Gun laws

[Avniel]

All of this talk about gun laws. Has me wondering. I was robbed at gun point so I bought some guns legally. My wife hates them but they help me sleep at night to be honest. However we made a deal get rid of the guns for a dog.....and I am a dog lover so a loyal family member that will protect my family is better then a gun any day. There isn't a lot of violent crimes and the ones that are you just think "why would say that, do that, be there then" so a dog will make me comfortable enough.

But anyway what do you guys and ladies think about all this talk about guns? How can we protect our children? How can we prevent these types of actions?

 

[Verve]

I enjoy shooting guns and grew up with them. If people want to have them it's their personal choice. I currently am not a gun owner because I have no desire to use one at this point in my life.

Then again, I can be slightly anarchistic in my line of thinking with political stuff. Which isn't biblical, we all have our challenges.

 

[DZoolander]

My dad, when I was growing up, was a criminal prosecutor. We also have a lot of law enforcement in my family, so there's not a lot of sympathy toward criminals (from that standpoint - if you know what I mean).

One thing I remember, however, from growing up was his attitude toward guns. I never remember him coming home and talking about how thankful he was that someone had a gun - and in an unfortunate situation had defended himself with his trusty firearm. It was my impression from him that those types of events were pretty few and far between.

What was far more likely to happen were accidents. For example - I remember stories about how some kid had snuck out the window late at night, was returning, and his father had shot him in the dark thinking he was an intruder. Or... how some lady had shot her husband after hearing a noise at night, once again, in the dark.

Those were the types of things that I grew up hearing about and they left an impression on me.

Now, I bought a gun a few years back despite those reservations. My wife and I moved into an area we weren't really familiar with, and made the mistake of signing a year-long lease at a place sight-unseen (because we were moving 700-800 miles away). Well, turns out it wasn't exactly in the best area. It wasn't HORRIBLE as in a total ghetto - but it certainly didn't come off as "safe" either.

So, given what our neighbors were like, how they seemed to take a real curiosity in our stuff when we were moving in, etc...I bought a gun for home protection.

After we had our child, however, the fact it's sitting here really is weighing on me. She's not even two years old yet - but I've already started making it more and more inaccessible. The question then becomes...at what point have I made it so inaccessible to her that it also is now rendered utterly useless in the event of being needed for "home protection"...and...does the potential for requiring it outweigh the potential disastrous consequences were she to someday get ahold of the thing?

That's really really weighing on me - and truth be told - I'm probably going to sell it back to the place I bought it from. I'm getting to a point where I just don't want it in the house any more. I'm not so concerned about the potential of home invasion, etc, that I'm prepared to accept the risks it poses.

That's just me, however.

 

[DZoolander]

...and on a side note...gotta say that after Obama laid out his ideas for "gun laws" - all this talk you hear about infringement on second amendment rights, prohibitions, etc...is a bunch of much ado about nothing.

 

[DZoolander]

I mean - here's the kind of thing I think about.

Here's my gun. First of all - it's tucked away in an inaccessible place in the closet. Next - you'll see the lock I have installed on it.

Let's say someone broke into my home. What's the odds that I'd be able to run off to the closet, get it down, fumble with and remove the lock, then get the magazine into it in time for it to be of any use?

My feeling is - none. So then - why have it?

 

[Avniel]

I mean - here's the kind of thing I think about.

Here's my gun. First of all - it's tucked away in an inaccessible place in the closet. Next - you'll see the lock I have installed on it.

Let's say someone broke into my home. What's the odds that I'd be able to run off to the closet, get it down, fumble with and remove the lock, then get the magazine into it in time for it to be of any use?

My feeling is - none. So then - why have it?

You make a very good point but just playing the other side for a minute.......no matter the odds do you sleep better having it or not. I see your point that's why I'm getting rid of mine and getting a dog the reality is we do things that make us feel comfortable and protected. When the reality is we are being naive and ignorant of the actual facts. With being said I still sleep better with then without it.

 

[DZoolander]

Honestly, when it was just my wife and I, I slept better having it.

Now that we have a toddler running around, it actually worries me more having it in the house...and I'd rather go the dog route.

 

[Avniel]

Honestly, when it was just my wife and I, I slept better having it.

Now that we have a toddler running around, it actually worries me more having it in the house...and I'd rather go the dog route.

It probably has to do with fear and growth. When you get older and experience different things such as child birth it changes your entire perspective on things. Sometimes I can look at a gun and just feel like I'm looking at evil, when you touch it, it just feels like something that's not supposed to be touched. When you have children you tend to want to keep evil from them. That's just my take because that's how I feel you sound similar minded?

 

[DZoolander]

Pretty similar, yeah. There's a huge aspect of it that's just plain old "risk" in my mind as well. Like - pragmatically I know at 22 months old - there's NO way she'll be able to get at it where it is or get that lock off. But - having those measures set on it makes me feel more secure.

If I'm already that paranoid with it when realistically I know she can't get at it even in the wildest of scenarios...I wonder how I'd be when she's 8-10-12 years old?

 

[Avniel]

Pretty similar, yeah. There's a huge aspect of it that's just plain old "risk" in my mind as well. Like - pragmatically I know at 22 months old - there's NO way she'll be able to get at it where it is or get that lock off. But - having those measures set on it makes me feel more secure.

If I'm already that paranoid with it when realistically I know she can't get at it even in the wildest of scenarios...I wonder how I'd be when she's 8-10-12 years old?

It will probably be long gone before then. But of course the older she gets, no matter how fail proof the precaution are, the more your going to worry.

 

[DZoolander]

I forget - do you and your wife have kids?

 

[Avniel]

I forget - do you and your wife have kids?

