The Gun Counter

Does this make sense to anyone? I guess it might seem odd to me since I've been around them, pretty constantly, since I was a child.

How is it any more significant than owning certain household chemicals, or kitchen knives, or a gasoline tank, etc, etc, etc? I realize most of the board probably thinks in a similar manner - do "normal" people really think that way?

There seems to be some kind of odd link between (for a very small percentage of men) lost adulthood and masculinity, and a firearm - honestly, they make me a bit nervous - of course, I think most things young men/teenagers do makes adults nervous...

Is it better to ignore them until they mature (if ever - I know young children whom I would trust w. dangerous machinery than some 30 year olds), or does it help to get through to them? At times, I think the only thing that can get through to them is putting them in a situation where its clear that ignoring authority figures/rules will get them killed*.

*They seem the most responsive around firearms, but the only young, punkish, men I've ever taken shooting had already gotten their heads straightened up some either in the plant, or the track.

People do seem to have differing reactions when seeing guns.

A few years back, one of the moving crew helping me move into El Paso proper got all hyper (college student, part time job) and pestered me with questions when he saw my AR, including some that concerned my motivations regarding ownership. I didn't take his questions as anti-gun bias, but rather as ignorance and answered them as thoroughly as I could in a polite manner. The other members of the crew just rolled their eyes at the kid's questions as they continued to work. It turns out he was here only because his father was stationed here at Ft. Bliss. Even though his father was career Army, he had never really been exposed to the concepts of personal responsibility of self defense.

OTOH, I have met a few people who were ardent anti-gunners. I just walk away, as it isn't my responsibility to confuse them with logic.

Yup, I know what you mean. A former college friend who is now, of all things, an attorney refers to me, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as "That Gun Carrying Asshole."

CByrneIV wrote:Solemn

And there I was thinking it had a silent B on the end....Ooops..


Rusty

Took a few stabs at it, ended up w. something that passed spell checker and went w. it...

I'm a bit surprised by the attitude of the lawyer - quite a few of them carry, even the Socialists.

Personally, I do feel that way. Though I may sometimes call them toys (especially when I get a new one, or when considering the old saw about men and boys and the price of toys), I fully understand that they are NOT for amusement. I had a few incidents in my younger days that put me off firearms to some degree; when I made the decision to buy my first gun, I approached it with serious intent. Solemnly, if you like.

Its a tool. I have seen heavy equipment operated in a careless manor that was as much as a concern as poor/dangerous firearms handling, but more often than not, the equipment operator is given a pass.
In general imho it is politically correct bs , we have a responsibility to prevent others from being harmed when using dangerous tools.

solum [ˈsəʊləm]
n pl -lums, -la [-lə]
(Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) the upper layers of the soil profile, affected by climate and vegetation.
[New Latin from Latin: the ground]

Collins English Dictionary

Any vehicle carries with it a MUCH greater responsibility than any single firearm, yet we allow kids less than 16 years old to start learning how to drive and operate a multiton vehicle having the potential to kill tens of people at a time. And yet, it's pretty damn hard to harvest a deer, rabbit, elk, coyote, or defend yourself against a bear, deer, elk, rabid human, or suicide bomber with a vehicle instead of a firearm. And yet a kid of 12 years old can gather food, and help protect his family with a firearm which you can't do the same with a car strapped to your hip or slung across your back.

It's all about perception.

People who live in the cities and vote in huge blocks for their perceived issues tend to forget about everyone else. So, since they have come to believe and FEEL safe with lots of police and lots of food at the local stores that they have NO NEED for firearms and that anyone who needs one is either a cop or criminal, they vote accordingly - and EVERYONE ELSE suffers due to the numbers of their votes from within the big cities. And they still can't figure out WHY the cops aren't able to protect them even though they keep throwing money at them and have ever larger and more powerful ARMIES of cops and yet they STILL have a lot of crime.

GEE, maybe someone should BUY A CLUE?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!

"Solemn Responsibility" - did they ever think about that whenever someone BRINGS A CHILD INTO THIS WORLD???? What about protecting such child??? Who's going to do that, the POLICE????

Why is it that people who live in the big cities with some of the WORST problems think that GOVERNMENT is the solution to all their problems???

What a bunch of MORONS (who believe in such crap)!