Gun Control 2

Note added August 2, 2005: The previous post had well over 50 responses attacking my position. I didn't get rid of them intentionally; switching blog templates deletes all your comments and I did not know this.

Eddddie, did you run and grab all your gun nut friends to come say hi?

Why do I feel the need to look over my shoulder?

Some of you really need to get back to sleeping with your cousins, and stop leaving posts repeating things said by other people, a million times over.

I come from a Northern Ontario hunting family. I spent my early years target shooting, shooting fowl, and hunting deer. It's not as if I've never handled a gun.

The biggest concern expressed here?

Basically, you like target shooting.

This is your concern.

Target shooting.

Sorry, but that's pathetically trivial, and should be the last priority when discussing guns.

Increase penalties for illegal gun use? Nice sounding, but deterrment really isn't that useful. Deterrment really only works if the punishment is swift, immediate and certain. Our justice system, which values due process, cannot offer these factors.

As for self defense, exactly how many rounds have any of you ever fired in self defense?

(Rabid bunnies don't count)

There's something none of you seem to be grasping about guns. Guns are very impersonal weapons. I can't believe you can't see a difference between a baseball bat and a gun; the psychology is very different. A gun is fired at a distance; the person feels removed and less responsible for the damaged inflicted. You don't have to be tough to fire a gun in anger. Melee weapons are an entirely different matter.

I can't believe all these comparisons to cars, of all things. One was developed and designed to kill, another obviously not. One is living up to it's original purpose when it kills, another kills almost entirely through accident.

Yes, guns are inanimate objects. But I think it's pretty clear that as a culture, we've proven that we can't handle the things responsible. Heck, I'd say as a species.

The Chinese had the right idea, you know. Fireworks. Much better use for gun powder.