Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Gun Control Controversies

  Every day, something happens that I think would make a funny, profound, enjoyable, entertaining, thoughtful or even just silly blog post.  Then I get busy doing something else and forget all about my blog.  Even my personal journal has taken a big hit lately.  I have about 2 months worth of dated notes on scrap paper, just waiting for me to add to my journal!  I say this a lot, but it seems like I am always busy, always doing something, but somehow, nothing ever gets done!  I know this is an exaggeration, but it feels true!

  I avoided blogging or facebooking or talking to most people in person over the last few months about anything remotely political.  I am actually pretty reluctant to even write about it right now.  As I am typing this, I am debating about whether or not I will even post it when I am done writing.  That being said, I feel like I ignore or bottle up lots of feelings when it comes to reading lots of facebook posts lately.  I am 100% okay with having different opinions and political stances than my friends.  I am also okay with a little bit of controversy, but after watching a very public election go down last November, it seems like lots of people can't talk rationally when it comes to these sorts of topics.  BUT, I wanted to talk about some things that have bugged me.  Know that whomever reads this, I value your opinion, even if I disagree.  I am just hopeful someone might read this and enlighten me.

  Tell me, why all the gun control posts?  Why are people so freaked out that the current administration is going to "take away our 2nd amendment rights"?  How are these new laws somehow going to effect an individuals right to possess a firearm?  Where does it read, "Obama is gonna take away your guns!!"  I've read the proposed legislation, and it includes a ban on assault weapons, restrictions on high-capacity ammunition magazines and strengthening federal background checks of people attempting to buy guns. What part of this says, you can no longer possess a firearm?  This is what I don't understand.  When the 2nd amendment was written, I doubt that our forefathers could imagine a fully automatic weapon.  How does banning this sort of thing from the average America hinder our second amendment rights?  I am all for being able to protect our families and proudly own weapons, but I don't see why anyone needs such a weapon.  My husband says jokingly, "but babe, they are so fun to shoot!"  Maybe so, but really, why does anyone need one?  Help me understand why this ban, especially this particular point is so bad?!  Also, why shouldn't people have thorough background checks when purchasing weaponry?  Any honest, law abiding citizen should not balk at this sort of change.  If you want a gun to protect your family, what difference does a day or two make?  If you are looking to shoot up a school or mall, I could see how this might bother you.  I have heard lots of people argue, "but criminals don't follow the laws!"  Obviously this is true, or they wouldn't be criminals!   However, if small changes could prevent even a few lives lost, why is this a bad thing?!  Making guns more easily available is definitely NOT going to save any one's life. 

  I won't claim to be politically savvy in any way.  I don't know everything about these laws, and I can't claim to understand why people choose to make poor choices.  I've read this lately in FB posts,  "guns don't kill people, people kill people." or something along those lines.  I couldn't agree more.  I am not saying this proposed "gun ban" is going to stop bad people from doing bad things, but I don't know why it so bad for us as a nation to try to take steps toward a safer world.  Please by all means, tote your 12 gauge along with me!  Go learn to shoot and be proud of it!  But put away your fully automatic high capacity weapon.  If you aren't a sniper in the army, you don't need it.  Thank you.









2 comments:

  1. Great post. The one thing I would point out to you is that fully automatic weapons are already banned from being purchased by average citizens. Other than the guns that were "grandfathered" in, average citizens can't have them . . .as for a proposed ban on "assault weapons", I would point you to http://www.assaultweapon.info/ so that you can see just exactly what that term does and doesn't mean. It's quite the eye opener. Remember, the 2nd amendment wasn't put in place simply to allow citizens to protect themselves from common criminals, it was also so a tyranical government (the Founder's words) couldn't easily overthrow the will of the People.
    Love ya,
    Richard

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    1. Thanks for your reply Richard. I appreciate the link and you are right, I did learn something. The terminology was not mine, it was directly copied and pasted from a press release. Lots of poor information out there. The thing I find ironic about the whole tyranical government thing is that our forefathers were talking about Old Kind George and the British goverment that they were protecting themselves about and NOW it seems everyone is worried about protecting ourselves from our own goverment. See how crazy that sounds? Obviously its just me!

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