Political Ramblings

[kuntrygirl]

All I can say about the single mother living on benefits, is that if she can save £2000 out of an annual budget of £15,500 she must be very clever with money! As for the gun laws debate I say this. Never believe that laws can't be changed and that you will always have the same rights as your ancestors, it just isn't true, wherever you live in the world. Life evolves and so do laws. Sometimes we win and sometimes, some people think they have lost. It is the way of things. Some rights were granted in a time when frontiers were only being pushed back and with little on no policing in place it was desirable to allow people arms with which to defend themselves. It was a solution in the 18/19th century but how necessary is it in these days of highly developed policing practices? Back in the days of the land rushes, it seems that anyone could stake a claim to an unoccupied piece of land and come to own it legitimately. Same in the days of the gold rush. That cannot be done now can it? You even have laws about how many chickens you might keep in certain areas. Do you think your ancestors had those laws? Gun laws will be tightened because we live in a far more sophisticated and legislated society than we did. There is no place for self policing. The writing is well and truly on the wall.

If she can do that, then she needs to open her own business as a consultant and teach others how to do the same thing on a limited income. Maybe she can get off of benefits with this "Gift Of Knowing How To Save".

 

[Back2MyRoots]

I think that the people screaming for stiffer gun control have never been forced to use a gun to protect themselves.

When my husband and I started dating, I had never pulled a trigger a day in my life. He purchased a few guns that I would be comfortable shooting and started taking me to the range. I went through a safety class and learned how to use several types of firearms well.

When Kevin and I got married and I moved in, the area he was living in was.... less than wholesome to say the least. And he worked night shift 2 weeks of every month. One night, around 2:00 a.m. a group of young boys tried to break into our home. I was alone and scared to death. I called 911 and announced to the burglars that I had a gun. Well of course my voice was shaking so they didn't take me seriously and continued to attempt to pry our doors open; some were at the front door and some were at the back. I yelled again and then slid the pump on our shotgun. It's a home defense weapon, identical to what the coast guard uses for close range shooting. The pump is loud and commands attention. They stopped in their tracks and ran. It turns out they were using screw drivers and knives to try to wedge the doors open. The 911 call center was less than 2 blocks from our front door. It took almost 45 minutes for the police to respond. If I hadn't had a gun and known how to use it, I shudder to think what could have happened to me that night. One of the boys even left a hunting knife stuck in the door jam. It had his initials on it and had been purchased at a local pawn shop. It was easy to trace and after a little pressure from our sheriff's department, he came clean and ratted on his buddies too. They all admitted that hearing the gun and knowing I was telling the truth was what made them stop.

You say there is no place for self policing? I beg to differ!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I know a few more sheriffs that would take issue with the idea that people dont need guns any more. Countries having a standing military an armies of law enforcement is proof that nothing has changed. Human nature has not changed. Standing military an law enforcement predates the gun yet the second amendment was wrote. Until human nature has changed, the common man should always have the right to own a weapon equal to anything he may be attacked with.

My truck has a gun in it, my home does too. I also carry a gun on me. Besides that, there are lanterns in my truck, along with medical supplies, duct tape, batteries, toilet paper, tools, fire resistant cloths and life jackets. I also keep a CPR mask on me. None of these things are there cause I want to use them. They are there cause I needed them at one time an did not have them. All have been used later cause I needed them again an did have them. My side arm was used the one place most anti gun people would say guns should not be, a kids party.

Interestingly enough, the life jackets get the most odd comments being as I live on a mountain. But after a car got washed away in flood water two miles from my home an I showed up with them... People do not make comments any more.

Call me what you want but no one is going to tell me I dont need the things I know for a fact I do. An I will fight for the right to have those thing.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I feel like it is impossible to have a real conversation about guns in this country because people want to shove their fingers in their ears and yell "RIGHTS RIGHTS RIGHTS!" Of course there are people on every extreme but for the most part I don't think people fighting for gun control want to eliminate guns - they want to change the way guns are sold and make it a little less easy for people to buy them without a background check, license or safety/knowledge test. Even as a gun owner I find myself often agreeing with this.

Everyone wants to talk about rights this and rights that but the truth is rights come with responsibilities and no one seems to want to discuss those. I am all for waiting periods and background checks and a certain amount of regulation. If you are not responsible enough to handle your rights then perhaps you don't get to have them anymore when your choices can have such extreme consequences. Accidents happen but the truth is it is really easy to buy a gun and the "safety" exam I took was a total joke. I feel like it should be at least as difficult as driving a car.

