Michelle's Opinion
I am not a "lefty" or a liberal extremist. I am not against the 2nd amendment. I believe that Americans should be allowed to have a weapon for personal protection and/or hunting. However, if one feels the need for protection, why not use a rifle or a shotgun? I do not understand why an everyday american would need or want a semi-automatic handgun or the like.
I believe that police should have access to smaller powerful handguns due to the logistics of their jobs and the weapon's size and easy portability. What I don't understand is why a regular Joe would want something that powerful and deadly. Why can't gun enthusiasts use rifles or shotguns for protection instead of the 'gang-banger' guns...why are they even needed? Is it a testosterone-male-neanderthal-ego thing? I just don't get it.
In addition, I think that anyone who wants to purchase a gun must attend a mandatory safety class and become certified in ADVANCE in order to purchase a gun. Since I do not own a gun, I don't know if there is a law such as this already in place. I'm pretty sure if you are over 18 and don't have a criminal history you can walk right into Walmart and make your purchase.
I don't think it's a smart idea to let just ANYONE have a gun. For example, you mentioned that the doctors and nurses in New Orleans needed to protect themselves from the looters. Not everyone knows how to handle a gun, especially in a time of an emergency and under the pressure of a catastrophe.
When guns aren't available, there are other weapons of choice in self-defense. Knives, baseball bats, hard metal objects, firepokers...the list can go on and on. I could even kill someone easily by stabbing them in the throat with my car keys.
Moreover, why do people in other countries survive without owning a gun? I don't know if the law has changed in England, but when I was there in 1984 their police officers, called "bobbies", were only allowed to carry a baton. It is also a statistical fact that there are more deaths in the United States from guns than ANY OTHER COUNTRY in the world.
I'm not claiming to be an expert on the gun control subject...I am just thinking logically. I don't own a gun, and I don't plan on ever buying one. I remember when I was in high school my dad had a rifle to shoot the chipmunks that would burrow themselves into our basement. I became curious...on several occasions when I was home alone, I took the gun and tried it for myself. I had no idea what I was doing and I am lucky that I didn't hurt myself or someone else. I know there are millions of other kids who are curious to do the same thing...except some of those kids aren't as lucky as I was.
I believe that police should have access to smaller powerful handguns due to the logistics of their jobs and the weapon's size and easy portability. What I don't understand is why a regular Joe would want something that powerful and deadly. Why can't gun enthusiasts use rifles or shotguns for protection instead of the 'gang-banger' guns...why are they even needed? Is it a testosterone-male-neanderthal-ego thing? I just don't get it.
In addition, I think that anyone who wants to purchase a gun must attend a mandatory safety class and become certified in ADVANCE in order to purchase a gun. Since I do not own a gun, I don't know if there is a law such as this already in place. I'm pretty sure if you are over 18 and don't have a criminal history you can walk right into Walmart and make your purchase.
I don't think it's a smart idea to let just ANYONE have a gun. For example, you mentioned that the doctors and nurses in New Orleans needed to protect themselves from the looters. Not everyone knows how to handle a gun, especially in a time of an emergency and under the pressure of a catastrophe.
When guns aren't available, there are other weapons of choice in self-defense. Knives, baseball bats, hard metal objects, firepokers...the list can go on and on. I could even kill someone easily by stabbing them in the throat with my car keys.
Moreover, why do people in other countries survive without owning a gun? I don't know if the law has changed in England, but when I was there in 1984 their police officers, called "bobbies", were only allowed to carry a baton. It is also a statistical fact that there are more deaths in the United States from guns than ANY OTHER COUNTRY in the world.
I'm not claiming to be an expert on the gun control subject...I am just thinking logically. I don't own a gun, and I don't plan on ever buying one. I remember when I was in high school my dad had a rifle to shoot the chipmunks that would burrow themselves into our basement. I became curious...on several occasions when I was home alone, I took the gun and tried it for myself. I had no idea what I was doing and I am lucky that I didn't hurt myself or someone else. I know there are millions of other kids who are curious to do the same thing...except some of those kids aren't as lucky as I was.
4 comments:
life lesson #236. never take knife or a baseball bat into a gun fight.
Note to self: Master all Uma Thurman moves from Kill Bill in order to protect myself from crazed looters.
Now listen, little grasshopper...if you can't beat 'em, it doesn't mean you have to join 'em.
no if you can't beat 'em in this case you end up dead so you MUST join 'em
Guns don't kill anybody without someone pulling the trigger...people kill people with guns. If you rid the world of guns, people would kill other people with bats, knifes, etc. People are the problem, not guns.
With regrads to children, accidents happen unfortunately, but we don't outlaw pools because children drown in them. Nor should we outlaw guns because sometimes idiots leave the gun accessible (and worse yet, loaded) for children to play with. Tragedy? Yes. Reason to outlaw guns? Absolutely not.
I second anonymous' point...good luck with that knife in a gun battle Michelle. If I am stuck in NO with no authorities, I'll take a gun for protection over anything else thank you very much, with or without any training.
Glad you're not against the 2nd amendment, but who made you the authority on what gun is right for someone to own, and what law abiding citizens are qualified?
Perhaps someone needs to carry a weapon, put it in a drawer, etc. Perhaps some person doesn't want to fiddle with a single action weapon. The list could go on and on for reasons to own a particular variety of gun. What you're saying is much like environmentalists who practic "Green Bigotry" telling everyone what amount of this or that is good for them instead of letting individuals decide what's good for them on their own. I guess you might be a "gun bigot".
And, lastly, for your point about mandatory classes, waiting periods, etc. That's not so good if you just heard that someone was going to be doing this or that harm to you (or your property) in a couple of hours. May sound far fetched, but it could happen.
With instant background checks, law abidiing citizens should be able to obtain a weapon for protection at any time they please. A criminal or a moron taking a mandatory class on gun safety isn't going to ultimately change criminal gun activity (it might just delay it a tiny bit). And it won't prevent idiots from leaving a loaded gun laying around. Do you really believe that there is anyone who doesn't know a gun is dangerous without the help of a course? About the only good that I can see that mandatory class doing is keeping an adult from accidentally shooting themselves or someone else...which is VERY rare occurence.
Maybe a better course would be a mandatory gun handling course in elementary schools...Ha.
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