This was posted on Facebook today and though I usually steer away from heated political debate, I couldn’t bite my tongue. I know this runs the risk of offending but I’m afraid the tongue biting is starting to hurt just a little too much. Anyway, the bomb comment doesn’t really even deserve a thread of time. So, I’m not giving it any. It’s ridiculous. As for the rest, I hate to vehemently disagree with others because I’m a peacemaker through and through, but this isn’t even a fair comparison. There are laws that regulate underage driving, impaired drivers, overaged drivers, disabled drivers, psychologically unsound drivers etc. These laws are strictly enforced and there are steep consequences for breaking them, including revoking licenses and imprisonment. However, the laws regulating who uses a gun are not quite as harsh or as well monitored. Kids cannot drink, drive or vote, yet they can use a loaded firearm. That seems a little misguided. Sadly, family friends of mine lost their child to an accidental shooting by their second child, and another family friend lost her dad to suicide. According to Forbes, the vast majority of gun deaths in the United States are from suicides. Only 3% are related to self-defense. Check out this article, http://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerkay/2013/01/22/who-knew-the-leading-cause-of-gun-death-is-suicide/
One other notable point, cars are a necessary tool in our daily life. Guns are not. While guns are the second leading cause of traumatic injury death in this country, they are unnecessary for the vast majority of people. In countries where there are no guns for the regular populace there is little gun death. The statistics speak for themselves. And to those who argue that we could save ourselves from an invasion and have a potential grass-roots militia…bogus. We could not outshoot an army of any kind. There’s a reason they send in SWAT when someone loses their shit.
I’m really not at all anti-gun. My dad taught me to shoot when I was a kid. He taught me that guns were to be revered because they were dangerous. He was shot during a family hunting expedition. Right in the chest . He knew first-hand the damage a firearm could do, but he still had a place for one in his house. So, I don’t blame the firearm. It’s this “myth talk” that I hate. The myths about what someone could do to save themselves or others if everyone had a weapon. The real answer is nothing. Nothing more than is already done. Those kids at Sandy Hook would not have been better off had someone had a gun. There was no time to prepare. The experts were called in just like they are in countries where gun control laws are much stricter. The same countries where gun deaths number much lower than in the United States.
This is an argument about want versus need. Gun owners want their guns, no matter what the reality shows them. And they throw fits if they don’t get their way because guns are big boy toys. Big boy toys that too often are used by untrained kids or incapacitated adults. Period.
Thanks for posting this. Yes, statistics speak for itself. I’m one of them living in a country ith very strict gun laws, and we have very few gun injuries. I think it’s crazy how you can get a gun like…anywhere in the US. CRAZY. To me it just seems like the American people are against gun laws because they don’t want anyone else to decide for them. Sure, self defense, I can buy that. But maybe if anyone didn’t have access to guns there wouldn’t be a need to have one for self defense?
I’ve actually read about your country’s gun laws. They’re some of the best in my opinion. You are quite right about Americans. There is this real sense of “you can’t tell me what to do”, which is pathetic and childish. Self-defense is NOT a viable argument.
I’m sorry for my awful grammar errors and typical iphone typing errors in my previous comment 🙂 Hope you’ll have a brilliant weekend.
No problem. You must be as tired as I with this A-Z challenge. The challenge is finding time to sleep. 🙂
I just don’t know enough about Gun laws. I have no problem with regulating guns and stricter laws, I just can’t comment on where we stand with the laws now because I do not own guns or participate in gunnery debates. I will say this, my father always said, “I will never own a gun, I will most likely shoot my own child sneaking back into the house thinking it is a burglar, guns lead to nothing but trouble and are just no good.” I trust my Daddy 🙂
I trust your Daddy too. He sounds like a smart man.
Yeah there is a big difference between self defense and overboard. There is no need anywhere to own an automatic weapon. Or to put a sniper rifle on your wall. Over compensating much? But some people are so thick headed that you can never get it through to them.
I’m smiling at your post. This is exactly how I feel. A hunting rifle for hunting sure, but why can’t some people just see the plain truth of the situation?
There does need to be better and stronger gun laws, the fact that there isn’t ONE database for all mentally ill people for background checks is just one thing that needs to be taken care of. I know this for a fact because I’ve been hospitalized three times in a psychiatric hospital 20 years ago and I was told by my doctor that if I wanted a gun all I had to do was lie on the background check form and say I’ve never been in the psychiatric hospital because there’s no way right now for them to check.
That’s just one thing. Another is the automatic guns and large magazines. There’s no need for that.
