NRA board member blames pastor for Charleston deaths

[decocker 7,198]

Yes, this. It's not that guns are bad. It's that the specific gun culture of America (and many countries have different gun cultures, so there is not one monolithic worldwide gun culture) dictates that guns are PRIMARILY for defense. Now, that is not to say that there are not people in other gun cultures who use their guns for defense--there certainly are--but, at least in the type of gun culture that I grew up in, the thing guns were PRIMARILY for was killing.

Justifying the presence of a loaded and ready gun by saying 'it is for self defense' causes a one place removal of the fact that a gun is for killing.

My ex that almost got shot by the racoon, he kept a loaded gun in the top of his closet as an adult, after having survived the racoon incident. He lived in the same house as his 9 year old sister. I was shocked to learn that he had it. I asked him 'aren't you worried that your sister might find it and kill herself by accident?' and his response was to give me a look like I was insane and say 'but it's for home defense.' As if it being for home defense meant it was not a killing implement. He had almost been killed by an improperly secured, loaded and readied gun as a child and he was so deeply steeped in the version of gun culture that America has that I was stupid to think of his gun as a killing implement before a home defense implement.

The problem with American gun culture is that guns are seen as being not significantly different from an alarm system that would bring trained gun users (police) to your home. Any layman can pick up a weapon and load it and it's the same kind of insurance as an alarm system.

The problem is, a loaded weapon is a killing implement and should always, always be regarded as such. That is why I feel that gun owners should have to apply for a license to carry and attend some kind of 'gun owners ed' and carry liability insurance, the same way I have to be responsible when I drive a car.

anyone who has a healthy respect for human life should also have a healthy respect for guns. i wasn't raised with guns in my home, my grandfather had them and they were always locked up. no one in my family is a hunter so guns were always associated with defense and protection. but for me, personally, i feel safer without a gun in my house.

[Boiler 43,430]

anyone who has a healthy respect for human life should also have a healthy respect for guns. i wasn't raised with guns in my home, my grandfather had them and they were always locked up. no one in my family is a hunter so guns were always associated with defense and protection. but for me, personally, i feel safer without a gun in my house.

As is your choice.

[decocker 7,198]

As is your choice.

i know, i appreciate being able to have that choice.

as was mentioned in the op, some gun enthusiasts believe that my personal choice should be taken from me and i should be armed against my will..

[Boiler 43,430]

I can not imagine that would amount to be more that a handful of nutjobs.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

anyone who has a healthy respect for human life should also have a healthy respect for guns. i wasn't raised with guns in my home, my grandfather had them and they were always locked up. no one in my family is a hunter so guns were always associated with defense and protection. but for me, personally, i feel safer without a gun in my house.

Totally fair. I just see a lot of posturing when I talk to US gun owners that they are self defense and the posturing is always phrased in a way that makes me think 'these guys aren't thinking about killing in self defense, they're thinking about shooting people in self defense' and it's like they've made these into two discreet categories.

[decocker 7,198]

I can not imagine that would amount to be more that a handful of nutjobs.

one of those nutjobs is an nra board member & everyone knows how much pull the nra has in this country. so as far as personal freedoms go, people like me are up against something much bigger than just a handful of nutjobs.

[Boiler 43,430]

They might think it is a good idea that everybody should be able to defend themselves but even the Swiss did not go as far as requiring everybody to have access to a gun.

[decocker 7,198]

Totally fair. I just see a lot of posturing when I talk to US gun owners that they are self defense and the posturing is always phrased in a way that makes me think 'these guys aren't thinking about killing in self defense, they're thinking about shooting people in self defense' and it's like they've made these into two discreet categories.

and that goes back to disrespect of human life, too. i know quite a few people who's life dream is for a criminal to present themselves up for offering by tresspassing. these people have respect for life, but only life they've personally judged as 'good'.

[decocker 7,198]

They might think it is a good idea that everybody should be able to defend themselves but even the Swiss did not go as far as requiring everybody to have access to a gun.

then you agree that the comment made in the op regarding blaming the dead pastor are insensitive, asinine, and ultimately a destraction from placing the blame where it truely belongs - on the killer.

[Boiler 43,430]

Of course.

I used to live in a Nuclear Free Zone and always appreciated the safety that gave me in the event of Nuclear Attack, no such benefit here.

[decocker 7,198]

I used to live in a Nuclear Free Zone and always appreciated the safety that gave me in the event of Nuclear Attack, no such benefit here.

cosmic sans, lest i misunderstand you.

[Rob L 3,811]

If people were going up and down the public highway shooting their guns then there should absolutely be a requirement for insurance.

As an aside most States requirements for Auto Liability Insurance are minuscule.

You do not have to have liability insurance for a motorized vehicle, you do if you want to use it on public roads.

If you want to conceal carry then you need a license, certainly in my State, Amusingly there was a lot more to getting that than getting a Drivers License. Drivers License 15 minutes, Concealed Carry Permit 2 days

Most of us had to take some sort of written and driving test to get our first DL, were you exempt ?

[Boiler 43,430]

Most of us had to take some sort of written and driving test to get our first DL, were you exempt ?

I did it, as I mentioned 15 minutes, a joke.