Ah, a topic worthy of my posting. How precious. I am for gun control. In the words of Lao Tzu, "Weapons are tools of violence, any decent man despises them."
It's an issue that has become complicated due to the theory that we need protection. It's a republican/conservative sentiment that we should be paranoid, live in fear, and be ready for the worst. I think it goes back to Puritan beliefs where they feared God's Wrath and witches. Now,we must fear everyone. Paranoia builds upon paranoia. Somewhere along the lines, kids buy guns and kill their teachers and people rob liquor stores, killing the owners in the process.
My uncle leans on the conservative stance. He has had a gun with him ever sense he was in Vietnam. joined the police, the U.S Marshalls, then Secret Service. We debated the topic, and he said that in principle, he was for gun control, but as a realist, he was against it.
Now, let me offer you a statistic. 25,000 people in the U.S. are killed by guns every year. Might have gone up since 1999. That is more than every other country in the world combined. Why? Maybe it's because Americans are rash to judge things and act out. "The media says they are bad, so we must kill them all!" Or maybe it's because I can go to Walmart and buy a shotgun or a rifle for somewhere around 200 bucks. Hanguns are cheaper.
Then, if someone pisses me off, I shoot them.
Now, this hunting crap is kind of stupid too. There's no sportmanship in dressing up in camouflage, using a rifle with a scope, and shooting a big ole deer or bear. Use a bow and arrow and get up close, if you really want to challenge nature. And what's this about overpopulation? Killing deer because they are taking over the area? I do believe that humans have surpassed the capacity the planet can hold under decent living standards... why not thin that little species out a bit? I detect a strong hypocracy, my friends.
Guns are weapons used for destruction and death. There is nothing about them that merits public ownership. It just adds fuel to the fire. You have you views, and I have mine.
That being said, I acknowledge that if a weapon is banned, people flock to buy it, namely because they fear being weak and vulnerable. That is paranoia. It doesn't help. Paranoia is a weakness itself.
