Farmers, guns, and the "old days"

[duckinnut]

I'm a very definite left-leaning Democrat.

And I don't demonize guns.

And I don't think someone should go to jail because whomever stole their gun committed a crime...UNLESS you were careless and negligent and let some child get to your gun.

I do not keep a gun in my home now because I am a supplemental care-giver for children under foster care, and firearms are prohibited by CPS and court regulations for that.

I'm a pretty redneck country girl myself. Not all conservative are rednecks and not all rednecks are conservatives.

Try not to assume silly sterotypes of me, and I'll try real real hard not to tell you what I think of conservative Republicans right now.

By no means was I criticizing you or your way of thinking and I am sorry if you assumed that is what I was implying. I was simply stating that for the most part the media and its left way of thinking demonizes guns but know some on the left don't. Personally me I am more of Libertarian way of thinking in believing you do your thing and I'll do mine. I don't evoke what I do and believe on other people and I expect people not to evoke their beliefs on me. I am a man of conviction ,a believer of free choice and a defender of the Constitution.

 

[ontimeborzoi]

Careful with the stereotypes if you don't mind...and even if you do. : ) I'm a left leaning liberal democrat and I would not be without my loaded firearm in my home! And I think everyone should have one. An armed society is a polite society and all that. Maybe rather than plastering that label on all of us you could modify your beliefs somewhat.....
Just sayin.

 

[braindead101]

Back in '41 the Japanese played havoc on Pearl Harbor. After the war the Japanese generals and admirals were asked why they didn't strike the mainland. Their reply was that America had the largest army, with all it's citizens having weapons and knowing how to use them. They were referring to our 'hunters'. It's a shame we have been forced to not be ready in case some other full hardy country would attack.

 

[Capvin]

Back in '41 the Japanese played havoc on Pearl Harbor. After the war the Japanese generals and admirals were asked why they didn't strike the mainland. Their reply was that America had the largest army, with all it's citizens having weapons and knowing how to use them. They were referring to our 'hunters'. It's a shame we have been forced to not be ready in case some other full hardy country would attack.

I am afraid that you have been reading too much of the NRA propaganda when, in fact, more people own guns and carry them then at any time previous. I am a very staunch liberal and an NRA member but I am smart enough to realize that their nonsense ramblimgs are just that, nonsense. I carry a gun and have several guns in my house and cars. I guess I can not comment on your situation in the Midwest, but if you come into Central Florida almost everyone owns and carries.

 

[braindead101]

I own, don't have a hand gun or permit yet. But I am seriously considering both. I used to hunt, bow, then stepped up to a rifle. Since hip and knee surgery can't track the fields or climb those trees anymore.

Never considered a shotgun. Don't like picking those pesky pellets out of the meat. I go for somewhat bigger game.

 

[Fred's Hens]

In the 1950's, I always admired my grandpa's varmint gun that hung on pegs over the back door, at our family's farm. Today, that same varmint gun leans itself in the corner by my own backdoor. It gets plenty of use.

Today, my own grandkids see that varmint rifle and my hope is that, one day, one of them will also have the blessing of living in a rural place and that same gun will be at their back door. My hopes seem positively grounded, as they ask with some regularity, "Papa, I wanna shoot that gun."

 

[centrarchid]

We never, including now consider use/possession of firearms a political statement. It was simply standard farm equipment. The same firearms were not suitable as a threat to other people since such we had could easily be outclassed in either killing power or speed of firing.


As a kid I packed a rifle almost everytime we ventured beyond barnyard, even when on tractor. Predators where not main concern, dogs kept those out. In my dad and grandfathers time hawks and owls were targetted. Raptors now more abundant but losses to them have not increased so such "hunting" was not worth effort.

Firearm was used for targets of opportunity, most frequently groundhogs. A single family (female with young of year and associated male) could consume a couple acres worth of soybeans which could be a few hundred dollars lost. We also used for getting squirrels as table fare and muskrats that damaged our dozen or so ponds.

 

[The Lazy L]

.

...I do not keep a gun in my home now because I am a supplemental care-giver for children under foster care, and firearms are prohibited by CPS and court regulations for that...

And by what authority, do they believe they have the right, to over rule the United States Constitution?

 

[Ole rooster]

This is really strange. Never really thought of gun ownership as a political statement. I reckon in today's America it is. Wow. My carry pistol is with me everywhere I go during the day. At night if the wife and I go out it's in it's holster on my side. When I work outside that and my .22 is close by. Then when I'm in the house I have a number of choices.
The politics parts in todays America, who really know what they are? I say each man on earth should pull his own weight. If he gets hungry that's his problem, not mine. I don't care how many flies are in their eyes that's not my problem. That's for their parents to take care of. So what does that make me? I just mind my own business and let other mind theirs.

 

[Daisy8s]

Quote:

And by what authority, do they believe they have the right, to over rule the United States Constitution?

In Michigan foster care parents are allowed to own guns so long as they can show they're safely stored (locked safe, key is hidden, ammunition also locked up, etc.)

I love guns, always have since I was a little girl shooting on the farm with my dad and brothers. (And, yes, I'm one of those crazy liberals so I break the stereotype, too.) But, as an adult and parent I have questioned having guns in the house. What is the point if it's so locked up it'd take me forever to get to it? And, in the worse-case intruder scenario, what if by the time I got the gun ready the intruder was there to overpower me and my own gun became a weapon against me?

As a girl we knew where dad kept his guns and we knew how to load and shoot them but we never dreamed of touching them without his permission. These days, though, with my kids' friends in the house I'm just not so sure.

I think for me right now since my predator-killing needs are happening at most once per year it's enough to know my kindly neighbor has a gun and he's available to dispatch the critter that just ate one of my hens if/when I can live trap it.