Gun control discussion

[RICHARD]

The freedom is the Right to Protect Yourself. Be it with a hammer, a bat, a screwdriver, and yes a firearm. So if you are afraid of a firearm, you should be afraid of all house hold tools as well. As Charles Manson once said, "I can kill you with this book!"

You can kill someone with a magazine, too.

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Proper training with a firearm, any firearm, educates and puts the 'power' into a person. Not the 'power' of being able to kill something, but the power over the object.

Ever wonder what the "United States" would be like if we didn't have firearms?

Well,

We'd probably speak 'British', stop for afternoon tea and Tex/Mex food would be served with scones.

Yeah, We'd have more Native Americans, buffalo and Mexico would own the Alamo now.

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I grew up near Lost Angeles, where we invented and perfected the "drive-by shooting". That never kept me from going outside - yea, I lived in an area where gangs were about.

If we do outlaw guns and only let the Police depts carry?

Do we trust them to do the right thing?

People in Anaheim CA -in the Orange County area are pretty ticked off over a shooting incident, actually two in the last week. Alledgedly an unarmed person was shot in the back fleeing from a cop and another shot at the police.

Interesting.

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In the Olympic Games there are comps with airguns, small bore rifles and shotguns.

There are also archery competitions, but we'll leave that for the Hunger Games fans.

[Edwina's Secretary]

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Ever wonder what the "United States" would be like if we didn't have firearms?

Yes, I do...and a beautiful dream it is!


There is curling in the Olympics too. But that does not make the purpose of a broom anything but a tool designed to sweep the kitchen floor!

It is interesting no one can come up with a purpose for a gun that does not involve killing, threatening to kill, maiming or threatening to maim...

[cassiesmom]

Can the increase in gun violence be attributed to the increased depictions of violence we see in movies, video games and on TV? I also think guns are still too easy for convicted felons, dangerously mentally ill people and teenage gangbangers to get their hands on -- despite changes to gun laws. When I was a staff nurse I learned that in the gang world, it is considered a mark of honor for a gang member to shoot another person with the result being a head or spinal cord injury. Your opponent doesn't die, but his life is changed forever. You move up on the gang totem pole because you're the one who did it, even if you spend the rest of your life in prison. An honor student going home from school on a CTA bus was shot and killed. What is wrong with that picture. He was mis-identified as a rival gang member, shot and killed. There are the incidents like the one where Rep. Giffords was shot and then there's the chronic daily gun violence affecting Chicago and I am sure other cities too. Just no easy answers. I think it is going to take a combination of the right laws, better use of technology to make sure the wrong people aren't obtaining them in the first place, plus improved access for kids to get jobs, good education no matter where they live; better extra-curriculars like arts, sports and other activities, and just hope for a future other than ending up dead or in prison. I heard about one group that was having inner-city elementary school children work in community gardens. The food they grew went to their homes and food pantries, they had fun doing it and learned to work together to make a garden grow.

[Karen]

It is interesting no one can come up with a purpose for a gun that does not involve killing, threatening to kill, maiming or threatening to maim...

I don't think target shooting kills, threatens or maims anything! Last I knew, paper or wooden targets did not have fears or emotions.

And after all, nail guns help build houses, and might not have been invented without gun technology being improved and developed ... just a thought!

[blue]

I don't think target shooting kills, threatens or maims anything! Last I knew, paper or wooden targets did not have fears or emotions.

And after all, nail guns help build houses, and might not have been invented without gun technology being improved and developed ... just a thought!

Now dont go bringing logic to an anti gunner, that never ends well.

[chocolatepuppy]

I have a loaded gun on my dresser. I have never killed anyone, nor has the gun got off the dresser by itself and killed anyone. But then no one has tried to come through my back door in the middle of the night, yet.

[Catty1]

Avajoy - the term "alleged killer" is a legal one, based on the idea that one is innocent until proven guilty. After the trial, the term will likely change to "convicted killer". If the media doesn't use the term "alleged" they could be in legal trouble.

