Do You Own a Gun?

[Ibby]

I have a question, Radar...

With all your absolutist spiels about rights and how nobody can or cant tell you to do something...

Let's say I'm your next-door neighbor. We're on really good terms, as good neighbors should be, and everything's fine. Then one day you exercise your right as a human being to own arms and buy an RPG launcher (or something of the same level, you get what I'm saying) that you don't really need, but that you simply want to have. I dont like this much; the very idea of a weapon that could easily blow up a car or even house sitting in the garage next door is just downright unsettling. I talk to the rest of the neighbors on the street and they kinda agree with me. So I knock on your door and ask nicely if you could kinda, if its not too much trouble, get rid of the weapon. What do you do? Defy the neighborhood and sit on your porch with it loaded and ready for any opposition, in the face of everything just for the sake of it, or, to assuage the fears of your worried friends and neighbors, sell it?

That's what society is. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, put limits on ourselves, about what we do. Thats why some limits on gun ownership are necessary, for the mentally ill or incompetent, criminals, etc, and reasonable limits imposed on what's simply too powerful or too dangerous for personal ownership.
The only question is where to draw the line.


(since I know all you people are downright CRAZY about gun threads (i swear these threads set you off worse than a matador to a bull) and all, keep in mind that I'm PRO-gun rights, dont flip out at ME for this - i'm just sayin', you know)

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Ibram

I have a question, Radar...

With all your absolutist spiels about rights and how nobody can or cant tell you to do something...

Let's say I'm your next-door neighbor. We're on really good terms, as good neighbors should be, and everything's fine. Then one day you exercise your right as a human being to own arms and buy an RPG launcher (or something of the same level, you get what I'm saying) that you don't really need, but that you simply want to have. I dont like this much; the very idea of a weapon that could easily blow up a car or even house sitting in the garage next door is just downright unsettling. I talk to the rest of the neighbors on the street and they kinda agree with me. So I knock on your door and ask nicely if you could kinda, if its not too much trouble, get rid of the weapon. What do you do? Defy the neighborhood and sit on your porch with it loaded and ready for any opposition, in the face of everything just for the sake of it, or, to assuage the fears of your worried friends and neighbors, sell it?

That's what society is. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, put limits on ourselves, about what we do. Thats why some limits on gun ownership are necessary, for the mentally ill or incompetent, criminals, etc, and reasonable limits imposed on what's simply too powerful or too dangerous for personal ownership.
The only question is where to draw the line.


(since I know all you people are downright CRAZY about gun threads (i swear these threads set you off worse than a matador to a bull) and all, keep in mind that I'm PRO-gun rights, dont flip out at ME for this - i'm just sayin', you know)

If the neighbors asked me very nicely, I might consider it. But in the end, it is my choice alone, and my neighbors have no say in whether or not I keep the weapon. I don't believe any limitations on guns is reasonable. In fact when people get out of prison (even if they've used a gun in a crime), they should be able to own guns again. If they pose a danger, they should not be released.

You, and my neighbors, could choose to shun me, and never do business with me, and make my life inconvenient enough (without violating my rights) that I might want to move.

Originally Posted by Ibram

I have a question, Radar...

With all your absolutist spiels about rights and how nobody can or cant tell you to do something...

Let's say I'm your next-door neighbor. We're on really good terms, as good neighbors should be, and everything's fine. Then one day you exercise your right as a human being to own arms and buy an RPG launcher (or something of the same level, you get what I'm saying) that you don't really need, but that you simply want to have. I dont like this much; the very idea of a weapon that could easily blow up a car or even house sitting in the garage next door is just downright unsettling. I talk to the rest of the neighbors on the street and they kinda agree with me. So I knock on your door and ask nicely if you could kinda, if its not too much trouble, get rid of the weapon. What do you do? Defy the neighborhood and sit on your porch with it loaded and ready for any opposition, in the face of everything just for the sake of it, or, to assuage the fears of your worried friends and neighbors, sell it?

That's what society is. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, put limits on ourselves, about what we do. Thats why some limits on gun ownership are necessary, for the mentally ill or incompetent, criminals, etc, and reasonable limits imposed on what's simply too powerful or too dangerous for personal ownership.
The only question is where to draw the line.


(since I know all you people are downright CRAZY about gun threads (i swear these threads set you off worse than a matador to a bull) and all, keep in mind that I'm PRO-gun rights, dont flip out at ME for this - i'm just sayin', you know)

Wrong, that is not what "society" is, that is a pure democracy, which is mob rule.
Franklin described it accurately. "Two lions and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner".
The majority should NEVER be able to remove rights from a minority. Rights, should never be up for a vote.
Many think any kind of fire arm is too "powerful" to own, which is ridiculous.

Every handgun/shotgun I have ever purchased I did so with the intention of never using it to harm anyone.
I hope to never harm anyone in any way.
If I have to protect myself I will and want to be able to if I have to, but hope never to be placed in that position by someone again.
That is not, however, up to me.

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Wrong, that is not what "society" is, that is a pure democracy, which is mob rule.
Franklin described it accurately. "Two lions and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner".
The majority should NEVER be able to remove rights from a minority. Rights, should never be up for a vote.
Many think any kind of fire arm is too "powerful" to own, which is ridiculous.

Every handgun/shotgun I have ever purchased I did so with the intention of never using it to harm anyone.
I hope to never harm anyone in any way.
If I have to protect myself I will and want to be able to if I have to, but hope never to be placed in that position by someone again.
That is not, however, up to me.

No, that ISN'T mob rule. They arent coming with torches and pitchforks telling you to get rid of it; they're coming nicely and asking you to please get rid of it. Theyre asking, not telling. To be part of society, you need to make sacrefices. You dont have to make the sacrifice - but if you want to be part of the neighborhood, you might wanna make nice with the neighbors.

[xoxoxoBruce]

If they are asking, and not telling, you don't have to give up anything to be part of society. If they make it conditional, then they are telling.