Guns

[dontxhide]

Your thoughts?

 

Ive been thinking about this heavily for the past few months. I hae been thinking about buying a gun. The only thing that is stopping me right now is not having a place to store it when Im away from my house. So it would be easily stealable. Which isnt a very responsible thing to do.

 

Do any of you own guns? Dont? Why?

[clark X kent]

i'm not a fan.

 

 

But my dad and some of my friends are in shooting clubs. My dad owns a 9mm, some hunting riffles ( he's not a hunter. He hates hunters to be honest ) and he has a M-16 machine gun rifle.

 

Ah well ...

[DaN]

Guys here in the UK we do not have legal guns & I'm soooo glad we dont.

 

The chances of being shot are very very slim.I cant imagine living in your country knowing how many of them are in houses, cars & in peoples pockets.

 

All that being said - I do actually really like the look of guns, the skill in the way they are made & work & the noise & smell of them.I have a blank firing replica of a Glock 17.I bought it just because of the above things.

 

I would absolutely love an M-16

 

The one that arnold schwarzenneg has in predator is absolutely gorgeous.He has the M-16 with a grenade launcher attached to it

 

Mate - why out of interest do you want one - self defense, love of the workmanship like me or other?

[veganmaster]

Don't forget there are many non-lethal devices that will disable an attacker (not that I have any or know of a good brand). As crime continues to worsen due to economic probs from Energy Descent/Climate, I will probably buy a stun gun or even a real gun, but I'm still waiting... as James Kunstler notes about the south, gun culture + hyperindividualism may not present a pretty picture as Peak Oil ratchets down.

[dontxhide]

There are a lot of reaons.

 

I love the craftmanship of good weapons, of any kind! (my next purchase is a REAL battle ready katana, $1500 plus! ouch!)

 

Also for self defense. I know its not the be all end all protection, and ANYTHING can happen even if your loaded with weapons in your household.

 

Also for other reasons. A. I believe our government wont last as long as everyone is expecting. Our world for that matter. Better be ready. Peak Oil. Nuclear War. Zombies! (haha). Id much rather already have a gun, and to focus on the other things that matter, than going out and searching for one in a time of crisis.

[Im Your Man]

I don't have a problem with people who love guns as objects, work of art of whatever they find it is. Therefore those guns should be modified to become useless or shoot only blank bullets.

But to buy a gun simply to be able to defend yourself against other guns... that's sad. It comes to the samething than knife agaisnt knife, or fist to fist, but at least this rarely kills. So instead of buying more and more guns just so everyone is at the same level, Americans should all throw their guns in the garbage (or recycling) and everybody wil be able to defend themselves with their hands.

Guns are probably one of the biggest problem in the US. In comparision, there's like almost zero killing by guns in other countries such as Japan, Canada, etc.

[Marcina]

Actually, Canada has a lot of gun crime.

There's stuff in the news about people getting gunned down in the streets of Toronto and Vancouver all the time. All gang-related stuff.

The scary thing is, those gangs are starting to show up in my town. It's really easy to sell drugs here and now Im starting to see cracked-out looking people wandering around during the day in some places. There's been a couple shootings, but mostly stabbings.

[Emmybear]

There are a lot of reaons.

 

Also for self defense. I know its not the be all end all protection, and ANYTHING can happen even if your loaded with weapons in your household.

 

Also for other reasons. A. I believe our government wont last as long as everyone is expecting. Our world for that matter. Better be ready. Peak Oil. Nuclear War. Zombies! (haha). Id much rather already have a gun, and to focus on the other things that matter, than going out and searching for one in a time of crisis.

 

Zombies?!?......IF someone comes into your home....their gun may already be drawn....also..they may invade when you are not home and find your gun and kill you with it...If you do get one I would hide the bullets and the gun in two different places to minimize risk. Don't keep a loaded gun in the house!!

[dontxhide]

But to buy a gun simply to be able to defend yourself against other guns... that's sad. It comes to the samething than knife agaisnt knife, or fist to fist, but at least this rarely kills. So instead of buying more and more guns just so everyone is at the same level, Americans should all throw their guns in the garbage (or recycling) and everybody wil be able to defend themselves with their hands.

