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Life is a Risk. Well put. And we all have our ways of dealing with it.
I joined this thread by stating that many things in life are considered to be Risky. We all have a threshold, what can be called acceptable risk. If something is beyond this threshold, we most likely will refrain from engaging in it ..
If I deem a swimming in a pool to be acceptable risk ... I will swim. If not, I wont.
If I think driving a car is acceptable risk .. I will ... if not, I wont.
But your RIGHT to own a gun increases my (and our collective) risk. Currently, I have no option but to accept this risk. Like the other poster said .... a concealed weapon could be present at a bank, at a Mc Donald's, my college ..... etc .. thereby increasing the risk to my LIFE ---> this is a clear violation of my RIGHTS!
It is a simple concept.
Yes ,its my right to own a gun . I am also a law abiding citizen, that doesn't put your life at risk. I have gone thru all the measures needed to obtain a license for my gun. I also passed background checks to make sure that i am a sane able bodied person eligible for this.
You argue someone owning a gun puts your life at risk but what happens if that person risks his life and saves your life?
A criminal would put anyones life at risk with or without a tool/weapon.
Whens the last time bullets from a handgun went flying out of someones house into your house?
Now back to your incorrect preconceived notions.
Insert Wild West comment here.
You are right .... That's exactly what the study says
I am not using jargon like absolute risk and adjusted odds ratio to justify my claim. I am making common sense deductions.
E.g.
(1) Having a swimming pool in your house increase the risk of drowning.
(2) Having a gun around you, increases your risk of getting shot.
Yes ,its my right to own a gun . I am also a law abiding citizen, that doesn't put your life at risk. I have gone thru all the measures needed to obtain a license for my gun. I also passed background checks to make sure that i am a sane able bodied person eligible for this.
Yes, I am not refuting any of that. I am simply stating that your right to own a gun increases the collective risk of injury or death for the entire society. Guns can be stolen, shots can be misfired, etc.
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You argue someone owning a gun puts your life at risk but what happens if that person risks his life and saves your life?
That would be one very brave person. But this still does not address my concerns.
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Whens the last time bullets from a handgun went flying out of someones house into your house?
Say it happens once every 100 years. Or once every day. How does that matter?
What matters is whether or not non-gun owners want to accept the risk associated with others owning guns.
Yes, I am not refuting any of that. I am simply stating that your right to own a gun increases the collective risk of injury or death for the entire society. Guns can be stolen, shots can be misfired, etc.
And your right to own a car increases the collective risk of injury or death for the entire society. Cars can be stolen , cars can cause fatal accidents, used a a tool to mow down citizens , or commit suicide.
That would be one very brave person. But this still does not address my concerns.
Happens from time to time..
Say it happens once every 100 years. Or once every day. How does that matter?
What matters is whether or not non-gun owners want to accept the risk associated with others owning guns.
Okay and what about all the drunk driving , idiots drugged up and driving. What about people being killed with bats and knives. What about people being raped and killed. What about all of the medications people are on and overdose on them causing fatalities.
We can go back and forth on this but i think you might of missed something very important earlier on that i mentioned. Whats the real problem behind gun violence ? Is it the law abiding citizens or criminals. Why are career criminals in and out so often and so fast?
You are right .... That's exactly what the study says
I am not using jargon like absolute risk and adjusted odds ratio to justify my claim. I am making common sense deductions.
E.g.
(1) Having a swimming pool in your house increase the risk of drowning.
(2) Having a gun around you, increases your risk of getting shot.
Having a gun around also increases your chance of surviving an attack. It allows one to protect themselves and their families. The average response time for a crime in progress in the US is 11 minutes. What do you think could happen in 11 minutes while you wait for the police?
I'll take my chances with my gun, thank you. If you don't want a gun, great. The difference between you and me is I am not trying to make you own a gun while you are trying to keep me from one.
We can go back and forth on this but i think you might of missed something very important earlier on that i mentioned. Whats the real problem behind gun violence ? Is it the law abiding citizens or criminals. Why are career criminals in and out so often and so fast?
Let's not go round in circles. The point I am making (or have been trying to make) is un-related to almost everything you have said. Yes, bad people will do bad things. I get that.
Disassociate the gun from the law abiding owner for a minute. I am stating that simply having a gun in a neighborhood or bar or restaurant - increases the risk of death or injury for everyone around.
You are right --- drugs can kill, bad guys with bats can kill. But just because people die due to drugs and drunk drivers doesn't mean I should ignore the risk associated with having a gun around me.
Having a gun around also increases your chance of surviving an attack. It allows one to protect themselves and their families. The average response time for a crime in progress in the US is 11 minutes. What do you think could happen in 11 minutes while you wait for the police?
This is not a universal truth. If I dont know how to operate a gun properly, the chances of me causing more harm than good is very high.
But I agree with you overall. Having a gun at home may help you fight off an intruder. I do not disagree. Similarly, knowing martial arts puts you at a great advantage as well.
But, your having a gun does affect everyone around you (e.g. neighbors) ....therefore, the gun should be regulated and licensed appropriately.
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I'll take my chances with my gun, thank you. If you don't want a gun, great. The difference between you and me is I am not trying to make you own a gun while you are trying to keep me from one.
A gun is a weapon. If my neighbors or the guy I meet at a restaurant is carrying one, I should know and have a say in it ... like I said, having a gun freely around me is beyond my threshold of acceptable risk.
What you are saying is not new ... has been said over and over again. And I dont disagree with the overall connotation of this argument - i.e. you should be able to shoot an someone attacking you with a crowbar or baseball bat.
But your right to own a gun takes away many of my rights.
Say you fire 20 shots in your home to try and kill an intruder. Many of your shots could easily go through windows and walls and hit your neighbor(s). Thereby, you possessing a weapon has a very real and direct impact on people around you. Your gun could be stolen, and prove to be extremely dangerous for other parties that did not want to be around this weapon.
Similarly, your concealed weapon poses a direct risk to me. This risk might be minuscule, but might be unacceptable to many. For example, the risk of swimming in a pool might be small, but if unacceptable, I will never go near a swimming pool .. ever. However, when it comes to concealed weapons or neighbors with guns, I am never given this option.
There are rules, regulations, limits on many things deemed to be risky. No reason why there should be some for guns.
You're wrong, your fear of my rights take away your comfort. I've never done or owned anything that took away any of your rights. Nothing I've ever done has affected your life and it never will unless you intend to harm me or my family.
I take great pride and extreme care when it comes to personal protection, I know the risk of shooting through a window or walls, I know the risk of my weapons being stolen. I make every effort to prevent anything like that from taking place, I practice with my weapon weekly if not daily... which by the way gets me labeled as a "gun nut playing with my toys" by many people who think as illogically as you do.
I can, but I wont since it is not necessary. Like I said, even if the risk to neighbors and those around weapons is minuscule (tiny) .... it can only be deemed to be an acceptable risk by those involved.
Many deem skiing to be risky ... yet thousand ski every winter. If I deem skiing to be acceptable (risk) I will ski ... else I wont.
If you don't like the risk that the 2nd amendment puts you in then I suggest you fine a location more suitable for your feelings.
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