Gun ownership, what's your views?

Originally Posted by medicineman

Here's basically mine:
In some minds, guns are linked to murder and other unlawful uses. Yet, they seldom view gasoline, matches, wire, kitchen knives or hobnailed boots as tools of violence. People are familiar with those everyday objects and know that they are not evil magic. The will to kill is the paramount ingredient in homicides. Absent that will, no weapon would lift itself to harm a human.
Conditioning by television or newspapers makes some view every gun as a tragedy in the making. Evening news often show a picture of a gun even when talking about a beating which involved feet and fists. Without a real-world basis for comparison, it is easy to assume that firearms are possessed of supernatural powers. After all, if our understanding of computers was based on Hollywood, wouldn't we all live in fear of killer robots and rogue mainframes?
Judicious use of complex tools separates humans from all other species. To throw away one of our main evolutionary accomplishments out of misguided fear would be akin to wishing away the well-developed brain to make births easier. The loss of functionality to us as human beings would far exceed any potential gain from such a trade.

my girlfriend seems to think all guns should just dissapear from public


i think she is an idiot


every person should own a gun, know how to use it, and be an expert in firearms safety


if everyone did own a gun, carjackings, home invasions, etc would all decline because when your armed, your attacker faces the possibility of serious injury or death, compared to a place where guns are illegal and the criminals who already have guns can have their way with whoever they wish

Med, I agree completely with your most excellent post!

Outstanding!

responsible gun owners are awesome...

Got one within arms reach of my bed and one on the other side of the room. Never know what can happen.

Originally Posted by Wavels

Med, I agree completely with your most excellent post!

Outstanding!

Thanks. I score one every once in a while. Seems like conservatives and this liberal agree on Gun status. BTW, just bought a TT33 pistol, Russian issue. 1500+FPS. Will penetrate 12 layers of Kevlar. They are pretty cheap too, Look them up on the net and see if these might work for you guys, Cops beware.

You would be better off beating an intruder with the phone than calling 911 and waiting for the pigs. I think you would be stupid to not own a gun. I do not think it should be illegal to carry a gun. If criminal types knew there was a chance you were armed...they would at least think twice. I also think keeping an unloaded gun in the home is less effective than an aluminum bat...I do not keep one racked for safety but all except the .22 is loaded.

Originally Posted by medicineman

Thanks. I score one every once in a while. Seems like conservatives and this liberal agree on Gun status. BTW, just bought a TT33 pistol, Russian issue. 1500+FPS. Will penetrate 12 layers of Kevlar. They are pretty cheap too, Look them up on the net and see if these might work for you guys, Cops beware.

Went from good post to scary.

Originally Posted by medicineman

Here's basically mine:
In some minds, guns are linked to murder and other unlawful uses. Yet, they seldom view gasoline, matches, wire, kitchen knives or hobnailed boots as tools of violence. People are familiar with those everyday objects and know that they are not evil magic. The will to kill is the paramount ingredient in homicides. Absent that will, no weapon would lift itself to harm a human.
Conditioning by television or newspapers makes some view every gun as a tragedy in the making. Evening news often show a picture of a gun even when talking about a beating which involved feet and fists. Without a real-world basis for comparison, it is easy to assume that firearms are possessed of supernatural powers. After all, if our understanding of computers was based on Hollywood, wouldn't we all live in fear of killer robots and rogue mainframes?
Judicious use of complex tools separates humans from all other species. To throw away one of our main evolutionary accomplishments out of misguided fear would be akin to wishing away the well-developed brain to make births easier. The loss of functionality to us as human beings would far exceed any potential gain from such a trade.

Ha ha. That's a good comparison. It reminds me about how my dogs are afraid of my vacuum cleaner. They think it's somehow going to get them and I've never even chased them with it or anything. They just have some sort of innate fear of the thing.

And I agree with your points on ownership - surprise, surprise. We have something in common. It is our right, after all, to be able to own them, but with ownership comes responsibility.