So, back and forth we go. Patrick, you make some valid points about rights. I also believe that we people should be allowed to own, carry, and use any tool, drug, even gun when the situation merits it. That being said, I also think that having so many guns around makes it much easier to use one during some misunderstanding or passionate encounter.
This whole thread was started by Trayvon Martin getting shot for being in a gated community where blacks aren't welcome. This happened because the community watch guy, who was carrying a gun, thought that the kid with the hoodie didn't belong in his neighborhood. He was playing cop and the hoodie kid was killed. Does this make you want to go out and buy a gun?
Many situations happen where you might decide to pull the gun. Have there been that many for you in the past? There may be 1/237 chance that someone will try to rob you or in some way hurt you. Do you feel OK carrying a gun to protect yourself if this happened? I don't think that this level of violence is the rule. You can just give him your wallet. Would killing him really make you feel better? You would find out that he was a drug user and needed money for his next fix. So by killing him you've helped the gene pool? These issues aren't so easily fixed by having a gun. I think you escalate the situation by having a gun.
I've never been in a situation where I felt I needed a gun at that moment, and I don't feel the need to carry a gun all the time. I do own guns. I have used guns, but never against a person. I've been robbed at gun point way back when I drove a delivery truck, and like you pointed out, it's easier to just hand over a wallet than risk your life.
I believe it is our right to own a gun. I don't think it's our right to shoot animals for sport or fun or target practice. I don't even think it's necessary to shoot animals for food, they're plenty of that in the stores already.
Maybe some day when Big Brother is even more pervasive than he is already, those satellites in the sky will monitor our daily activity and when it spies Mr Bad Guy about to do something wrong a laser will beam down and fry him. Everyone will be on their best behavior after a few hundred people get zapped.
Miss the 'Keep off the Grass" sign? Bzzzaaaapp!! Cya,, wouldn't wanna be ya
iggy, you make it sound like you were actually there or have all the facts. So far, until the end results are known, none of us no what happened one way or the other. Besides, I think the uproar should have been just as great for the men who were shot in the back on the head by our "allies". But, what do I know.
Apparently your northern most (?) territory, Nunavut, has a murder rate over 18. This is higher than it is in most major US cities. Don't your gun control laws apply to Nunavut as well?
Even if everyone had a hunting rifle and we outnumbered the Armed Forces, if they wanted to kill the population, they could easily do it with a few nukes or even regular missiles from the fighter jets. We(they) have a few of them in the arsenal. What difference does it make if we regular people have guns or not? They have artillery, aircraft carriers, submarines, tanks, the CIA and many other agencies that can get the info about where the front has developed, etc. You think they'd leave the internet up? We've made them the most powerful force in the world.
I don't think Red Dawn was very real. It was a nice fantasy to make a point. The sniper approach might take out a few Army guys. It would really depend if the Army did become so Nazi-like that they decide to take out all those who oppose their point of view. They could just put something in the water or the air. It wouldn't take that much actual rifle shooting until the last few outlying heroes made their stand. How about Agent Orange? There are many weapons that we don't use because they are so lethal. I don't think I could do very much against these guys who professionally play Army all their lives.
So, I have a right to own this hunting rifle. I'm safe.
Have we learned nothing about prohibition? It doesn't work! When you close a segment of a market down, a black market pops up to fill the void. Supply and demand, people.
Also, about the "guns are inherently evil and they should be banned" thing... Give me and the 100 million other law-abiding citizens in this country a friggin' break. 2 million times a year, every year, in the US, regular people employ the implement known as a firearm in a LEGAL and MORAL fashion to protect themselves, others or their property from another person ILLEGALLY trying to do them harm. Also, I would bet my left nut that the majority of firearms used in the commission of a violent crime are either black market, stolen, or otherwise unlawfully obtained.