 

That will never happen. Since it will never happen, you might as well protect yourself against any threat you can. The more people that are born into this world, the less room there is. When there is less room, the closer you get to people, violent and kind alike.

 

I do wish it was back in the days where it actually took SKILL to fight a war or to fight a person, thats why I train in martial arts and weapon training. But it will never really be like that again. Its a survival tool that you can use to survive. Whether in your home from a burgaler, or out on the streets in case of a government collapse. I also have a machete, a knife, and wood chopping axe, bear mace, a lighter, candles, saved water, saved food, a survivalist handbook. All those are tools to be used also, and some can also kill a man. Whats makes that any different?

 

Emmy: Zombies was a joke

 

Ive thought about all the reasons you listed. I havent decided this lightly. Id buy a shotgun, which time and time again, just the sound of chambering has actually made people leave the house immediatly. If someone comes in with a gun already, and is looking to do violence, it doesnt matter if I have a gun or not, he will do violence to me. having your own gun can mean the difference between you and him.

 

You also ALWAYS have the choice of not even touching the gun if someone breaks its. Its just an added precaution in case you want too.

 

Im buying a gun locker. Very expensive but worth it. That is why I havent bought one yet, cause I am worried about someone coming in and stealing whats mine. Im taking this slowly,and carefully to make sure i do it right and responsibly.

[xjohanx]

i have two guns. i call them biceps

[dontxhide]

i have two guns. i call them biceps

[VeganEssentials]

I did own a gun once (a Glock 19) that I used to go target shooting with, but it became too expensive to do it often so I ended up selling it to a friend who is a big-time firearms enthusiast.

 

I don't have any problem with guns in general, rather the people that will get one with the intention of using it in a crime, to look "tough" to their friends/enemies, or some other stupid reason (like hunting ) A gun is no different from a sword as far as overall danger, so long as it's not in the hands of some idiot.

[inteja]

A gun is no different from a sword as far as overall danger, so long as it's not in the hands of some idiot.

 

I disagree. A gun can go off accidentally and even if it doesn't it can be used at great distance, therefore depersonalizing the act of violence somewhat. No sword can do that. You strike with a sword and chances are you'll be close enough to get spattered with blood and hear the screams. I'd suggest that this would act to moderate violence a little more than a gun ... but what do I know really, as I don't own any weapons.

[dontxhide]

I see where your coming from, but whether, and if ever, I have to protect myself. Swinging a sword to cut someone or shooting someone would feel the exact same for me. Id be full of fear, dread, worry if i did the right thing, horror, and shock.

 

Maybe for a lot of criminals it would depersonalize it, but for the average joe just trying to get by in the world filled with criminals then I think it would have the same exact affect.

[Im Your Man]

Marcina, there may be a lot of crimes with guns in Canada, but certainly not a lot compared to the US. I don't remember the numbers in the movie "bowling for columbine" but I think for the US it's in the 20 000, and in Canada it's something like 126. Even if there's more people living in usa doesn't explain this carnage. There's lots of people in Japan and I think there's like 4 persons killed by guns per year! The yakuzas prefer to use katanas lol.

 

 

dontxhide wrote: I also have a machete, a knife, and wood chopping axe, bear mace, a lighter, candles, saved water, saved food, a survivalist handbook. All those are tools to be used also, and some can also kill a man. Whats makes that any different?

 

That's ridiculous.

Do I really need to explain the difference?

[VeganEssentials]

A gun is no different from a sword as far as overall danger, so long as it's not in the hands of some idiot.

 

I disagree. A gun can go off accidentally and even if it doesn't it can be used at great distance, therefore depersonalizing the act of violence somewhat. No sword can do that. You strike with a sword and chances are you'll be close enough to get spattered with blood and hear the screams. I'd suggest that this would act to moderate violence a little more than a gun ... but what do I know really, as I don't own any weapons.

 

A gun can't cause a catastrophe without it being in someone's hand, finger on the trigger, pointed at someone else. While it is sitting at rest untouched, there is no inherent danger in it moreso than a sword, as I used for example. A sword in the hand pointed into someone else's chest is exactly the same - it is dangerous, and a small error of losing one's balance a bit could cost someone their life. One is close-combat only, the other ranged, but they do share the common factor that if they're not being used to threaten someone else with chance of killing/injuring them, there's really very little difference in the true danger.

