bluetick wrote:I never debate gun control, AA, because it's a deadend street. I merely pointed out a couple of inconsistencies wrt other people's comments but I have no heart for it. Guns are fine; I used to hunt but it seems like I only have time for golf anymore.
I do think too many people have an unhealthy fascination with firearms (and weapons in general), and I'll never be happy with the sight of people openly carrying - ever. On that I think we may agree.
Agreed on the debate. It doesn't amount to anything productive. I honestly wish I had never even replied this morning.
But I did.
Anyway, I used to shoot competitively, I don't any more. I do occaisionally instruct at the local police range in exchange for access there (as an aside, the average cop is not great with the firearm on his hip, believe it or not). But even if I didn't have that background, as a little L libertarian, I bristle at restricting freedoms. The facts are that the vast majority of gun owners never have an issue with them. The same as the vast majority of people who drink, own a car, smoke pot, and a million other things. I truly believe that the prohibition of responsible firearm ownership is in the same category as the prohibition of alcohol. While both prohibitions have support by some as addressing a perceived societal evil, I think we have to be careful in restricting an established freedom due to the crazies and criminals who misuse, abuse, and commit crimes and use X as the tool of said crime.
We have 4 more murders than Europe per 100,000 citizens, and that's a problem, but I think that there are societal and sociopolitical issues here that impact that, too, and that pointing at guns and saying, "Aha! There is the problem!" is myopic.
I think many of the open carry zealots go overboard in trying to make a point and assert their rights; however, I don't have an issue with it, per se. I am always more concerned with the weapon I can't see.