It seems like, to simplify everything... America is similar to a relationship.
You have 2 people with different beliefs. One is manipulative. Uses comparisons of their ex to you to get you to change to fit their ideal significant other. They can't accept you for who you are. They want you to give this up or give that up, because you must be molded to fit their idea of the perfect significant other...
The sex could be great. The trips, adventures, and good times become meaningless when there is a disagreement or freak out when hard times arise.
1 party of the relationship sticks with emotional outbursts.
1 party of the relationship thinks things through thoroughly and logically.
1 party declares with whining and crying you don't understand how I feel.
The other party declares, I understand how you feel, but that doesn't give you the right to punish me or mistreat me because you are in a bad mood or had a bad day.
And when that party puts their foot down and denies the others ideas, rationale, or logic, the emotional one spins it disproportionately out of control to friends and family to get support and to get the other person to change into what they want/believe.
Simple analogy. Seems to make sense...
I've dealt with that in the past first hand.
"You work too much. I feel abandoned."
Ok. I work so we can go and do fun things on the weekend. Plus buy food, pay utilities, property and school taxes.
"Babe, my friend is moving, I told them we would help on Saturday because you have a truck and trailer"
You didn't even ask you just volunteered me?
"My ex used to say he was working late too and he was cheating on me the entire time"
You know where I work if you don't believe me come over.
"My ex liked (insert music, hobby, etc here) and that needs to change you remind me of them"
Give up this that the other...
"I know this is last minute I've been invited by my coworkers to go get drinks"
Ok. I had plans to to take you out, if you're going to be drinking let me know if you need a ride.
"Maybe you should have told me this ahead of time!"
One side gets to slowly chip away at everything you are, everything you do, everything you believe in. And if it's not fitting to their wants, needs, desires, you're heartless cold and mean and you are the intolerant one. The fun part of it is when you pull the same stunt they pull and give them a taste of their own medicine.
Hey I know it's last minute, but me and the guys are going out.
"Oh no you're not! Unless I'm going too!"
My ex used to do that same exact thing, and I'm not comfortable with it.
"Are you jealous!? Do you have doubts!? You think I'm cheating on you!? How dare you!?"
That is exactly what it feels like being pro gun and dealing with arguments pertaining to gun control.
If the emotionally weak had their same tactics thrown in their face they cry victim.
If presented a logical argument the only thing they're capable of is regurgitating what talking heads in the media say, or what a politician who has no knowledge, but uses triggering words, has to say. They're driven and motivated by fear, what ifs and such, and use tragedy to push for stricter erosion of rights to fit their idea of a "perfect significant other"
What you say is
"I'm not against you owning a gun, unless it's a gun that I declare you can have and how many and how much ammo"
What I hear is
"You don't need what I believe is bad. You remind me of a maniac. How dare you question both my authority, integrity, and beliefs. They supercede yours by a long shot. Submit to my will or else"
What you say is
"Something needs to be done about this following this tragedy! How many more need to happen!? You don't need this or that because that is what the person used"
What I hear is
"I am drawing a connection between you and someone heinous with ill intent"
What you say is
"You don't need a powerful military style rifle"
What I hear is
"I don't know what I'm talking about but it sounds good and makes me feel better"
What you say is
"We need to make it harder to aquire these implements to prevent this from ever happening again"
What I hear is
"I don't trust you or anyone like you. Submit to my wants needs desires because I'm scared"
Yet...all death is a tragedy. When I present the numbers of leading causes of death at another's hand... such as car accidents DWI... which go on daily, and are a tragedy...
There are no calls to ban alcohol. No calls to ban private ownership of cars. No calls to put stricter laws in place. Require back ground checks require psychological screenings etc.
"Yeah but with vehicles, there are registration, insurance, and in commercial applications screening for alcohol and drugs"
Ahh. Driving is a privelege not a constitutionally protected right.
Using your logic cars should also be banned because the founding fathers did not foresee advancements in technology beyond horses? Or just certain types of vehicles should be banned to fit your ideal mode of transportation because what's good for me is plenty for thee...
Anti gun crowd, pro gun control crowd, Think on that for a moment.
In the big picture of things you are applying the same mentality of a racist.
You are scared of what you do not like. What is foreign or different than yourself and use a broad brush stroke to paint a class of people equivalent to the actions of few.
You can live in fear if you want. That is your right as a citizen. I'm not an anointed figure to pass judgement or seek control.
Let's take my former state of NY for an example.
Heroin and perscription opioid consumption without a prescription is illegal.
It leads to alot of deaths.
What does NY do to address the situation?
Remove the police from making multiple arrests at the scene of an overdose.
We need to remove the stigma of overdose and work to save lives.
Give the police Narcan and require them to administer first aid/cpr.
What does that do? Perpetuate a problem at the expense of the tax payer, and neuter the police. It's a "feel good" approach. Not a practical one.