 

The first rule of having a gun is, "Never, ever point it at someone else unless you plan to shoot them", so anyone foolish enough to aim a loaded weapon at someone else and have their finger on the trigger is basically commiting to the likelihood of injuring or killing the person on the other end. Common sense and basic firearms education keep most people from ever pointing a gun at someone else, but for those that are using weapons to commit crimes, do people REALLY think that if the perpetrator didn't have a gun that they wouldn't find another weapon to indimidate and possiby attack their victims with?

[Emmybear]

I know zombies was a joke! I should have wrote this ; Zombies?!?

[Zack]

I like shooting. I have a couple of classic Russian world war 2 rifles, and my brother has a mauser used by the nazi's.

[Im Your Man]

A gun is no different from a sword as far as overall danger, so long as it's not in the hands of some idiot.

 

The thing is that there's lots of idiots out there, so lots of danger. And I don't agree that a gun is no different from a sword. Just try to go on a mad killing with a sword, you won't be able to kill as many people than with a machine gun in a crowd or with a riffle from the roof of a tower. As soon as you would kill the first person with a sword, all other people will have vanished. But a gun can kill the people that run away. There's good chances you can't even kill a single person with a sword because there's no surprise effect, while you can easily hide any gun in your pocket.

 

Americans live by the way of the gun. They have a fascination with guns, it's part of their culture and history. Blood, Indian and bison massacre, black lynching, Hollywood movies... And now fear, espescially since 9/11... "oh I gotta get a gun, to be able to protect myself. I'm so scared, the streets are full of killers with guns". The fear comes from within, your own citizens, but the government try to make believe it's the rest of the world who's a menace.

Buying a gun won't help you to be safer. On the contrary: if someone break into your house or a thief in a shop, there's good chances he will only point the gun at you, take the money and run. But if you have a gun, you will pull it out and you might get killed, or other people might get killed.

[Zack]

 

Americans live by the way of the gun. They have a fascination with guns, it's part of their culture and history. Blood, Indian and bison massacre, black lynching, Hollywood movies... And now fear, espescially since 9/11... "oh I gotta get a gun, to be able to protect myself. I'm so scared, the streets are full of killers with guns". The fear comes from within, your own citizens, but the government try to make believe it's the rest of the world who's a menace.

Buying a gun won't help you to be safer. On the contrary: if someone break into your house or a thief in a shop, there's good chances he will only point the gun at you, take the money and run. But if you have a gun, you will pull it out and you might get killed, or other people might get killed.

 

 

Those things are shared by more countries than the United States...

[Im Your Man]

Yeah but United States is the #1 in it, like in many other things.

[Zack]

Yeah but United States is the #1 in it, like in many other things.

 

 

In what? Liking guns?

[Im Your Man]

yes, and using them. Canadians also have lots of guns but it's more to hunt other animals than humans...

So yeah, United States is #1 of dead by guns.

Was #1 of obesity but now Australia took the first place.

#1 of heart attacks and other meat diseases.

 

I don't have a list of all the facts but there's some that would be very interesting and fascinating.

Of course we know it's #1 about money it makes, oil consumption, oil importer.

 

But there's not only negativity. I'm sure there's some good things. I sure want to travel in the US some day, there's some places that look beautiful.

 

Like Leonard Cohen sings in "Democracy"

 

It's coming to America first,

the cradle of the best and of the worst.

It's here they got the range

and the machinery for change

and it's here they got the spiritual thirst.

It's here the family's broken

and it's here the lonely say

that the heart has got to open

in a fundamental way:

Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

[Zack]

Good and bad everywhere man. That's all I gotta say.

[DaN]

I mean look guys, the simple fact is that having guns on sale to the general public is an idiotic failure of government.

 

I simply cannot understand it, from my perspective here in England.

 

That being said, understand I am not just talking about the US.Any country which has guns is going to be a less peaceful place than one without, simple as.

 

The only saving grace you guys have is that no nation would ever really want to invade a country where the residents have machine guns!

 

By the way I hear that in every town in China they have an emergency weapons stash so that there is a gun for every citizen... & there are a billion of them... I just hope for all our sakes that isnt true