Gun control?
As this is my 500th post, I thought I’d make a splash with some thoughts that have been rattling around my brain for a while - it’s time to lay them out and invite comment…
Guns, weapons, call them what you will (“This is your weapon, not your gun. It’s for shooting, not for fun”), are a necessary part of the world. They are a tool; a means to an end.
And they actually can be a lot of fun.
Contrary to popular belief, the UK is not gun free. Growing up, I was the captain of my school’s rifle team (303 prone), had a number of friends whose fathers owned rifles (one of which was a hobbyist gunsmith) and spent many happy afternoons at an outdoor range - sometimes shooting, sometimes operating push-up targets standing in the trench, pushing up mechanical targets as the shooters walked down-range, popping them up as the shooters dropped prone on command - I’ll never forget the occasion when the guy who has bearing down on my target flipped his Sten to fully automatic and cut the target in half…
I enjoyed it. It was a controlled, safety-conscious environment.
And damn, was I a good shot.
When I moved out to the States, I met a number of people who owned guns. I went out shooting with them and had a blast shooting at reactive targets.
It’s a great sport.
I also have no problem with hunting, or any other responsible firearms related activities. But what the hell is it with the whole concealed weapons, own as many guns as you while like storing them in your closet, thing?
In the UK, yes, the really bad guys will have weapons. But in the general case it ain’t gonna happen. In the US, you’re always worried that someone might be “carrying”.
It all seems to boil down to the second amendment. The right to bear arms.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
What do you believe was the intent there?
Maybe I’m wrong, but that amendment was written to enable the citizens of this country to protect itself against a dictatorial government. To protect itself against the very thing it was leaving behind.
Now, I’m probably the first person to say this government needs to be dismissed, but I don’t believe an armed citizenry is going to make it happen. Nor should it.
Surely, the reason we have the Supreme and Federal court systems is to interpret the Constitution and amendments in the spirit in which they were intended. Blind, to the letter interpretation gives proliferation and protection into hands for reasons unforeseen and unintended by the founding fathers.
Heck, I’ll save the problems of blind interpretation by religious zealots for another post…
There seems to be so much confusion, reinterpretation and changes in the law that it seems obvious to me that we have no idea what they meant, and that to say “it’s my second amendment right”, means that you get to do what you want with your weapons and carry them where you will, because “I can’t afford the Porsche to make my dick look bigger, therefore this gun will have to do.”
Can someone please tell me why you need to carry that Glock into my child’s daycare?
Maybe I’m wrong, but then I’m just a Brit who can’t vote and gets taxed for the priviledge…
Asbestos suit on.
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Steve at random thoughts is from England and has some questions about why we have such an intense interest on being able to carry concealed. In one link (I don't have time for this until tonight) this is my answer. Be... Read More
Steve at random thoughts is from England and has some questions about why we have such an intense interest on being able to carry concealed. In one link (I don't have time for this until tonight) this is my answer. Be... Read More
Maybe because of this:
'Recently the Florida State University department of Criminology released a study indicating that people who employed self protection strategies reduced their likelihood of injury when compared to nonresistance.'
and
'Various kinds of forceful victim protective behavior, such as threatening the offender with a gun or other weapon, show the strongest negative coefficients, though none are significant. A conservative interpretation would be that armed and other forceful resistance does not appear to increase the victim’s risk of injury.'
You can google the quotes for various sources.
Regards
Being female, I don't need to worry about feelings of phallic inadequacy even though I carry a gun sometimes.
I carry a spare tire in my car and I have a fire extinguisher at home. I don't know if I'll ever need either one, but sometime in my life I just might. A gun is similar. If you don't have one when you need one, you're really screwed--just like with a fire extinguisher.
I've needed a gun twice in my life already and had one both times. My gun, at least one of those times, saved my life and/or my "sacred honor." I didn't have to shoot anyone, although someone shot at me, but their fear of my gun was enough to end a possible abduction.
So, if I carry a gun in your child's daycare, I'm not doing it to feel big. I'm doing it to remain prepared. Bad people can come to day care centers just like they've come to churches, homes, and everywhere else. While I don't think I'll use a gun, you never know when you might need one.
All I read is "gun" :-) - can we trust that y'all will integrate CFS style multiplayer-action in the next FS? Purrty-please?
"Maybe I’m wrong, but that amendment was written to enable the citizens of this country to protect itself against a dictatorial government. To protect itself against the very thing it was leaving behind."
- While I believe that to be true, I, as well as millions of other Americans believe that it also gives us the right to bear arms as necessary in the name of securing our free States and Nation, as well as our freedom as an individual. Free of murder, rape, terrorism, robbery, hate-crimes, etc. Other than you, who else is there to protect your children? Your neighbor, your local politicians, your local policeman, ???
I, as well as many, believe that the second ammendment contains two distinct and entirely self-sufficient statements....rolled into 1 if you will.
1)A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, shall not be infringed.
2)Being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
I am not attempting to "rewrite" anything here....I am simply allowing other's to see in another light what the author's may have intended.
as you were....
I carry a sidearm wherever I'm allowed by law for three reasons:
1) To protect my family and myself (I've had multiple death threats in my short existence in this world).
2) To protect myself and others from over zealous people and governments.
3) My gentalia is big and I'm not a small guy either however I've been injured in the performance of duties of defending this nation. This leaves me with a serious weakness and should a fist be able to stop a situation I might not be up to the task. However, with my Springfield XD .357 Sig or Beretta 92FS Vertec I'll be able to stop any wild animal or person from doing what I don't want them to do to my family or myself.
I mention number two because I've had two people personally approach me and ask what kind of weapon would be appropriate for home/self defense in light of Hurricane Katrina. That's just personally, I can't even count the number of e-mails I've received regarding this same subject.
Thanks everyone for their comments so far. I apologize for the genitalia quip, I didn't mean to be insulting.
Anyhow, I had lunch with Joe and we had a great discussion about the topic...
Because the state will not protect your children in that daycare. If you think that it is safe because only children are there, the people of Beslan and Dunblane would disagree.
The state has no duty to protect you or your children individually. None. The police have an obligation to pursue the criminal after you are dead, which I am sure will be amusing in whatever afterlife there is, but it still ruins your dinner plans for that weekend.
If the state has no obligation to protect me and mine, then I will handle it myself.