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Originally Posted by knox
But then you say EVERYONE has the RIGHT to have a gun, even total morons. Can you imagine what it sounds like to us? You're defending this guy's RIGHT to be a moron and purchase a gun and accidentaly kill his kid.
It's like you're focusing on the right of morons more than on the rights of people who are wounded and murdered.
You can't eliminate the causes of violence completely (perhaps eliminate the social causes of violence) but you just can't stop the human being from being violent. You guys seem to be ignoring the fact that the whole rest of the continent (especially poorer countries) is SUFFERING the consequences of your lack of regulation. Or the fact that the gun industry and its lobby is supporting a lot of shit.
I don't like that defeatist attitude: that's how it is. Well, homophobia is also ingrained in people's psyche but you have to allow gay couples to marry because that's the right thing to do. Things change.
If I'm living in a country where any jackass can buy and carry a gun, I am under threat, and it certainly wouldn't feel like living in a free democratic country. Suppose it doesn't matter because dead people can't vote.
We need to face this truth: the idea that someone will invade your house and shoot at your white family and you'll be able to save them and everyone will survive and the bad guys will be dead is too far-fetched and movie-like. Now the POORER communities that most of us don't even drive near by have a REAL number of people being killed, are under the control of criminal groups that impose their powers with the use of guns, have a lower life expectancy among young people. People are dying, lots of people are.
If I had to give up a 'right' to save some of them in the long term I certainly would.
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Please reread my post. I was saying douchebags like him are the LAST people on Earth who should be allowed to KNOW of guns' EXISTANCE, let alone be able to see, touch, or use them. My comment regarding thinking of gun ownership as a privilege instead of a right being seen as un-American is an observation based on fact, not some opinion of mine. If you're not an American, I'm sorry, but you don't really have a clear grasp of the role of guns in our culture. Now, there are a lot of things I don't like about our culture: contemporary country music; karaoke bars (yes, I know it comes from Japan but you have to admit Americans can bring it to new lows); pickup trucks, SUVs, and various other low-mileage vehicles (except muscle cars-those rule); and the idea of referring to a sport that involves minimal use of the feet as "football". But I enjoy a good gunfight in the movies, and even though I know in reality gun battles are anything but thrilling to anyone but the sick minded, I don't support the idea of banning firearms entirely. You can say it's naive, misguided, psychotic, or whatever, but I can tell you that I do know someone who successfully defended his home against an intruder a few years ago.