Letters to the Editor
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I was in the same quandry as this young man
I decided to purchase a shotgun, after much soul searching and research. After Katrina I was extremely anxious about "looters" after a natural disaster. And after 5 years of the Bush administration I was very scared of the government.
Here, briefly, is my though process: There is a reason the Second Amendment comes second. I believe the Framers considered the citizen militia the best way to keep the government honest. Therefore, to be a fully actualize citizen one must become a member of the militia and exercise the right to bear arms.
Another consideration was a very logical supposition I came across in my research. It was this: if you find yourself in a situation where you need a gun, and you don't already have one, it is probably too late to get one. So, get a gun and ammo and locks and learn how to use it.
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Guns aren't just for killing
I've shot a 22 and a shotgun at cans and other inanimate targets, and it was really fun. I've never fired a handgun but it sounds really fun too.
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Guns vs Rifles
If you live somewhere wild, somwhere that many folks depend on game for family food, then a rifle makes sense. Anywhere else, no. There are more than 30K gun murders in this country every year, many of them with stolen or second hand gune (mostly hand guns). Don't make the problem worse. Thanks.
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Counting Our Dead
Dead students.
They're your age, LW...they could have been your friends.
The culture is consuming itself.
Don't let it eat you, too.
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Circular Saws
Yes. Circular Saws.
You see, like a circular saw, a gun is essentially just another tool. Unfortunately for you, guns also seem to have picked up some powerful psychological symbolism.
Most people who own guns, like myself and several of the other posters, own guns as you would own any other tool, for the job that they can do. For me, that job is harvesting meat. I enjoy hunting both for the way it integrates me into a natural environment and for the way it puts tasty game meat in my freezer (and of course, eventually onto my table and into my belly).
Contrary to what a few of my fellow posters have said, guns are not merely for killing people -- or necessarily for killing at all. I know many people who rarely -- if ever -- hunt, but still own guns as a sporting tool. They participate in competitive shooting sports. It's not my cup of tea, but then I'm not a member of darts league at the local pub, either. I don't harbor any negative opinion about either shootists or dart players, though.
So, getting back to circular saws. If have no need for a circular saw, buying one just because your father was a carpenter is a bit silly. Same with the gun, only more so, because guns are significantly more expensive than even the best circular saws.
I guess this puts me in the same category as Cary, but without the undertone of "guns: bad" that his response seemed to impart.
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I'm late to the discussion, but gun ownership is not necessarily uncalled for
I learned to shoot my Dad's service .38 revolver as a preteen. Since I was the babysitter for my younger 3 siblings from the age of 12, it made sense. I only drew it one time: I was college-age, we lived in the country and an unknown person was dropped off in our driveway (thankfully, it was a non-event, but I was ready to protect us).
Now I live again in the country, my husband was a hunter and has his Dad's shotgun (which has not been fired here) and I have a .22 rifle - mostly for target shooting, but I would not hesitate to point it at an intruder. But in 11 years, thankfully, there's been no threat. However, I'm glad to have something threatening in a place where a 911 call can take 30 minutes for response.
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It's Not a Tool, It's a Weapon
Guns are expressly designed to kill things. That's why they were invented. Don't give me that "guns don't kill people" line. The hell they don't. If you need to shoot to eat, fine. If it's just to feel all manly and protective, there are heavily advertised enhancement products that are less injurious (but watch that four hour limit).
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i agree with tom p
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070416/ap_on_re_us/virginia_tech_shooting
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FASCINATING
What a fascinating coincidence that this jerky young asshat decided to pick today (or maybe a couple of days ago) to write to Cary and ask about purchasing a gun.
Stop being so dmaned conflicted and get over youself, say I. There's no place for guns in a civilized society. If today hasn't proved it, what will it take you people to realize there is NO safe way for people to own firearms????!!!?
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2nd Amendment Shills
Where are the gun nuts when we need 'em? We need them here to provide sorely needed comic relief when they try to explain away "well ordered militia" and "arms". At the time of the founding of this nation, citizen WERE the army. Their muskets, the cannon in the town square, were the armory. Come on, NRA apologists, let's hear your rap. Mommy, I want a blackhawk gunship. It's "arms", right, gunnutts? You disappoint me. The memo must not have gone out yet. But it will. bet on it.
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"tom payne", a strange stage name considering your post
the founding fathers *did* have a fear of tyrannical government. they didn't want any "citizens" whiskey rebellion so they added "well regulated" to it. what is funny is that many of your confreres give vent to fears of a bush-fascist government take over. what would you do then? CRAWL to the gun owners, that's what. it BEHOOVES you to keep a civil tongue in your head till then. i was just going to read, not write, but since i got started, the south, with the most guns, has the most gun deaths. that is a fact. however, this mag has been *filled* recently about women's fears of blog threats. fear of blogging. what if every woman carried a derringer? would rape be less? would women's fears be less? would men be more polite? (the possibility of "chance encounters" would be practically nil). texas (has a carry law) women, do you feel safer? is there less rape? me? whenever i've been mugged it's been from behind and i never had time to *pull* a gun, even if i had it. if given a chance, i offer money on "easy terms". but if a warsaw ghetto ever came about here, i would hope that ghetto still had guns.