Rant-- Accountability -- edited for meaning

[teach1rusl]

I guess I'll fit somewhere in the middle here... I grew up around guns, so I've never had a fear or fascination of them. I own a nice .357 revolver myself. While I do support gun ownership rights, I would also support measures to limit the types of guns allowed. My DH and I don't discuss this, because he stongly opposes my views. I see the use of handguns (close protection) and rifles and shotguns (hunting/distance protection). But assault weapons have that name for a reason; I don't see why the average citizen needs a gun that would put down an elephant. I'm not arguing with anyone on here...
Also, DH has a CC permit (Indiana). I don't care that he does. What bothers me is that any dumb-butt off the street who hasn't been convicted of a felony can obtain one here. There is no competency test. There is no gun safety course required. We just had a case finally make it to court where a woman w/a CC permit shot a man in a road rage scuffle. It came out that just a few months earlier she had pulled a gun on another man in a similar road rage incident. She was convicted a few months back. I have to wonder why this trigger happy woman was issued a concealed weapons permit to begin with. Seems to me that at a minimum some simple psychological exam and safety test should be required... JMO.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Up until the invention of firearms a woman, no matter how strong or independent, could only depend on men for protection, she could not protect herself in the way a woman with a gun can.

Reminds me of an old quote.

God created man(an women). Sam Colt made all men(an women) equal.​

 

[redhen]

Quote:
I am a bit confused (not an unusual situation

) about what 'chosing to be afraid' has to do with it. Do you think people who chose to keep a useable, loaded gun in their home or on their person have 'chosen to be afraid?' Cuz, the way I look at it, we have chosen not to be afraid to just go about our business.

I currently live in a metro area that, a couple of years ago, had both a "serial shooter" (turned out to be a pair of guys doing that) and a serial rapist on the loose. That was fun

Plus we're becoming the kidnap-for-profit capital of the US. And even when you live in a relatively safe, nice neighborhood and don't involve yourself with criminals there's no guarantee that the bad guys won't come to your house by mistake.

Is it better out in the country? Not necessarily, the first 10 years we were married we lived and farmed near what I believe sociologists refer to as a "rural ghetto"...same crime and poverty, just a different racial/cultural group and surrounded by fields instead of tenements.

Even "the good old days" weren't that good. In the early 20th century my grandmother grew up as a farm child then farm wife, with a healthy fear of what used to be called "bums". Women, alone with children in isolated farmsteads while the men were in the fields or working for others, back in the days before telephones were common in poor rural areas, were truly isolated and vulnerable. Thanks to a succession of good farm dogs (I am convinced the main purpose of most farm dogs was protection rather than herding) and a shotgun, my grandma protected herself, her children, and her home from everything from enormous rattlesnakes ("as big around as my upper arm" grandma said) to scary guys who thought a farm out of eye- or ear-shot of any other humans would be easy pickings.

Up until the invention of firearms a woman, no matter how strong or independent, could only depend on men for protection, she could not protect herself in the way a woman with a gun can. (there's my feminist argument

)

And...for the person whose brother was killed by an intruder. I am truly sorry for your loss, and, while I am not in any way advocating this, I am simply curious...if you really fear you'd kill the SOB if you owned a gun, would he not be just as dead if you ran him down with a car? Does that thought prevent you from driving? If not, then why not? Why would one inanimate object (a gun) turn you into a killer if another (a car) would not? I am not arguing that you should own a gun. No one should own a gun if they do not feel they could be a safe and responsible gun owner. I am merely confused by your stated reason for not having one.

Hi! My brother wasnt killed by the shooting.. it collapsed his lung and he still has the bullet in him..but hes thankfully still alive today. (this happend like 6 years ago..) so its been awhile now..
he was shot in a drive by shooting.. while in his house.
And thats not REALLY why i personally dont want a gun... I Know i could have killed the person with any weapon...like you said a car..anything.. a gun would just make it easier..

Actually i dont want a gun here because i do foster care for high risk teens boys.. and i've gotten some scary kids.. kids that i would not want to get ahold of a gun...*shivers* so..i just choose to not even own one...
but i think that others should have them if they want them. I believe in our right to own firearms...

 

[LizFM]

Quote:
I'm not arguing either, but I wanted to point out that the reason "assault weapons" have their name is mostly because somebody wanted to make them sound scary. They're just rifles.

The difference between a hunting rifle and an "assault weapon" is mostly cosmetic. Because they're black and look military, people are scared of them. They don't necessarily use bigger ammo than a hunting rifle and wouldn't "put down an elephant" (which a hunting rifle made for elephants would). My husband's "black rifle" shoots 9 mm...what most people think of as pistol ammo.

