Guns

As you're no doubt aware, Connecticut suffered the second-worst shooting spree in the country since the Virginia Tech massacre. Some 20 people were shot, most of whom were children in a kindergarten class. This is only somewhat related to my topic today in that an assault weapon and a semi-automatic pistol were used.

There's another equally important discussion to be had about society, mental illness, and other factors involved. However, today we're focusing on the vehicle by which people murder most often. Guns.


I've touched on them earlier in a post about the constitution, noting that the 2nd amendment specifies that weapons are to be used by a standing militia only, the purpose of which was:

"To execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions." (According to Article 1, section 8, clause 15 of the US Constitution)

The last time laypeople had to do any of those three was a very long time ago, so it's safe to assume that the original purpose of the militia has long since lived its life.
Starting there, why the piss does anyone have guns anymore?
Four main reasons:

1. Hunting - One of the two most cited reasons for owning a gun. People like to hunt. It's a harmless (hahahahahaha) hobby.

2. Protection - The other most cited reason for owning a gun. People need protection from all the bad in this world. It's just a precaution.

3. Collecting - Another hobby. Less common this time.

4. Compensation - The reason I attribute to some of the guns that people own. There are people who own guns not necessarily as a collector, or for hunting, or for protection. These are the people that just "like" guns. The people that like firing a gun just for that feeling of power.

The problem with all of these people except for the collector is that intensely strict gun regulations wouldn't really hinder any of them.

1. Hunting rifles aren't the problem anyone is discussing. So you can keep hunting without worry unless you're using semi-automatics and assault weapons to mow down deer.
2. The number of time guns are used in self defense is roughly .2% (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States#Self-protection). That is 2/1000 incidences. And most of the instances involved are resolved without firing a single shot, which means a toy gun would be just as effective. That said, a simple Taser is a non-lethal alternative to owning a gun for protection.
3. I'm sorry, I realize that you may have a legitimate grievance if guns are banned or heavily restricted, but I'd rather see people less likely to be murdered than to see you continue with your hobby. Cost/benefit analysis and all.
4. Your ego needs to not be tied to physical objects anyway. Let it go. Seek a therapist to discuss your need to compensate.

Given the low number of incidences that result in using a firearm for self-protection and the effectiveness of Tasers, I don't think it's reasonable to demand that we be allowed to keep firearms for personal protection. In the event that we decide personal protection is a legitimate reason to own a personal firearm, I think we can all agree that assault weapons, semi-automatics with 18+ bullets per clip, and any similar weapons are completely unnecessary for self-protection.

If I'm interested in protecting myself from an intruder, statistically, I won't even need one bullet let alone over a dozen. And if I do need a bullet, I won't need more than one or two! Guns have become ruthlessly efficient killing-machines without a purpose.


Personally? I don't care if you're a nice person or not. I don't care if you're not going to kill anyone. And you probably won't. But just because you won't doesn't mean other people won't either. And the harder we make it to obtain guns, the less likely people are going to be to carry out a horrific act.

Let's give an example. Take a depressed person who has suicidal ideation. Do you think they'll be more or less likely to commit suicide if they have a gun sitting in their lap?
What if the gun is in the other room?
What if the gun is in a safe in the basement?
What if they have to go to a store to get the gun?
What if they have to go to the store and go through a rigorous psychological evaluation that they suspect they may fail?

I know for my part (someone who is depressed and has had suicidal ideation), I would be progressively less likely to go through with a suicide plan the further down the list I went. True that personal experience is just that- personal. But I believe that is underlying human nature at work. People are less likely to do any given act the more difficult it becomes.

So yes, you may be sad that you can't own an assault weapon anymore, or that it might be extremely difficult to obtain a firearm- but as long as you're not a criminal and you're psychologically stable, it shouldn't be a problem for you! And if you're not, I have good news- That means the system worked!

This is a problem. This is a consistent problem in our country that is being put off every time a massacre occurs because people don't want to "politicize" the event. Well, I have news for you, you're making a political judgment about someone when you say that. A political judgment that condemns raising new questions and identifying issues using previous examples. In other words, an argument for the status quo. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is a politicization.

