Took my son (5 yrs) shooting for his first time. (page 11)

designs

You're not suggesting there's phyallic joys associated with pump action rifles eh

Frazzled UBM

didgeridoo - nice poster - says it all really.

designs - the phallic appeal of a gun to a male is undeniable.

There is also the romanticization of the Wild West feeding into the attraction of guns. Modern urban middle-aged overweight US males like to see themselves as modern day cowboys.

The rationalisations for the prevalence of guns in the US is the result of cognitive dissonance. Even regular mass shootings in US schools doesn't seem to shift the confirmation bias. If dead kids can't do it, then nothing can. And the suggestion that crime is lower in the US - it isn't - because of the prevalence of guns, is simply not true and is probably spread by the NRA, which is about as reliable in the information it provides as the GB of the WBTS. And the reason why law enforcement in the US kills so many unarmed civillians is because they are constantly on guard for civillians carrying weapons and so frequently react too quickly. Law enforcement in countries that don't have a prevalence of guns, don't kill unarmed civillians.

Frazzled UBM

just had a thought - the rationalisation for firearm prevalence in the US is that the 10,000s of deaths from shootings every year in the US is acceptable to protect the freedom to bear arms and for people to protect themselves (which supposedly reduces burglaries - though I think insurance companies during household insurance if you ahve a good quality alarm is a better way to address this issue). So most people on JWN would agree that the blood doctrine needlessly results in thousands of unnecessary deaths every year. Why is the pro-gun ideology in teh US any different? The reason why the high number of gun deaths in the US is not a bigger issue is because the victims are generally young black men - a marginalised section of society who the majority of the population don't care about.

Truthseeker677

Frazzled and designs I don't think either of you get it.!

I have seen times when my next meal came from the barrel of a gun. It has nothing to do with phalic symbols or some macho man thing. Guns are

tools. When you come to my neck of the woods, you would both be welome. Ive skinned beaver and muskrat and had guns in my hands since my earliest memory.

Frazzled UBM

Ts677 - while I can see the logic of allowing country people access to firearms in a highly regulated and controlled way for the purpose of shooting problem wildlife (such as to cull plagues of rabbits or kangaroos in Australia) in a humane way to protect lifestock, I think you are missing the point of my argument, which is that the US is too tolerant of firearms and should have much stricter controls over firearms to reduce the ridiculously high deathtoll from firearms in the US. Firearms should not be glorified and apart form exceptional cases should not be in homes. That is you should need to have very good reasons for having a firearm in your house and 'self-defence' or protection from burglars should not qualify as an adequate security system is a better way to achieve this objective. Cheers Fraz

Viviane

Self-defense is not a good reason.... does that mean you will take responsibility for other's defense? Or pay the fees and installation of a good security systems? Pay for lock upgrades and security doors and windows?

Truthseeker677

Viviane I spent the last four months living in an apartment building in Toronto. Toronto is where they don't report drive by shootings or any shootings unless its leaked to the US news media. Self defense is the perfect argument its even written into our constitution. The right to security of the person.

Frazzled UBM

One person's defence is another person's offence - giving people firearms just increases the prospect it will end in the death of either or both protagonists.

Viviane

Truthseeker, I agree. A few months ago I was outside grilling about 11 PM (I have an odd schedule) and, while I live in a good neighborhood, there are some sketchy areas nearby and sometimes people use our neighborhood as a cut-through. Anyway, some man was walking down the street, decided to wander into my yard and start asking me what I was cooking, my name, how long I had lived here, etc. I asked him to leave he sat down and did the "Oh, I'm just chatting, trying to get to know you".

He was obviously on something and had been drinking. When he said "I'm just chatting" and wouldn't go I lifted my shirt and put my hand on my Smith and Wesson M&P Shield Compact 9mm and said "I'm not and it's time for you to go. Now."

He left.

Viviane

No one gave me the firearm, I bought it!

Took my son (5 yrs) shooting for his first time.

Share this