What if we played the same game as the fever-dream gun-rights faction?
If “any attempt to regulate guns further [means you are] agents of some sinister conspiracy to take away everyone’s guns” then one could similarly argue that the NRA is secretly in favor of making any and all weapons, including surface-to-air missiles and flame-throwers, available at the 7-11 with no age restrictions and no background checks.
I would prefer not to use that argument, I would prefer that the NRA step back from the precipice and stop acting like angry paranoid war-mongers itching for a civil war.
From my “perspective” people can choose to be owners of “guns” and join the “gun group” but can’t chose to be owners of “black skin” and then sell it when if want to leave the “black group.”
If you want to call someone a sellout or phoney, call them a sellout or a phoney. But bad comparisons to -isms are bad.
Especially in a thread about the sexist acceptance of the harassment of women.
The US needs treatment for its addiction to guns and the notion that it’s somehow a last line of defence against gubmint gone wild. Do I really need to be the one to tell people that the government has much better and many more guns than you do? They get the clips you can’t have so when you’re loading up the next mag they’re still putting holes in you.
Furthermore any argument that the existing gun laws are stringent enough is nonsense since laws vary drastically between states, guns are extremely cheap and available on the streets and any person in the US can legally manufacture a firearm that is not registered in any way. It is illegal to sell or transfer any such firearm, but it’s entirely legal to make, own and use one.
There is no rational reason to deny private gun ownership. The number of people who abuse guns to kill or hurt someone is a small fraction of the overall gun owners. Most guns will never hurt anything more than paper targets and pop cans. For most people, the likelihood of one being hurt by a gun is very small. One is more likely to die driving to work or school.
Some people have this irrational fear that is fueled by TV and media. Nearly everything they see gun related is either Hollywood fantasy, or reports on the news of misuse. No wonder they have a bad opinion of them. If all one is exposed to is negatives, it’s easy to see how one would come to that opinion. Many aren’t exposed to the rather boring reality of guns sitting in cases and safes and being taken out maybe once a month to go to a range, maybe participate in a competition or play a round of a game.
I find it ironic you’re willing to penalize all these millions of people who are hurting no one with their gun, yet defend a dog who attacked a kid as doing nothing wrong and just playing. It doesn’t make me value your opinion on what is safe or an acceptable risk.
With a homicide by firearm rate like this, it’s a good thing you’ve got all those guns to protect yourself from all those guns. Think of the bloodbath there would be if no one had any guns!
Aren’t these the same people that “support the troops”? The same troops they will be fighting when the government comes to take their guns? or food? or taxes? or whatever the government will be doing. I’m confused.
My country is relatively safe compared to yours. That’s a pretty good reason, bud.
This Australian guy was gunned down in Oklahoma last year while jogging… why? For the lulz of course.
One is more likely to die driving to work or school.
Yes, a risk we take to get the benefit of education and income. What benefit do I get from you owning a gun and getting to shoot shit?
I’m not having a go at you specifically… based on our previous interactions on this subject I am comfortable that you’re sensible and responsible enough to own a gun and not do stupid shit. The problem is that legislating your right to do that increases the chance that someone who shouldn’t have a gun can get one.
Ice-T once said something to the effect of “I’m not worried that there’s a liquor store on every corner of the hood, I’m worried about what makes a brother want to sit on the stoop and drink all day.”
The problem isn’t that we have guns, it’s that we have that many people who want to commit murder.
Seriously- Forget about whether it’s next to impossible to get a weapon or whether you can get a grenade launcher at Costco, and answer this:
How many mistakes have to be made, how many cracks does someone need to fall through, how generally fucked up do things need to be, for someone to genuinely, realistically think “I really want to kill some people”?
Eliminating every firearm on Earth wouldn’t fix that- and as long as we’re still arguing about methods instead of motivations, we’re not fixing the problem either.
I have brought that point up often. They believe the troops will rally over to their side once it comes time to overthrow the black, excuse me, the unconstitutional-Marxist-fascist-oppressor.
How safe is safe enough? What freedoms are you willing to give up for that security? Is it “fair” to penalize the vast majority of harmless people because of the small minority of abusers? Should the misuse of things you may value lead to their restriction as well? What other activities should we restrict in the interest of safety? No one NEEDS to ride a motorcycle, cars and public transportation are much safer. Should other safety measures be put in place and enforced? Even with seat belts and air bags, people suffer traumatic brain injuries in traffic accidents. Let’s all wear helmets, like any race driver would. Who needs a private plane? They could crash into buildings. What about dangerous sports like skiing or sky diving? I sure am glad the current drug laws are keeping us safe from harm. The UK is pioneering the use of non-stabby knives. etc etc…
Guns don’t cause crime. If your country has less crime I would say you owe it to the socio-economics of your country. Even without guns I am sure you still experience random and senseless violence. If you think people are going to suddenly be nice and stop hurting one another because they lack guns, you’re naive.
Wow, I am used to WI (20 years ago) – which isn’t too much different now… One can buy a rifle without any waiting period: registration; etc.
Even my current residence of CA would just delay my purchase of a rifle by 10 days – I could then leave it loaded on the coffee table without worrying about having any special storage; alarm; etc inspections like I would with a backyard pool.
I keep wondering is that “it,” “the big one,” “when it finally happens?” They all seem to be on the same page, and I just assume they fantasize about some sort on national purge that will leave the country knee deep in blood from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
A 30.06, an ancient bolt action 22, an ancient 12 gauge shotgun, and a little 410 shotgun (and a 45 black powder pistol that I built as a kid)
Current gun advocates scare the crap out of me. People don’t seem to respect firearms anymore. I am far from a violent person, but most firearms advocates that I see now-a-days leave me seething with rage. They seem no different than people masturbating in a park.
So what is it about the way Open Carry Texas exercises their Second Amendment right that compares to the reprehensible things that NAMBLA (child molestation), Stormfront (racism), and Westboro Baptist (general bigotry) advocate when exercising their First Amendment rights?
Instantly disprovable with one quip: I don’t and have never had the fear of being shot. Ever.
The “guns don’t dont kill people, people kill people” argument is old and tired man. If you accept that we have too many people who want to commit murder then it’s probably sensible to take away (or at least effectively control) a tool that can make that happen at the press of a button. Addressing one social issue doesn’t mean you have to do it in isolation of addressing another social issue. It’s not a choice of fixing society vs fixing guns proliferation and even if it was, taking the guns away is far more effective than trying to precipitate social change which, in basically every area, takes at least a generation.
If I could sit on the porch (we don’t have stoops here) drinking all day I would. In university that’s mostly what I did (though I’d change it to ‘imbibe’ cause there’s better things than alcohol). There’s nothing wrong with how someone chooses to spend their time as long as it doesn’t unfairly affect or impinge upon someone else. Murder kinda impinges on someone else.