And yes, I understand that many of us want to empathize with the families. Or you feel that the families wouldn't care about what our political opinion is on gun control. And I agree with both.
We should empathize. This should hit us right in the feels. It should hurt.
And no, the families of Newtown couldn't care less what our opinion is on gun control. You know why? Because it doesn't matter to them anymore. They've already lost what's potentially at stake in the gun control argument. They've had the worst possible event occur that's related to the argument. They've already lost. But some of us haven't. And that's why we're invested in this discussion. Because there's so much more to lose if we don't have the discussion now.

The time to discuss it is now. The time was also after Colorado. After Tuscon. After Virginia Tech.
The time to discuss it is always. So long as it remains an issue, it deserves to be discussed, and refusing to do so is to learn nothing from the problems of the past.
If you're still willing to tell us to "wait" before talking about it after being reminded that we waited back then too. We waited and then couldn't get the momentum we needed to enact change. No one was paying attention. No one was outraged.

Well I'm talking about it now, and if you're outraged- GOOD. Maybe then you'll start talking about it too.

Guns are goddamned unnecessary in this day and age.
You think the government is gonna' try to murder you someday? And what if they do? Do you think you're 9mm semi-automatic is going to beat out tanks, planes, bullet-proof vests, riot-shields, or a highly trained military?

You're desperately clinging to a "freedom" that is costing others the freedom of LIFE.

And I have one more argument to address before I storm out of here for the night (this is my room, and I probably shouldn't storm out unless it's for a snack before bed...)

"If they wanted to do it, they'd do it regardless of regulations and laws."

This is a bad argument that has a kernel of truth in it. There are some criminals who, if they really want something, will not stop until they get it.

However, apply this logic to a burglar eyeing your home. You say, "if he wants in, he'll find a way no matter what I do."
So, at night, you don't lock your front door and he walks inside and robs you blind.
Alternatively, you lock your front door and he tries the backdoor.
But what if you lock that too? Well, he'll try some windows.
If those are locked?
Maybe he'll smash in a window, greatly increasing the risk at which he is caught in the act, while also alerting any dogs or setting off any alarms that you may have.
What if you had extremely strong windows?
Would the would-be burglar be willing to fire his gun at the window to break it?

At some point, your various safeguards WILL IN FACT deter the burglar enough that he will leave despite your shitty mantra that he will stop at nothing.
Harken back to my example for the person considering suicide. At some point, that person will decide that the hassle isn't worth it.
Or consider the case of the Chinese assailant who stabbed 22 kids in a school attack sharing the date of the Newtown massacre. http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/14/world/asia/china-knife-attack/index.html
Perhaps nothing was going to stop him from attacking kids.
However, not having a gun forced him to do it with a knife. Which resulted in 0 casualties.

At the very least, we can deter would-be murderers from carrying out a plan as long as possible and possibly prevent it altogether! And if not, maybe the regulations will just make them do something less deadly when they do snap.

The point is that we're doing something net beneficial for the sacrifice of no one except gun collectors, and people who need to compensate.

Law-abiding and sane citizens could still obtain guns for self-protection with mild hassle or guns for hunting with even less hassle.


Or we could have my ideal circumstance in which guns are just goddamned banned because hunting is a fucking cruel hobby if you're doing it for sport. You have a gun, why not give the thing a fighting chance and fight it with your hands if you're so eager to prove your mastery over nature? Or better yet, why not just stop thinking that you've proven anything by killing an animal. Why not go read a book?
(if you're hunting and planning on using the whole animal, I can't fault you though. But when I say "use," I don't mean hanging its head up on your wall as a fucking trophy.)
And I already mentioned that Tasers (or pepper spray) is a great tool for dealing with assailants without murdering them.

Seriously. Seriously. Guns are tools invented for the sole purpose of killing.
Can we agree that we shouldn't have a tool like that in the hands of untrained laypersons?
And then can we agree that the planet would be better off without that tool in anyone's hands?

-
Wade