Yessir

 

[DZoolander]

Very cool Yeah - kids really do change everything about how you see things!

 

[SPB1987]

All of this talk about gun laws. Has me wondering. I was robbed at gun point so I bought some guns legally. My wife hates them but they help me sleep at night to be honest. However we made a deal get rid of the guns for a dog.....and I am a dog lover so a loyal family member that will protect my family is better then a gun any day. There isn't a lot of violent crimes and the ones that are you just think "why would say that, do that, be there then" so a dog will make me comfortable enough.

But anyway what do you guys and ladies think about all this talk about guns? How can we protect our children? How can we prevent these types of actions?

Making guns illegal will solve nothing. If a criminal or a soon to be criminal wants to get high powered assault rifles, they will find a way to get them.

 

[Darkhorse]

If I'm already that paranoid with it when realistically I know she can't get at it even in the wildest of scenarios...I wonder how I'd be when she's 8-10-12 years old?

Get a pocket holster and carry it in your pocket when you're at home. Your kid isn't going to get it out of your pocket when your pants are on, and when they're off, lock them (and the gun) in your bedroom. Replace your bedroom doorknob with an outdoor one having a key-lock, and keep it locked (keeps the kid out). The lock has other advantages too...

This is what I did when my kids were young; now they're adults. No problems with them getting ahold of guns.

Or, just get a dog. Dogs are great, but they're also mortal.
Both would be best.

 

[DZoolander]

To be honest, I've never understood that argument. So - since someone could conceivably go out and in some wild fantasy world befriend a Mexican mafia guy and get ahold of an illegal gun - might as well just say "screw it" and make everything available at WalMart to everyone w/o discrimination?

I'd prefer that the orange haired freak from Colorado, or the socially dysfunctional guy from Sandy Hook be required to go off to the ghetto with a couple grand cash in their pockets trying to find guns. Let them see how they fare there. If you're a kook - let your only way of getting guns be illegally.

But all of that is kinda moot. For all the sturm und drang of the NRA talking about infringement of the second amendment - and all the screaming of the pundits - if you really look at what Obama talked about the other day it's much ado about nothing.

Nobody's coming to take away your guns. The gun restrictions they're offering are superficial and meaningless at best. In short - nothing has been proposed that will have any meaningful effect on you whatsoever. Isn't that what you're arguing for? Is your argument really that Obama wasn't tough enough - cuz that's kinda the crux of it.

Of all of those executive orders - that you hear people like Hannity talking about how he "did an end run" around Congress - c'mon now. What exactly did he end run on? That law enforcement agencies ought communicate better between themselves on background checks? I mean - that's the crux of most of that. I'd think the only potentially controversial thing would be that if you already own a gun legally (pass a background check) - then you later commit a crime that would exclude you from purchasing a gun - you stand the risk of losing it in the event it gets confiscated.

But apart from that - it pretty much has no bite.

Now - I can't help but think that this might be a stroke of brilliance on the part of the Dems...because...pretty much everyone knows that nothing is being taken away from the gun people. The NRA is already facing image problems because their nonsense is becoming more and more transparent. If the NRA comes out swinging and fighting as if these laws really were restrictive (which they aren't) - then it just re-enforces the public perception of the NRA being a bunch of lobbyists simply interested in selling more product.

...which will make it easier to defeat them next time.

Let's be clear. If you present yourself as intractable and unworkable on anything proposed (even when it's modest and meaningless) - you run the real risk of appearing so unreasonable that nobody ever takes you seriously ever again. I think the NRA is facing that real scenario right now with how they're behaving themselves.

 

[LinkH]

A while back, a newspaper, or the newspaper's website, posted a map with all the registered legal gun owners in a certain area. They said it was okay because it was public information.

Another website countered by posting a map of the residences of employees of the paper.

I was thinking about that first map. If a thief wanted to rob homes in that area, he could just look at that map and NOT rob the houses of people who owned guns. The paper put the non-gun-owners in danger. Are liberal anti-gun people going to attack gun owners in the middle of the night? I think it unlikely.

 

[Darkhorse]

Are liberal anti-gun people going to attack gun owners in the middle of the night? I think it unlikely.

Certainly not more than once...

 

[A Taffer]

Perhaps a good gun safe is in order, the small kind that open with the press of four buttons for the combination and its ready to go after not even ten seconds.

 

[Niffer]

Ack! Why would ANYONE need an assult rifle like that in their closet?!?

I'm have my hunting license, my possessions licence and own a very nice little SKS Hunting Rifle I keep at my folks' place in the country.
By Law, all guns need to be locked in a locker, with a key kept in a different location.
I don't know anyone who has a handgun, as with the Possessions licence, you need to take a 3 day course then get your Restriced license.
It is Illegal to keep a gun loose in your car - it needs to be locked in the trunk, in a Locked gun case.
Concealment of any weapon is Illegal, you'll be fined and the weapon will be taken away from you.
Fully automatic weapons are illegal in Canada - should you rig a semi to be a fully automatic, you will be fined, lose your license, and the weapon will be taken away.

Our Walmarts don't stock guns, you want one, you need to go to a large Hunting store or a gun smith - with proof and licensing in hand.

These are laws that have kept our country safe from nutters that go on shooting rampages.
Anyone who is overage is allowed to own a gun - and keep one in their house for safety. They're not illegal, the goverment isn't exceedingly controlling, and we have statistically much fewer deaths where a gun is involved.

I'd also like to point out I worked for the RCMP in their Firearms dept. As their librarian, I read through every file, case, issues etc. concerning guns.

If the US doesn't put some of the same restrictions on their gun-owners, I can guarantee you, more children will end up dead.

- Niffer