Dark Thoughts Blog
Wow! That first hand experience speaks volumes. I know it is not difficult at all for psychiatric patients, children, pretty much anyone to get guns. It really gets to me. I’ve seen too many people hurt or killed by gun violence and so many gun rights activits scream about “govenment control” when we try to take them away.
Excellent post. I, too, respect guns but I recognize that not everyone needs easy access to them. I wish there were more rational minds involved in the gun control issue, but it seems like it the far outside edges that are most vocal. Instead of NO GUNS!/MOAR GUNS! I wish we could find more middle ground that helps save lives and still allows hunters and those who need them to survive (yes, I’ve watched a few too many episodes of “Yukon Men”) to have them. No easy answers, unfortunately. And that’s always what everyone wants.
Everything you say resonates with me in such a true fashion. And “Yukon Men”? I have to see this show. I do believe there are people who still live off of what they hunt and gather and guns should be accesible to these folks, but teenagers in Chicago inner city do not need access to weapons. They need support, counseling, a clear path to something better, great teachers and parents, but not guns.
I have to say, I agree with everything you said. Everything. And the face that the congress didn’t pass the background check for buying a gun – I just don’t get it.
I don’t understand why the NRA and its members can’t look at real truths about gun violence. Every sign points to less guns meaning less death. It’s like people are blind. Ugh! I get so worked up about this. 🙂
It certainly is a crooked argument. The car-to-gun one is a slightly straighter line, but you’re right that we regulate the heck out of cars. Imagine if the government made every gun owner bring their guns in for certification every certain number of days, and was allowed to impound them if they were deemed unsafe? The NRA would never let half of what we do to cars fly for firearms.
I love how you think!!!
Hi Jennifer. Your link worked so now i’m going to further confuse you because I have two blogs my blogger blog http://werelivingafulllife.blogspotspot.com and this WordPress blog that I’m commenting from. I haven’t posted on this WP blog in a while so busy with A-Z…
Anyhoo,
I agree that there is nothing worse than anyone dying tragically, it is a terribly sad thing when it happens.
I just don’t see how more laws are going to help, you can’t legislate non violence. When someone figures out how to do that I’ll be all for that.
Do guns kill? Yes, they do in the hands of violent criminals and irresponsible people as do motor vehicles as you so rightly pointed out.
I am the mother of five children. In 2006 i buried two of my grown children not because of gun violence but because of a driver who was inattentive who ran them over . It is a horrible thing to outlive ones children so I’ve gained a bit of perspective.
However in the grand scheme of things I’ve come to the realization that there are some things that more laws and more band-aids dreamt up after each tragedy to make us feel better will never stop the bad things from happening.
That is life.
Jen, I’m glad you stopped by! I’ll definitely check out your other blog. This A-Z is my sleep thief for sure. I agree with you in some respects and love how eloquently you speak your side. Laws will only work if they are strictly enforced. They won’t cause perfection and tragedy will still happen without a doubt, but it’s a numbers thing. I would rather save one life than none. I also want to say how the loss of your children is the worst thing I can imagine in this life. In no way do I think laws that govern driving are what they need to be, but at least they are being enforced to some extent. Once a gun leaves the shop there is no real re-up or re-evaluation. In all honesty, I think we shouldn’t have more band-aids, we should rip the damned things off and deal with the immediate pain in order to reach real healing. I have the utmost compassion for you. You must be one strong woman. I should take notes.
YES. Great post. Especially point out that “the vast majority of gun deaths in the United States are from suicides” I wish more people knew this fact. It is the reason I am incredibly thankful that nobody I’ve lived with has ever owned a gun, or else I’m not sure I’d still be here.
Alison, thank you for being a voice for those who need a second chance. Sometimes it’s a momentary lapse of judment and the availibility of an out that cause horrible tragedy. I appriate your post very much.
I agree with you — many things are necessary in our life, but are guns?
Enjoyed visiting your blog. (new follower here)
Silvia @ Silvia Writes
Thanks Silvia! I also enjoyed your posts so much. Can’t wait to read more. Thanks for following me too.
Excellent post! Your poster boils down to – Responsibility of the individual!
Growing up, we lived with guns in the house. Dad was military and he was on the state and National shooting teams. Growing up- he hunted to have food on his table, but didn’t hunt as an adult except for wild pigs that were destroying crops and attaching domestic pigs. Sadly, there are too many crazys out there AND no one needs an automatic 10 clip machine gun. We do need to have control over the power of the weapon. As Mom would say when we were in high school – “Any kid who is out after midnight is just getting into trouble!”
I liked this one, you have stirred up a lot of discussion too.