About Trayvon? The guy that shot him was hispanic, with a German name, and also in custody being charged with 2nd degree murder. Not one person outside of 200 yards of the incident besides Zimmerman and those who actually saw what happened know a damn thing about what's-what. If Zimmerman's life was not in danger, he should suffer the consequences. If his life was in danger, the shooting was justified. So far, from what I have seen, the only people claiming Zimmerman is guilty of murder is Trayvon's family (understandably), the police (or at least publicly... Maybe they were just trying to prevent further escalations of violence due to this mess? I find that hard to believe regardless) and most of the media, whixh has so far completely shattered any sense of credibility with me... NBC EDITED the 911 call they aired as they jumped on the story to cut out the dispatcher ASKING Zimmerman what color Martin was, before Zimmerman said "black." I say let the trial happen, and if did it, he should be found guilty and sent to prison, or released if he didn't. Until then, give it a rest.
Comments
This whole thread was started by Trayvon Martin getting shot for being in a gated community where blacks aren't welcome. This happened because the community watch guy, who was carrying a gun, thought that the kid with the hoodie didn't belong in his neighborhood. He was playing cop and the hoodie kid was killed. Does this make you want to go out and buy a gun?
Many situations happen where you might decide to pull the gun. Have there been that many for you in the past? There may be 1/237 chance that someone will try to rob you or in some way hurt you. Do you feel OK carrying a gun to protect yourself if this happened? I don't think that this level of violence is the rule. You can just give him your wallet. Would killing him really make you feel better? You would find out that he was a drug user and needed money for his next fix. So by killing him you've helped the gene pool? These issues aren't so easily fixed by having a gun. I think you escalate the situation by having a gun.
I believe it is our right to own a gun. I don't think it's our right to shoot animals for sport or fun or target practice. I don't even think it's necessary to shoot animals for food, they're plenty of that in the stores already.
Maybe some day when Big Brother is even more pervasive than he is already, those satellites in the sky will monitor our daily activity and when it spies Mr Bad Guy about to do something wrong a laser will beam down and fry him. Everyone will be on their best behavior after a few hundred people get zapped.
Miss the 'Keep off the Grass" sign? Bzzzaaaapp!! Cya,, wouldn't wanna be ya
Apparently your northern most (?) territory, Nunavut, has a murder rate over 18. This is higher than it is in most major US cities. Don't your gun control laws apply to Nunavut as well?
I don't think Red Dawn was very real. It was a nice fantasy to make a point. The sniper approach might take out a few Army guys. It would really depend if the Army did become so Nazi-like that they decide to take out all those who oppose their point of view. They could just put something in the water or the air. It wouldn't take that much actual rifle shooting until the last few outlying heroes made their stand. How about Agent Orange? There are many weapons that we don't use because they are so lethal.
I don't think I could do very much against these guys who professionally play Army all their lives.
So, I have a right to own this hunting rifle. I'm safe.
Also, about the "guns are inherently evil and they should be banned" thing... Give me and the 100 million other law-abiding citizens in this country a friggin' break. 2 million times a year, every year, in the US, regular people employ the implement known as a firearm in a LEGAL and MORAL fashion to protect themselves, others or their property from another person ILLEGALLY trying to do them harm. Also, I would bet my left nut that the majority of firearms used in the commission of a violent
crime are either black market, stolen, or otherwise unlawfully obtained.
About Trayvon? The guy that shot him was hispanic, with a German name, and also in custody being charged with 2nd degree murder. Not one person outside of 200 yards of the incident besides Zimmerman and those who actually saw what happened know a damn thing about what's-what. If Zimmerman's life was not in danger, he should suffer the consequences. If his life was in danger, the shooting was justified. So far, from what I have seen, the only people claiming Zimmerman is guilty of murder is Trayvon's family (understandably), the police (or at least publicly... Maybe they were just trying to prevent further escalations of violence due to this mess? I find that hard to believe regardless) and most of the media, whixh has so far completely shattered any sense of credibility with me... NBC EDITED the 911 call they aired as they jumped on the story to cut out the dispatcher ASKING Zimmerman what color Martin was, before Zimmerman said "black." I say let the trial happen, and if did it, he should be found guilty and sent to prison, or released if he didn't. Until then, give it a rest.