There are a lot of reasons to own guns. If that gun on the back of the truck is a hunting set up, then it is unclear and a bit ambiguous and to people who are not hunters it does at a glance look a little violent and extreme. I think sometimes the best way to make a point is to understand your audience and if you want to argue against gun control there are better ways to articulate what you are trying to say.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

I know a few more sheriffs that would take issue with the idea that people dont need guns any more. Countries having a standing military an armies of law enforcement is proof that nothing has changed. Human nature has not changed. Standing military an law enforcement predates the gun yet the second amendment was wrote. Until human nature has changed, the common man should always have the right to own a weapon equal to anything he may be attacked with.

My truck has a gun in it, my home does too. I also carry a gun on me. Besides that, there are lanterns in my truck, along with medical supplies, duct tape, batteries, toilet paper, tools, fire resistant cloths and life jackets. I also keep a CPR mask on me. None of these things are there cause I want to use them. They are there cause I needed them at one time an did not have them. All have been used later cause I needed them again an did have them. My side arm was used the one place most anti gun people would say guns should not be, a kids party.

Interestingly enough, the life jackets get the most odd comments being as I live on a mountain. But after a car got washed away in flood water two miles from my home an I showed up with them... People do not make comments any more.

Call me what you want but no one is going to tell me I dont need the things I know for a fact I do. An I will fight for the right to have those thing.

and very well said.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Accidents happen but the truth is it is really easy to buy a gun and the "safety" exam I took was a total joke. I feel like it should be at least as difficult as driving a car.

There are a lot of reasons to own guns. If that gun on the back of the truck is a hunting set up, then it is unclear and a bit ambiguous and to people who are not hunters it does at a glance look a little violent and extreme. I think sometimes the best way to make a point is to understand your audience and if you want to argue against gun control there are better ways to articulate what you are trying to say.

A gun setting on the tool box of my truck which is parked behind my house looks violent? I could see saying that if I was on the street standing in the bed with it mounted to the roll bar pointing forward. I was out in the field behind my house shooting targets an sighting in my scope, using my toolbox as a table. You can also see the gun rack in the back window with an empty spot in it an ammo boxes laying on the toolbox.

I dont hunt.

As for gun safety, that use to be something you took in school. Not like it was mandatory, it was just offered. Now you have to go find someone somewhere an pay to take a class.

 

[chickened]

Just heard on the news about the mall shooting last night that the gun used was stolen the day before... how does someone stealing a gun fit in with gun control? The guy could have stolen it from a policeman or a national guardsman it really is a mute point.

Only law abiding people abide by the law... remember that one.

 

[rufus]

All I can say about the single mother living on benefits, is that if she can save £2000 out of an annual budget of £15,500 she must be very clever with money! As for the gun laws debate I say this. Never believe that laws can't be changed and that you will always have the same rights as your ancestors, it just isn't true, wherever you live in the world. Life evolves and so do laws. Sometimes we win and sometimes, some people think they have lost. It is the way of things. Some rights were granted in a time when frontiers were only being pushed back and with little on no policing in place it was desirable to allow people arms with which to defend themselves. It was a solution in the 18/19th century but how necessary is it in these days of highly developed policing practices? Back in the days of the land rushes, it seems that anyone could stake a claim to an unoccupied piece of land and come to own it legitimately. Same in the days of the gold rush. That cannot be done now can it? You even have laws about how many chickens you might keep in certain areas. Do you think your ancestors had those laws? Gun laws will be tightened because we live in a far more sophisticated and legislated society than we did. There is no place for self policing. The writing is well and truly on the wall.

Would you live in Detroit, Flint or Cleveland without a firearm? Not for long I bet.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

A gun setting on the tool box of my truck which is parked behind my house looks violent? I could see saying that if I was on the street standing in the bed with it mounted to the roll bar pointing forward. I was out in the field behind my house shooting targets an sighting in my scope, using my toolbox as a table. You can also see the gun rack in the back window with an empty spot in it an ammo boxes laying on the toolbox.

I dont hunt.

As for gun safety, that use to be something you took in school. Not like it was mandatory, it was just offered. Now you have to go find someone somewhere an pay to take a class.

To me and to a lot of other people it looks like you posted a picture of a gun mounted to the back of your truck. I now understand that is not what it is but it did read very war zone to me when I first saw it and I will admit it seemed like it was for shock value. However, I do not think that was your intent.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Would you live in Detroit, Flint or Cleveland without a firearm? Not for long I bet.

http://www.newscientist.com/article...ncreases-risk-of-getting-shot-and-killed.html