Your opinion of guns

[AndThen?]

Second, to all those who have stated they would be able to defend themselves without a gun against an attacker with one, SHUT UP. You are truly living in a reality that does not exist. There has been one person who has posted besides myself that can actually say they have been in that situation and that knows exactly what it is like to feel totally and completely helpless. I can guarantee each and every one of you that if I put you in that situation your very first reaction would be fear, and most of you would end up wetting your pants and crying, your next reaction would be to flee and you would either end up shot in the back, stopped and shot in the front or on the off chance that you actually have the speed to outrun a bullet you would get away. The first time it happened to me I wet my pants and then lost all my money, the second I ended up doing much better and it only took a warning shot to the assailants feet. A weapon does equalize the situation and nothing causes criminals to become honest quicker than a bullet. I hope and pray that I never have to be in a situation like that again, but I know that if I am at least I am going in on equal terms.

Okay - I've never said I'd be able to defend myself against an intruder wanting money with a gun, I'd just rather neither of us had one. Where I live, gun controls do work - the burglars we have are not armed with a gun. My house has been robbed a couple of times, but I've never been in the house when it has been robbed. You've had personal experience and I respect that, and I'm not saying anything you did was wrong, but I do disagree with a bit of it. Intruders would be hesitant to shoot someone, they'd be relying on the person being shocked; for the simple reason that armed robbery < murder.

Third, I own guns, not a gun, but several. I always have and I always will. I also have children, those also will never go away, sometimes they need to though:lol: Amazingly I have them both in the same house and I have no issues with that, now some of you may ask how is that even possible. Well it's simple, EDUCATION, that is the key to everything. As a parent it is my responsibility to educate my children, whether it be on gun safety, sex, drugs, whatever, but anything that can cause them harm it is my job to educate them.

Despite my cousins incident, I'm not saying that children can't be educated against guns. I agree with you in that gun education is important - it exists even in Australia - but hey, (stemming from your comparison to AIDS) people are still being shot who I think would otherwise be alive. In my country, the only times I've ever seen guns are when they're attached to the waist of policemen, and I don't live a sheltered life.

Fourth, Oddly the reason I have guns is not primarily self defense, the reason I have them is to provide food for my table. Most of you will not be able to comprehend this but, for most of my life I have eaten only what wild game I could hunt and butcher myself, why? Well a couple reasons, one money, it's just simply cheaper than buying it, two, thats how I was raised, I really didn't know you could buy meat in a store until I was in my teens.

That's the way you were raised so I can't really argue with that. I'm not entirely sure where I stand with hunting - I'll never do it (I can't bring myself to kill another animal... insects don't count), but in a way it's more humane and less wasteful than food we buy in the supermarket (I watched wayyy too many animal cruelty videos when I was vego).

Now to all of you who think gun control laws are the solution, they really and truly aren't. Probably the best example I can come up with is AIDS. Lets think about this for a moment. Lets say that in the late 80's and early 90's when AIDS was hitting home hard in every demographic of the population that sex was outlawed and put under federal regulation, do you really believe that would have stemmed the tide? No really, do you? Of course not, prohibiting sex would have only increased it by taking something that really isn't the problem, and for lack of a better word martyring it. Thats not what we did though, we turned to education instead, we took the time educate ourselves, our children and everyone around us, of the dangers involved in unprotected sex. Now look at where we are at, yes aids is still a problem and very serious one, but it's growth is not on upward spiral due to the fact that we have become educated.

I strongly disagree with this comparison. Firstly, AIDS is still (well, it was in 2002) the fourth leading cause of death in the world, and though it may not be a problem where you live, in sub-Saharan Africa they're having a lot of trouble with it. The prevalence in the world is totally different. While AIDS is mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, guns are a major problem to the developed world. No matter how much educating we do, there are always going to be times when someone (be they heavily intoxicated, mentally unstable or retarded) will pull a gun on an individual with the intention of shooting. So while AIDS can be diminished by education (which I totally agree with), gun control laws are a more effective way of combatting shootings. Banning sex is entirely different to banning guns. Sorry, this comparison didn't work for me.

It is in the country I live in a persons personal choice to own a gun or not, and that is fine. But if you don't own one that doesn't give you the right to say I shouldn't either. For those of you elsewhere in the world more power to you, if your country has laws prohibiting gun use and they work wonderful.

Wow, he accepts a different view might work.

Bottom line is education, be responsible and take the time to educate yourself and those you are with if you are going to have and use a gun. Unfortunately in our cultural they are also used as toys and that in my opinion is a huge mistake. Never take something a child could actually do major damage with and tell them its a toy, in my house my children have never had toy guns, just the real ones and those they are not allowed to touch, look at, go near, think about or anything else, not that they could because they are all safely locked up. Anyway I could go on forever about educating people, but I won't. Just wanted to say that in order to effect change the most successful and positive way has always been and will always be education, regardless of the topic.

Oh wow. The fact that you can step back and see that the gun situation you're in isn't perfect amazes me. Good on you.

I agree with Brawny, but still... +rep.

 

[Sparx]

Wow thats one long post.