Another misconception is that 'assault weapons' will all "spray ammo" if the trigger is held down (this is the difference between 'full auto' and semi-auto...which means one shot per trigger pull).

Sadly, many ranchers in southern AZ apparently can't go out onto their own property without needing a semi-auto rifle (military looking or hunting looking) to protect themselves from well funded and well armed smugglers of people and drugs, if reports are accurate.

 

[LizFM]

Quote:
I'm very glad your brother survived. I can see why a foster situation would make you reluctant to have a gun in the home.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Quote:
I am a bit confused (not an unusual situation

) about what 'chosing to be afraid' has to do with it. Do you think people who chose to keep a useable, loaded gun in their home or on their person have 'chosen to be afraid?' Cuz, the way I look at it, we have chosen not to be afraid to just go about our business.

I currently live in a metro area that, a couple of years ago, had both a "serial shooter" (turned out to be a pair of guys doing that) and a serial rapist on the loose. That was fun

Plus we're becoming the kidnap-for-profit capital of the US. And even when you live in a relatively safe, nice neighborhood and don't involve yourself with criminals there's no guarantee that the bad guys won't come to your house by mistake.

Is it better out in the country? Not necessarily, the first 10 years we were married we lived and farmed near what I believe sociologists refer to as a "rural ghetto"...same crime and poverty, just a different racial/cultural group and surrounded by fields instead of tenements.

Even "the good old days" weren't that good. In the early 20th century my grandmother grew up as a farm child then farm wife, with a healthy fear of what used to be called "bums". Women, alone with children in isolated farmsteads while the men were in the fields or working for others, back in the days before telephones were common in poor rural areas, were truly isolated and vulnerable. Thanks to a succession of good farm dogs (I am convinced the main purpose of most farm dogs was protection rather than herding) and a shotgun, my grandma protected herself, her children, and her home from everything from enormous rattlesnakes ("as big around as my upper arm" grandma said) to scary guys who thought a farm out of eye- or ear-shot of any other humans would be easy pickings.

Up until the invention of firearms a woman, no matter how strong or independent, could only depend on men for protection, she could not protect herself in the way a woman with a gun can. (there's my feminist argument

)

OH, and I forgot to say: First rule of gun handling. Assume ALL guns are loaded. Especially if the owner says they "never keep loaded guns"

I will try to clairify, then I am done with this cause I have to get to working on a project:

I was referring to carrying a gun around with you all the time. To me its not something I feel I have to do. I am okay with what happens if it does or doesn't. To me, the only reason I would have to carry a gun would be because I had a fear that a person might try to harm me or others. I choose not to dwell or worry about that, and instead focus on living my life while I have it. I think if you have a gun with you, it's in case you might need it, therefore you are afraid that something would happen and you wouldn't have it. Thats what I mean. If you are not worried about it, you don't feel you need to carry it. It's a personal choice or attitude, I think. (except for certain situations) Of course, as I posted before, some people have problems particular to thier own lives that might require them to have a gun with them. I don't. And, I have guns at home, and if I had the time and inclination and a bad guy was doing something I didn't care for and I was waiting for the authorities, I would defend myself. I just don't feel like letting these kind of people keep me in a hyper-alert and frightened state. I don't need the gun to get through my day or do my errends because I choose not to be afraid of bad people doing bad things.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Yeah, I use my SKS for deer hunting. I assault deer, the poor dears...

 

[Boyd]

There is one more thing about the 2nd amendment... Not only does it allow us the freedom to keep and bear arms, it also allows us to raise a citizen militia. The purpose of said militia was part of checks and balances in case the government became too corrupt or too much of a dictatorship by a shift in power.

Now assault weapons. By definition I have several. They are semi automatic rifles with a high capacity clip. Why would I want one? I sport shoot. they are also part of my basic kit in case of a social breakdown. Remember about .. i dunno 6 years or so ago when the power went out in the midwest for a week? Things did sort of get ugly.

But by definition, my deer rifle which is a .30/06 is a much more powerful round than my AK's 7.62x39. My deer rifle can take longer shots, and most body armor will not stop it like it will my AK's. So the definition of an assault rifle is sort of weird and twisted.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Quote:
AMEN!!!! Amen Amen Amen Amen!!!!!

I remember a few years back, Rosie O'Donnel, who's as anti-gun as they come, made this stupid statement, "The second Amendment was so we could protect ourselves against the British."

Um, no, sweetie, it was and STILL IS so WE THE PEOPLE could have and DO have the right to protect ourselves against OUR goverment in case it should, or has, grown too big for its britches!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I don't even know what classifies as an "assault" rifle. It's just a weird concept. Any rifle can be used to "assault" someone. My friend was killed with a .22 caliber instantly....so..whatever, a rifle is a rifle. People assault people....but then we're back to the beginning of this thread...