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Good post on Craigslist about guns

Puddin99

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Apr 8, 2007
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http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/rnr/618128125.html
Guns -- Guns -- Guns -- Guns
[line]
Reply to: pers-618128125@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-03-25, 9:49AM PDT


Some people believe that guns are not necessary. That is fine, I am not telling them to arm themselves. This is their personal belief, and that is fine with me. I personally believe that a gun is a tool used in self defense, and I have one at home just in case shit happens. And once in a while, shit does happen. Should someone ever break into my home, I would have the tools necessary to defend my family. I would be very glad to have this tool as well. I would not be a victim. To me, it’s insane to not properly equip yourself in life for any situation. Climb a mountain? Carry an emergency beacon. Live at home with a family? Arm yourself.

We all want to live in a utopian world where nothing happens, and everyone respects every one else’s property and life. The fact of the matter is that we do not live in this world.

I also have guns because I really enjoy target shooting. I enjoy hunting and trap shooting as well. Therefore I have a variety of guns for a variety of uses. You may not agree with hunting, but then again, I may not agree with some of your activities. That’s fine. I’m not making you hunt, so you don’t have to worry.

This whole notion of banning guns goes back to the part about living in utopia. It doesn’t exist. We banned drugs a long time ago, and even declared a war on drugs. Well, that probably kept you and I from casually using cocaine, but it didn’t keep it out of criminal hands. If we banned guns, it would just keep you and I from being able to arm ourselves. Guns, like drugs, would find a way into this country and into criminal hands. What motivation does a criminal have to obey the law and not have a gun?

Yes, there are a lot of gun deaths in this country. It really isn’t because there are guns, it is a societal problem. If guns didn’t even exist, there are plenty of other and even more effective ways at killing people. Knives, bombs, poison. All are effective means of dispatching someone. Guns aren’t really the problem. Lack of education, poverty, the decline of the family, lack or morality -- these are the issues facing society.

So, why is there a certain segment of society wanting to ban guns? Why do they want to spend all their energy and resources to take away my guns? My guns!! Me, a person who has no criminal record. I’ve never even been ticketed by a police officer. Why do they want to take away guns from a person who, like myself, would never use it for criminal deeds, and hopes to never have to use it in self defense? Why not use all that energy to go after the criminals who cause the problems?

You know, drunk drivers kill more people a year than guns do. Why don’t we ban alcohol? Oh wait, that didn’t go over too well the first time.

I have a concealed handgun license in Multnomah County. I am not alone. It is estimated that at least 5% of the residents in Multnomah County are legally armed. This number is growing. This all means that when you’re driving down the street and you’re at a red light and there are 20 cars in front of you, one of these people are likely to be carrying a handgun. When you ride the MAX, or bus, one out of 20 people on board with you is carrying a weapon. You never knew it, and you never can tell who it is. I am a white collar professional, and you’d never make me out to be carrying a handgun, would you? Well, criminals also think about this, and are less apt to mug anyone in public. Sure, anomalies do happen, and people do get mugged.

I can see why people are scared of guns. They watch a lot of films made in Hollywood, with shootouts. This is not reality, one must remember. There aren’t old west style shootouts on our streets everyday, are there? And just think what would have happened, had a student at Virginia Tech been carrying a weapon that awful and tragic day. Would there have been as many killed? What if, and just what if, someone were carrying a handgun in a school in Portland legally, and another person, who is a criminal, started shooting? The person legally carrying could stop that person. You are allowed to carry in a school in Oregon if you have a permit. The legislature wants to change this next year, but remember, this would only stop the law abiding citizens from entering the school with a weapon. It would not stop the criminals.

I find this article on gun control in England very apropos to this debate. Please read it with an open mind:

http://www.reason.com/news/show/28582.html
 

pdxwarrior

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This is a great article. Seems well thought out, and it's not the typical "threating" pro-gun attitude. Because we are so enthusiastic about our beliefs in regards to the 2nd amendment, it seems that all too often the debates resort to name-calling and insults on ones intelligence.

This article doesn't come off as full of anger, disbelief in ones ignorance or otherwise. I give the author some props for this.

Although, one thing I would have liked to have seen was related to guns in schools. He makes note of it. However, if I recall correctly - weren't some of the school shootings stopped by armed citizens? I could be wrong, but seems as though there was at least one. Also, didn't a lot of the armed cops wait outside of Columbine?

I believe if that was (or is) the case, it should be brought to the attention of would-be-gun-banners.
 
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