- Jan 14, 2008
- 5,644
- 488
- 303
'It's people not guns' is a weak and tired argument. To follow that too the extreme would be to suggest that getting rid of people would stop all killings of all kinds!
The point is that the rapid fire weapons being used in these massacres now kill more people more quickly than other guns. Each of those kids the other day had at least three wounds from a gun that had 100 round magazines, we are told. At least a hand gun would have given them more chance of survival. There's no legitimate reason to have those guns. Getting rid of them would undoubtedly save lives.
It's not just about mentally ill people either. That's another common fallacy. The mother of the latest killer owned those guns, and owned them legally, it seems. Why did she need a Bushmaster? How did her not quite normal son get his hands on it? Don't people keep guns in safes?
What about those who use guns to kill in anger? They might not be so quick to take action if a gun wasn't to hand.
And the careless whose children find guns and have terrible accidents?
Isn't ammunition supposed to be kept separate from guns and guns not carried loaded? That's a basic rule that I was taught but there must be many people ignoring it.
Isn't it too easy in some places to buy a gun legally or get a licence?
There may be many other reasons why crazy weapons are being used more often in massacres. Isn't it reasonable to stop and consider why rather than attempting to defend the status quo?
I don't know if she needed a Bushmaster but apparently she wanted one. I don't feel it's for me, or you, to decide what other people need. Personally, I own any number of things I probably don't really need.
Some people keep guns in safes, some don't. I think people probably should. All mine are kept locked up except the one I'm currently huntig or target shooting with & the handgun I keep accessible for home defense. Again, it's recommended that people keep ammunition & firearms stored seperately but not everyone chooses to do this. I do. The gun owner in this instance lived with her son. I doubt she anticipated this happening or she might have done things differently. As it is it cost her her life. Since he lived in the home apparently he had access to the guns.
As to the careless children who find guns & have terrible accidents that's rare as tragic as it is & it rarely involves assault weapons. The statistics of "children" involved in gun accidents kept by The Brady Campaign & other gun banners includes teen age gang bangers shot in turf & drug wars. In reality more children are killed in bicycle accidents that in gun accidents.
As to "guns not carried loaded", what would be the point of carrying an unloaded gun? I have a consealed carry permit but I rarely carry a handgun. On those occasions I do I carry it because I'm going to be in a location or situation where I might need it. I never have but it's always possible. Under those circumstances why would I carry an unloaded gun? Do you think an assailant would be willing to wait while I loaded my gun? There's a saying among people who do carry:" there's nothing more useless than an unloaded gun".