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America's love affair with guns is the weirdest, most disturbing thing about that country.
Quote:
Originally Posted by .sparrow.
Thinking it is a "love affair" is a bit disturbing, TroutDude.
Some just feel strongly about their 2nd amendment rights.
Not really so sure that should be seen as weird.
It's a basic human right.
self-defense ...
Love affair was EXACTLY the right word. The emotions involved defy common sense. Personally, I find it rather funny how often gun owners cite the second amendment. Every time I've ever asked a firearm-lover other questions about the Constitution, they know nothing about it, even things that effect their rights on a far more day-to-day basis.
Love affair was EXACTLY the right word. The emotions involved defy common sense. Personally, I find it rather funny how often gun owners cite the second amendment. Every time I've ever asked a firearm-lover other questions about the Constitution, they know nothing about it, even things that effect their rights on a far more day-to-day basis.
Well, to each their own.
I find that people often don't know the 8th amendment, especially when some disgusting crime hits the papers.
Thinking it is a "love affair" is a bit disturbing, TroutDude.
Some just feel strongly about their 2nd amendment rights.
Not really so sure that should be seen as weird.
It's a basic human right.
self-defense.
EDITED TO ADD: This is my last post on this thread. This was a horrible and very sad tragedy. I wish I hadn't responded to the OP's bait. If anyone wants to continue the conversation in another thread, fine. But I personally don't want to continue in this thread. This thread is about this tragedy. Not gun-control/gun rights.
The 2nd Amendment isn't about self-defense, it's about keeping a "well-regulated" militia. Switzerland has a militia; all gun-owners are required to participate in it, and are highly trained in safety, and everything else. They participate in periodic drills. That's a far cry from the US, where anyone who feels like getting a gun, even semi-automatic weapons, for recreation or personal safety reasons (to say nothing of more nefarious motives) can do so, often with no training required.
No one would pine for that dumbazz amendment that has resulted in so many firearms being out there in god only knows what kind of hands so as to convince a significant number of you to be frightened enough in your daily existence to arm yourselves in defence of who again....why your fellow citizens of course.
Yeppers, killing each other at the rate of over 50 per day is sure a gosh-darn good thing for other nations to pine for alrighty!
People would have guns regardless of whether or not the 2nd Amendment exists. Did Prohibition stop the sale, consumption, and production of alcohol? Do drug laws stop the sale, consumption, and production of illegal drugs? What makes you think the law itself, allowing Americans to own guns, is the reason so many people have guns?
And guns "in God only knows what kind of hands" are usually not legal guns. The majority of gangbangers in Chicago sure as hell don't have legally obtained guns.
How about arm yourselves against violent intruders who want to harm you or your family? Or steal from you? Maybe violent, random home invasions are rare, but they DO happen. Why should an innocent homeowner die in their home just because some thug decides he wants to break in, rob, rape, and kill one night? Just because he may be my fellow citizen doesn't mean I'm going to be all gung ho and let him live and let him harm me and my family.
I agree this story is awful and suspicious, and this woman who shot her daughter is clearly incredibly stupid. Like others have said, why the hell not ask "who's there?" or wait quietly until you see the person to start shooting? She's either a total idiot or this wasn't an accident.
The 2nd Amendment isn't about self-defense, it's about keeping a "well-regulated" militia. Switzerland has a militia; all gun-owners are required to participate in it, and are highly trained in safety, and everything else. They participate in periodic drills. That's a far cry from the US, where anyone who feels like getting a gun, even semi-automatic weapons, for recreation or personal safety reasons (to say nothing of more nefarious motives) can do so, often with no training required.
No one would pine for that dumbazz amendment that has resulted in so many firearms being out there in god only knows what kind of hands so as to convince a significant number of you to be frightened enough in your daily existence to arm yourselves in defence of who again....why your fellow citizens of course.
Yeppers, killing each other at the rate of over 50 per day is sure a gosh-darn good thing for other nations to pine for alrighty!
The Japs didn't even think about trying to invade due to our armed citizenry.
But you can keep deluding yourself that your government will never turn on you.
