I Listen To The Wise Men

Simply because I couldn't have said it better, a comment left at my brother's site:

The anti gun folks really need to realize that just because we like guns, and talk about guns, and shoot guns, doesn’t mean that we entertain any kind of fantasies about killing people. There’s a word for those kind of people, and that word is “criminal”. I’m not a criminal, and I hope to God that I’m never threatened by another human being to the point that I would even consider pointing a weapon in so much as their general direction let alone firing it. I just don’t happen to have any desire to be a victim. I would like nothing more than to live out my life in peace, and never have to take up arms against another human being, but unfortunately there seems to be more and more people every day that are hell bent on making that an impossibility.

I honestly doubt that I ever will have to take up arms in defense of myself or my family, but I’d rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. To me it’s no different than putting away money for a rainy day, or keeping some extra canned food, bottled water, and extra flashlight batteries around in case the power goes out. Hopefully, my guns will never be used for anything except hunting and target shooting, but should the need arise, a gun in the hand beats a cop on the phone every time. I’ve never bought a gun for the purpose of defense, but any of the firearms that I own could be used for that purpose should it become necessary. I think I speak for pretty much all law abiding gun owners when I say that anyone in favor of gun control really needs to attend a sanctioned shooting event at least once in their life just to see “how the other half lives” so to speak. There’s millions of gun owners that didn’t kill anyone yesterday, they won’t kill anyone today, and they’re not going to kill anyone tomorrow either. If you want to reduce crime, go after the criminals, don’t make law abiding folks defenseless against them.

Justin is so correct, and in light of current events, this statement couldn't be more timely.  I do confess that I have bought a weapon for defense.  Not against humans, mind you, nor against the Zombies.  Humans and zombies announce their presence, and that's one of the reasons to keep dogs (that and they are big fuzzy love buckets!)  No, I bought a weapon that will take down a bear and that is my defense in the Montana mountains.  The rest of my firearms I have because I want them.  Now please tell me that I don't need them and that should somehow give you a voice about whether  or not I have them.  I dare you, heh.

(Yes, my eyes are bugging out at the irony of what's been displayed over the last 48 hours.)

Comments

[Jeff]

You know, I'm starting to get confused as to how people are defining "gun control." I was under the impression it wasn't synonymous with banning guns, which is what would take guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens, as Justin says.

[Shane C. Mason]

I am having the same issues Jeff. That would be gun banning. I think that the word 'gun control' has been demonized by the same people that demonized the word liberal ( said 'librul' with a sneer ).

You guys know me, the last thing I want is to take Justin's guns, or Moorcat's or Wulfgar's or my own. I just think that the demonization cuts off dialog.

Not that I really want a dialog on it, but I am hearing that some folks do. From a political standpoint, I think that it is not a good idea for democrats to discuss it right now. From a policy standpoint, I don't think that this is the time either. Why? It would be a knee jerk reaction. Just like all the stupid freakin' knee jerk reactions to 911 that have all but taken away the 'Free' part of 'Land of the Free'. Without that part it is just 'Land of the' and that doesn't make any sense.

We are better off making policy when we don't have the specter of dead kids and crying parents hanging over our heads. Let's move past this, mourn, shout, and rage if we must, but leave the policy for a time when we are calm.

With that said, Justin put this very well:

I honestly doubt that I ever will have to take up arms in defense of myself or my family, but I’d rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

[moorcat]

To me, gun control has always been hitting what I aim at....

No, you are right. The term "gun control" means different things to different people and because of this jumble of meanings, the term itself has become meaningless.

The AWB is a gun BAN. Laws restricting concealed carry would be gun control. Laws restricting barrel length, magazine capacity, accessories etc would be gun BANs, laws designating registering procedures would be gun CONTROL.

At this this is the way I would define it if asked.

I am firmly against gun BANS. I am ambivelent about gun control (with the caveat that I think that gun control has become VERY complicated and gets more so each day).

Moorcat

[Dr Zen]

Given how humane most of your posts are -- even your rants have an underbelly of sanity -- your stance on guns is mystifying. It's probably a cultural thing: I'm English and to us, the idea that everyone should have a gun is, well, a bit odd. We tend to think people who even want guns are a bit odd.

Still, this isn't the right time to go over the whole guns thing again. The guy didn't shoot up the uni because he was in a state that allows the purchase of guns -- even if that made it easier -- but because he was a screaming nutter. We'd probably all agree on control of them.

[Nancy]

Yeah, Dr Zen is right, let's figure out a way to control all the "screaming nutters" instead of law-abiding gun owners.

[Justin]

Thanks Wulfgar, and thanks to Shane as well. It's nice to know that not EVERYONE thinks I'm a lunatic. ;)

And you're exactly right when you speak of knee jerk reactions. Such policy making has gotten us in enough trouble already, and it's came from both sides of the isle. Besides being mostly a royal pain in the butt for law abiding people and a minor inconvenience at best for the real criminals, it makes it very hard for me to believe that the folks we've elected to represent us in the government are indeed the cream of the crop. I'd like to believe that they'll take the time to think things through before imposing their will on my life, but historically that's not been the case.