In Florida, sheriff's have been making undercover purchases from street dealers. And hunt them down to arrest at a future date. That's a proactive approach to combat opioid and illegal prescription drug abuse. Supposedly police respond to the scene of an overdose they arrest anyone involved/present at the scene for possession or intent. Kind of a guilt by association deal.
Then there is the firearm debate.
There are either going to be fragile and emotional calls for legislation and law. That punishes those who are law abiding with no intent to extinguish life unless attacked and that be the last resort of self defense.
Subjection to scrutiny based around what weapon they want and assume it's due to the actions of an evil being.
The elitist who believes that because they own a shotgun, revolver, or lever/bolt action for hunting, their fellow hobbyist/collector should too.
It's not a joke, nor is it something to take lightly, when you propose restrictions on rights.
One could argue that the 1st could be subjected to such scrutiny using the founding fathers did not see the advancement in technology. Terrorists and the deranged can use the Internet to commission heinous acts. Insurgency forces in Iraq and Afghanistan use cell phones to detonate bombs. Probably use the Internet to get the schematics to build said bomb and spread their radical ideology... Should that be a call for background checks for cell phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, anything more than a printing press, a quill pen and ink bottle? Because those didn't exist when the framers outlined the 1st... it's a relative argument.
So how do we come together to address the events from happening further?
I say a legitimate common sense, not irrelevant emotionally driven approach be taken.
We could start with a repeal of weak law, and implementation of harsher punishments. I like Florida's approach. The 10 20 life. Commission the use of a firearm in criminal enterprise automatic 10 years. 20 for discharge. Life resulting in a death.
I'm not exactly willing to be subject to a more intrusive surveillance and security measures to go out in public. I also do not succumb to fear that I may be killed for attending a night club, a bar, or a bank. I'm not a sheep that's reliant on a dog to protect me from a wolf.
I would like to see this though, that scumbags estate liquidated and proceeds plus what money he had in the bank go to the victims and their families.
This is the million dollar question. How do you prevent it from happening again?
Well. To be honest. Give the citizens the right to defend themselves. Granted a pistol would not have made any difference that night unless storming the room... and going Israeli carry where AR15s are seen on slings... it would have the anti gun crowd
Feeling uncomfortable and they do not want to see it. So do we respect their feelings and not carry openly? Yeah. It's against the law to carry a weapon openly in Florida unless hunting or fishing or while attending a 3 gun match drawing from a holster required.
A registry
There are data breeches occurring. The claim Russians hacked the election and voting polls existed. If an online database of "registered gun owners" existed, hackers could be commissioned and leak the data of firearms and their owners and their location. You now pose a new issue. If kept offline like it currently is with 4473s, I do not see a problem with that. However states do have laws that make registries a felony.
Mental health screening. I'm not opposed to it in theory. As long as it can not be manipulated subjectively or politically, or only grant the right to access what is currently legal and currently restricted. I feel if you pass the mental screening you should not be denied access to any firearm type caliber capacity or suppressors and have a nationally and us territory recognition of concealed carry. I also feel in wake of this event, with the scumbags girlfriend claiming he suffered consistent night terrors, that a significant other should report it, and due process follow to restrict rights.
Increased measures of proactive gun control, do not stop nor deter criminals and their intent. There are laws on the books against murder, against DWI, and they still do not prevent the actions being carried out. Gun control measures like in may issue states, my former state of NY, make it near impossible to get a concealed pistol permit. It is also a state that says you have a duty to retreat. So even if you did defend yourself, or someone else, you are a criminal. Unless it occured in your home since that is how the law is written. It enables someone with ill intent to commit crime, and make criminal out of someone defending life or property.
Do you propose arrests be made by thought police? A head piece worn that transmits thoughts to a monitoring system and arrests be made before harm and evil is carried out?
I really don't have an answer to appease the anti gun group. It is just another topic of divide. And shift blame about.
Could video games, music, movies all be to blame? Maybe... but there were black and white movies of WW2, Cowboys and gun stingers relative to those times. There did not exist music that glorified death destruction and gangster activity like there is today... nor were there video games. Kids played outside with toy guns. I could see a kid today with a group of friends having pretend shoot outs in their backyard and a neighbor call the police on them and the department of child protective services place the kids in a foster care program because that isn't (subjectively) "normal"
The AR15 has been on the market since the 1960s under the brands Colt and Armalite... Here is an ad from 1963.
The mechanism hasn't changed much other than visual appearance. Hand guards, optics, stocks, grips, muzzle devices, and so forth. It evolved from a smooth side, to include a shell deflector and forward assist. Void of the carry handle peep sight aperture to a rail system to add optics and backup iron sights.
They were available as full auto as the Hughes amendment did not come to be until 1986. Just pay your NFA tax stamp fee, and the serial number go into a registry.
So what changed?
The gun or the people that use them?
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POst 2425 Way to long
Don't confuse Gun Laws with Natioal Security.