[RICHARD]

I love the fact that the media made light of the comments by the prez at some get-together last night....

He was talking about assault rifles and said something like "AK-47s should stay in the hands of soldiers".

LOLOLOLOL, "AKs" are what many third world soldiers, dirtbag drugrunners and despots carry. Nothing like getting your facts straight.

[RICHARD]

I have a loaded gun on my dresser. I have never killed anyone, nor has the gun got off the dresser by itself and killed anyone. But then no one has tried to come through my back door in the middle of the night, yet.

I have some scars from being attacked by my dresser back in the days when I'd come home drunk.

I trust the gun more than furniture with sharp edges.

[Alysser]

I didn't argue with the purpose of a gun. But my point is that, if you ban the gun there is SOMETHING else that will become a weapon and the purpose of it won't matter anymore. The purpose of knives is to cut food, but the purpose of them is also to kill, maim, and hunt. So we shouldn't be allowed to cut food anymore just because some people have used knives for murder? Knives are much easier to get than guns, yet they aren't ever brought up. A gun isn't scary when not in use, it doesn't do anything, just like any other inanimate objects. Maybe it's a tool for killing, but the killing is selective when used by rational people, most of which will probably NEVER use it anyway.

If someone came into your house, what would be the first thing you grab to defend yourself? Mine would probably be the baseball bat hanging on the wall (although it's autographed by some Yankees, doesn't stop me LOL). The purpose of the bat isn't to bludgeon someone to death but it can be used that way, and if a person didn't have a gun to kill someone they could easily find a replacement. It wouldn't stop the problem of violence in the least.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I don't think target shooting kills, threatens or maims anything! Last I knew, paper or wooden targets did not have fears or emotions.

Agree. Target shooting does not maim, threaten or kill...unless the target you are shooting is a person.

The purpose of a gun is not targeting shooting. That is how you practice. The purpose of a gun is to kill or maim - or threaten to kill or maim.

If the purpose is to prove how well you can hit a target...darts? Bean bags?

[RICHARD]

Wha-wha-what?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Wha-wha-what?

I'm sorry sweetie! Did I stump you? Which word did you not understand?

[RICHARD]

"This is my safety."

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To have a 'discussion' about gun safety you have to kinda stop and look at the tidbits of the topic and proceed from there.

People who are afraid of guns have a good reason. It's the same with driving - I see that LiLo is back on the road - stupid people in cars is probably my biggest fear and having one drive thru the wall doesn't help either.

I had the infortunate experience of standing next to someone after a target shooting accident and worked for the OR when GSWs were brought in.

People who work in the ER hate guns.

Years ago I ran into a nurse who was coming down the stairway, very flustered.

I knew her pretty well and saw she was put out.

I stopped her and asked if she was o.k. and she told me, in very colorful language that a GSW had come in and she was upset that the guy "didn't do it right", meaning that he didn't shoot himself in a way that would have killed him.

That puzzled me for a long time until I got to see the nasty business of what a bullet does.

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Some guns are art.

Some are really ugly and when they are used stupidly or for evil?

When someone goes on a rampage with a gun, it's always that knee jerk reaction that starts people a'talkin and wen everyone talks at once nothing gets done.

The people who scream the loudest and don't bother to look at all the facts of the story are the ones that really don't care about making progress.

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Gun control has quite a bit to do with politics.

If is wasn't for guns to protect the people, uphold the law and to keep the crazies from doing what they want?

Ask some politicians to walk amongst 'the people' without an armed security detail and see how far that arguement gets you.

[blue]

Yes, I do...and a beautiful dream it is!


There is curling in the Olympics too. But that does not make the purpose of a broom anything but a tool designed to sweep the kitchen floor!

It is interesting no one can come up with a purpose for a gun that does not involve killing, threatening to kill, maiming or threatening to maim...

Holmes could kill you with that curling broom.