth certificate and I can go, 'See? Look! Here it is. Here it is.' [Obama] has dodged everything. He dodges questions, he doesn't answer anything. And why? Because he's hiding something."

• "If you're born here, there's plenty of documents. But you know what? There's no documentation of him. No legal documentation of him. There's been lie after lie after lie exposed, but people put it under the carpet. Hence, the problem we have in this country."

Gun Control

• "The reason the Second Amendment was put into place was to keep the government from controlling the people. History will tell you everything. Just look at anywhere else in the world. Look at Russia, look at Eastern Europe, look at South America. Gun control means control. It means control for the government and the government starts controlling the people."

• "I've spent time in Venezuela. I played down there. I've seen what happens with the people down there. People are in the streets throwing rocks and they're getting mowed down with machine guns. It has nothing to do with crime."

• "The real issue behind these people who are gun grabbers, the truth is--based on fact--the reason why is, they want control. They want control of the people. That's what socialism is and communism."

Nature

• "I've made my own deer jerky. It's good and very good for you."

• "In most places in this country, if you see a coyote, you're supposed to shoot him. They eat people's pets. They're good to have as part of the natural food chain, but they proliferate....I like to hunt them just [to] hunt them. Take their skin and get pelts made. It's pretty neat."

Baseball

• "I haven't paid any attention to baseball until recently."

• "It looks like the Orioles are really trying to make moves to compete in this division--which is essential."

His Heroes

• "I'm a big fan of Ted Nugent because he's a "keep it real" type of guy. He respects wildlife, he loves to hunt. I look at Ted Nugent and ... he's an American."

• "[Former Astros first baseman] Lance [Berkman]? Lance [Berkman] is awesome. He's what I call 'A fellow American.' He's a good man."

• "There's a lot of people that fought for their country and that's not something to be taken lightly...For me, that's not something, 'Oh, thank you.' No. 'THANK YOU.'"