I myself am wary of guns and their glorification, which I believe leads to a disconnect from the reality of actual killing.
I wonder if it makes them feel safer...I wonder if they truly are safer.
Where do you stand on this divisive issue?
December 15, 2012
Guns.
This old friend of mine loves guns. He plays shoot'em up video games, runs through the forest playing paint-ball, goes to firing ranges, and says he keeps toy replicas of lots of different guns, and one or two real ones.
I myself am wary of guns and their glorification, which I believe leads to a disconnect from the reality of actual killing.
Yesterday someone got hold of some guns and killed so many children and teachers. There's heated convos on Facebook and Twitter about how and why this could happen. People feel helpless, and it's heart breaking.
Some say that mental illness is the cause of such acts and that until we properly care for our sick, such violence will continue. Others argue that countries with stricter gun control experience fewer massacres and lower gun violence. Still others defend their right to keep and bear arms - a right bestowed on them centuries ago.
They want to protect "them and theirs" but from what enemy? Aliens? Zombies? An invading army...? Or simply other people with guns?
I wonder if it makes them feel safer...I wonder if they truly are safer.
I'm trying to put myself in other people's shoes, trying to understand...but all I can see is the astonishingly sad decline of humanity. The "enemy" is in our hearts and it's blowing us all away...
Two years ago my gun-loving friend became a father. Today he's getting rid of his guns and pleading with others to do the same. He still loves guns; but he loves his daughter more.
Where do you stand on this divisive issue?
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I myself am wary of guns and their glorification, which I believe leads to a disconnect from the reality of actual killing.
I wonder if it makes them feel safer...I wonder if they truly are safer.
Where do you stand on this divisive issue?
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Never owned one myself. My dad "gave" me two, but I never took them with me. Also I can literally not hit the broad side of a barn :P.
ReplyDeleteWhat gets me is how some people try so hard to defend guns that they say the same result would've happened with any weapon. Yeah, not really buying that.
I think we need to heal us. And there's too many guns too easily accessed. And I'm in Canada, fuq.
DeleteI could not agree more. We can't still be those people who care more about our right to own guns than our the right of our children to grow up safe. I say it's time for an evolution.
ReplyDeleteYes. I'd rather evolve than ...revolve.
DeletePeople want guns to protect themselves from the government.
ReplyDeleteBahahahahaha!
DeleteThat may be true for some radical groups I guess...er?
DeleteThe problem with that theory is that the government is now using predator drones, tactical nukes, bunker busters, stuff that can be shot from DC by remote control, etc.
DeleteI'm not rue me and my buddy with our .38's are going to be much competition.
I don't really have a stance on the gun issue. I'm not specifically opposed to them, but I'm not interested in having one either. Would it prevent this type of thing? I don't know. Maybe I'm willing to give it a chance. But I think the larger issue is identifying and helping these people who are prone to this sort of aggressive and violent behavior. Guns are one side of the coin here, mental illness is the other. And if he was not mentally ill per se, maybe he was just evil, and a proper psych eval maybe could have pointed to that.
ReplyDeleteI agree the issue is larger. And we must deal with all of it. But in the meantime, let us lock the dangers away and out of reach.
DeleteI have been the victim of gun violence (In a domestic setting) and even after that I still say owning guns attained through legal, safe means is not what the problem is. The criminal element will ALWAYS get a hold of guns. What I do have a problem with is people owning semi automatic, shoot 100 rounds a minute assault rifles that have nothing to do with "protection". It's unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is always going to be crime (though it can be lower than it currently is) and there always will be some mental illness (though it can be better cared for than it currently is), but why do ordinary folks even feel that they need "protection" in the first place?
DeleteWhy are we afraid?
Personally, I will never own a gun. I think where the loop hole lies is whether they are "regulated" or not, if someone really wants to get their hands on a gun to do something unspeakable with it, they will find a way. I mean, heroin is illegal, but how many people are active users? People always find a way.
ReplyDeleteSo sad.
I hope it's not true that people always find a way. People always tend toward the path of least resistance - let us not make it easy for them to access these dangerous things when they snap.
DeleteBut we need to look deeper too, at why there is such hopelessness...
I don't know. I honestly don't. In countries that aren't gun centric, they have knife rampages. It's just not as horrifically devastating as the damage that can be done with a gun. The mental illness problem and the stigma put on it is, to me, more of an issue. I'd like to focus less on the method and more on the why.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to focus on both.
Deleteoh dear how stingy is the human budget? ...let's focus on this let's focus on that - CAN'T WE FRICKIN' FIX THE LOT?
ReplyDeleteOh look over there at that issue that has nothing to do with me BECAUSE I'M PERFECT.
Dafuq did I just read??? (0_o)
DeleteI think perhaps Anonymous commentor is frustrated with the blame game and finger pointing, and wishes we could just fix everything.
DeleteI wish we could too....
Terrific piece which helps drive the message home for reasonable and sane gun laws with a great sense of humor as well.
ReplyDeleteYep, it's the zombie apocalypse we need all the assault weapons for. Better stock up now!
Noooooooo!
Delete1. There is no reason, ever, for any civilian to have an assault rifle meant for military use.
ReplyDelete2. If you're using a rifle that can shoot 100 rounds per minute for hunting, you need a new hobby because you're a lousy shot. Try basket-weaving.
3. There is a reason we need more investment in mental health, starting particularly at about age 12, preferably earlier. And this last incident, accident, massacre, whatever you want to call it, is an example of that.
It's not one, or the other, but a bunch of things. And what it takes is courage and political will to deal with it.
Agree on all three counts and especially the last bit about courage and will. It gives me hope.
DeletePersonally, I think cars and liquor should be banned because too many innocent people have been killed by drunk drivers.
ReplyDeleteApples and oranges my anonymous friend.
DeleteMaybe we need to put a ban on children being allowed to play mindlessly violent computer games. People always say that these things dont transfer into real life, but scientific studies prove otherwise, and common sense also proves otherwise. Though common sense seems to be lacking in the world in general. Here in the UK we have a problem with binge drinking....so they allow 24hr liscences to pubs....sense?!
ReplyDeleteThis youtube link used to amuse me.... after last week it just scares me to be honest....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TC2xTCb_GU
thanks for the timely reminder.
Violent computer games are desensitizing our youth. Also, they're like advertising for the firearms industry. Gaming and guns are symbiotic. Throw mental illness into the mix = tragedy.
DeleteI possibly could not really concur much more. All of us cannot be those individuals that treatment much more regarding the to personal weapons compared to the the best in our kids to develop upward secure. We state it is period to have an development.
ReplyDeleteelo boosting
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