BTW...take our ghetto's out of the equation and we're safer than you!
BTW again...the suicide rates per 1,000 is almost identical between the US and Canada...how are y'all killin' yourselves?
The 2nd Amendment isn't about self-defense, it's about keeping a militia. Switzerland has a militia; all gun-owners are required to participate in it, and are highly trained in safety, and everything else. They participate in periodic drills. That's a far cry from the US, where anyone who feels like getting a gun, even semi-automatic weapons, for recreation or personal safety reasons (to say nothing of more nefarious motives) can do so, often with no training required.
Prior to the 20th century, the Supreme Court maintained that the Federal Government could not restrict gun ownership, but that States could restrict (and forbid) gun ownership. State laws forbidding blacks from owning guns were upheld for this reason.
This all changed fairly recently. In District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008), in a 5-to-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled the Second Amendment does reference an individual right, holding, "The Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to possess a firearm (specifically, handguns) unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home."
People In Small Areas Are Too Preoccupied With Break-Ins
I support the 2nd Amendment and I am not pro-gun control--HOWEVER, I am also not a "gun nut" and, to me, this story should be food for thought for those who are.
One thing I've observed over the years--people who live in small towns or rural areas in the south, which seems to be the case here, seem REALLY preoccupied with the idea that someone could break into their house and how they need to be armed, and they need to be armed with something "bad-azz" like a .357 Magnum or a 12 gauge pump shotgun. (I'm told that, in fact, something like a .38 Special is perfect.) It makes no sense--those of use who have lived in the city and experienced REAL crime long for the chance to move to the boonies where crime isn't so bad, yet those who have lived there seem obsessed about the potential for criminal activity. I'm like--live in a large city for awhile, THEN get back to me about your so-called "crime wave."
My life has been "The Tale of 3 Lives," I lived 27 years in the boonies, 10 years in the big city, and going on 10 years in the boonies again. I noticed this in "Phase 1" of my life, and I've noticed it in "Phase 3" now. During my "Phase 2" city life, I noticed a lot less of it, yet I lived in a city where one night I saw a dead body while out walking around midnight to the local convenience store, I phoned it in--and it was a 2 line blurb on page A13 etc. Around here, or where I grew up, it would have been a front page story and people would be freaking out like we were in a war zone.
Trust me--there was MUCH more crime in the city than is likely to EVER happen here or where I grew up, but to hear people talk, there are "crazies everywhere," and they are always talking about how "some nut breaks into my house, by George this will stop 'em" and everyone goes like "yeah, man, I'm the exact same way, can't be too careful nowadays."
I submit that sort of thinking leads to this sort of thing.
I've been in only one situation where someone broke into my house while I was home. In the evening, I heard someone downstairs and yelled, "WHO IS THERE?" They left immediately. However, had they not left immediately, I would have yelled, "WE CALLED THE POLICE. WE ARE ARMED. LEAVE NOW," and I would have put myself in a position to defend myself with a firearm. What I would not have done...is try to sneak up on the person to shoot them in the head before they knew anyone was home. IMO, that would be murder. There is nothing in the bible that condones such behavior.
Well said, and that is how I plan to handle a similar situation. Though I am prepared to defend myself with a gun, for religious reasons, I am no longer willing to take a life over property. Thus, I am not going to actively hunt the intruder and try to kill him.
I have a strong suspiscion that many of these unintended killings of family members are due to the shooter thinking that their long held fantasies of executing a burglar have just become a reality. Blinded by the chance to fulfill their fantasy, they shoot with out verifying the target. There was one case out west where a step daughter was accidently killed while sneaking into the house. Evidently, she was in the act of crawling though the window when she was hit by two measured shots. Despite being armed, the shooter made no attempt to warn the intruder off. A warning would have saved her life.
My guess is that it was a case of the following train of thought: "At last, I get to execute a real burglar and not a paper target. Wrong house bub, Bang.... Bang. Oh no, I just.... ."
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What makes you think the law itself, allowing Americans to own guns, is the reason so many people have guns? 
People In Small Areas Are Too Preoccupied With Break-Ins