 

[Diomedes]

The procedure to get a gun license here in australia is good, but could be better. While being at one of the lessons (not for myself mind you) i could see that the majority of the class were adults behaving like 5 year old d**kheads, the police had to threaten them to settle things down. It still astounds me that these sort of people are still allowed to carry firearms, even in Australia. Getting a license should be very difficult, but not impossible. So those who respect handling of firearms are able to do so, but those who want it for the *cool* factor are easily ward off by the intimidating procedure.
"Protective" weapons should be altered in a way so the shot does not pose any lethal risk and only injures the assailant and enabling speedy flight. Eye for an eye technique doesn't work well these days

 

[Sparx]

Uh huh...I'm a retard compared to you people...

Soo....what your trying to say is...Guns=Bad?

 

[Diomedes]

Weapons used the wrong way=bad

 

[Sparx]

But as long as there are guns, they will always be used the wrong way.

If we take away guns, people will still make them and sell them on the black market so we are pretty much screwed either way.

Yes Guns=Most people have guns, more dangerous, but at the same time more self-defense.

No Guns=Totally screwed, criminals will still make guns and we don't have any so we are screwed.

Btw-Thanks for the *You Know What*

Btw- 200th Post on this Thread!

 

[ElronMac]

I strongly disagree with this comparison. Firstly, AIDS is still (well, it was in 2002) the fourth leading cause of death in the world, and though it may not be a problem where you live, in sub-Saharan Africa they're having a lot of trouble with it. The prevalence in the world is totally different. While AIDS is mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, guns are a major problem to the developed world. No matter how much educating we do, there are always going to be times when someone (be they heavily intoxicated, mentally unstable or retarded) will pull a gun on an individual with the intention of shooting. So while AIDS can be diminished by education (which I totally agree with), gun control laws are a more effective way of combatting shootings. Banning sex is entirely different to banning guns. Sorry, this comparison didn't work for me.

Ok let me clarify the aids comparison, I was basing the education and reduction of aids cases that occur in the US, not world wide. World Wide you are absolutely correct it is still at epidemic proportions, however in the US since we have begun the massive education campaign there has been a drastic reduction in reported cases per year over the last 13 years. Sorry about that.

And you are correct what we have in the states isn't perfect, I don't think what any country or govt has is, but we all have what we have so make the best of it. If you are here and you choose to own a gun be smart about it, simple as that. As for criminals, well I have way to much experience dealing with the justice system in the US and very rarely does it actually prosecute the actual criminals. Hell 85% of our prisons right now our filled with people who's only crime ever was smoking a joint WTF????????? Come'on, thats not even close to right and we all know it the only reason those people are there is because they aren't the real criminals, they are the blue collar people of the world, hell we all know only real criminals can afford the good lawyers, thats why they are criminals, they have the money to be. Anyway don't get me started on that one, the US approach to weed is totally ridiculous and it needs to change very soon.

 

[AndThen?]

I entirely agree with you about AIDS in America, and I agree that gun education should be promoted. However, gun education will not impact criminals, like AIDS education will not impact infected rapists in Africa.

 

[Diomedes]

But as long as there are guns, they will always be used the wrong way.

If we take away guns, people will still make them and sell them on the black market so we are pretty much screwed either way.

Yes Guns=Most people have guns, more dangerous, but at the same time more self-defense.

No Guns=Totally screwed, criminals will still make guns and we don't have any so we are screwed.

Btw-Thanks for the *You Know What*

Btw- 200th Post on this Thread!

the only way to defend yourself from evil is to become evil, same thing really. I just wish it were rubber bullets so its harder to die. (lol that went out wrong)

 

[sremick]

Hell 85% of our prisons right now our filled with people who's only crime ever was smoking a joint WTF????????? Come'on, thats not even close to right and we all know it the only reason those people are there is because they aren't the real criminals, they are the blue collar people of the world, hell we all know only real criminals can afford the good lawyers, thats why they are criminals, they have the money to be. Anyway don't get me started on that one, the US approach to weed is totally ridiculous and it needs to change very soon.

I don't smoke pot. I've never smoked pot. I've never smoked anything in my life, ever. I have no interest or desire.

Yet despite all that, I think pot should be legal. The hypocrisy infuriates me. Smoking kills 400,000+ people a year. Pot has never killed anyone. But that's another thread, I think...

 

[AndThen?]

Pot has never killed anyone. But that's another thread, I think...

Not directly, perhaps. My friend got addicted to pot, turned schizophrenic and killed himself. Again... another thread.

 

[Diomedes]

Surprisingly the consumption of pot where it is legal is considerably less than where it isn't (and better used, not just abused).

As to be ontopic, have a simple pistol for damns sake! You dont need a shotgun to defend yourself from a burglar (in normal situations).

 

[Sparx]

Yes, but also, Guns=More Suicides

 

[sremick]

Yes, but also, Guns=More Suicides

Oh? What evidence of that do you have? Typical thing of blaming the gun, not the person.

Obviously this is coming from someone who doesn't understand suicides. If someone wants to kill themselves, they will do so. Lack of one method out of dozens available won't deter them. It's not like "well I could jump off a bridge, or slit my wrists, or overdose, or use carbon monoxide, but since guns aren't available I guess I want to live after all!"

Yes it's a fact that using a gun is the most-popular method of suicide. But that doesn't translate to "if there were fewer guns, there'd be fewer suicides". Example: McDonald's is the most-popular fast-food chain. If McDonald's went away, would people eat less fast-food, or would they just use the alternatives more?

Lack of one method doesn't equal lack of desire or ability.

 

[Sparx]

Dude whatever. -.-