Armed America

[Mixie]

Originally Posted by MaggieL

The hoplophobes I referred to clearly are not in any of the pictures.

Nor in any of this thread's posts, I might add.

Strange, isn't it. When people don't understand why you don't share their opinion, they revert to calling it 'fear' and 'ignorance' and 'stupidity'. Hi pot, meet kettle.

[xoxoxoBruce]

If it's not fear, then why do you care if I have guns or not?

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

If it's not fear, then why do you care if I have guns or not?

There's a difference between fear of guns and fear of getting shot to death. I also care that you have guns because it doesn't take much for your gun to get into the hands of a "criminal". Then there's the general dislike I have for death.

[Hippikos]

If it's not fear, then why do you care if I have guns or not?

Why do you care? Gun owners seem always so defensive.


Leave the gun. Take the cannolis.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

There's a difference between fear of guns and fear of getting shot to death. I also care that you have guns because it doesn't take much for your gun to get into the hands of a "criminal". Then there's the general dislike I have for death.

I didn't specify what you were afraid of, I only reasoned fear is the only thing that would make you care .... and I was right.
I disagree that it wouldn't take much for my guns to get into the hands of criminals. Actually it would take a lot, so much in fact it wouldn't be worth their while. There are much easier ways for them to get guns.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Hippikos

Why do you care? Gun owners seem always so defensive.


Leave the gun. Take the cannolis.

What the fuck are you babbling about? Why do I care, what? And how am I being defensive?

[Urbane Guerrilla]

I think it's a Sopranos reference, Bruce.

[Undertoad]

It's the original Godfather, you commie!

[xoxoxoBruce]

I was addressing the first two sentences.

XoB, generally speaking, "gun owners seem always so defensive"; because, THEY ARE defensive and THEY "CARE" enough to be active defensive rather than passive defensive. You may take Hippikos' statement as a compliment.

[Hippikos]

What the fuck are you babbling about?

See what I mean?

Now, take 2 Prozacs and call me in the morning.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Your post make no sense. You're babbling. You asked me nonsensical questions that had no bearing or connection to what I said.
YOU better take some Prozac or something stronger.

[Aliantha]

I didn't specify what you were afraid of, I only reasoned fear is the only thing that would make you care .... and I was right.

Actually, according to research, fear is at the root of anger, not caring.

I don't think you have to fear something to think it's wrong. Of course, you could argue that there is a root fear, but that's based on a lot more things than the simple emotion brought about which is named fear. For example, I don't see a gun and immediately feel afraid. As has been pointed out, it's an inanimate object. However, when I see a gun in the hands of a loony, I feel fear, which is employed as my defense mechanism. I personally think there's a big distinction there.

What does everyone else think?

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Oh, that shooting the loony is one possible course of action that could be constructive -- from everyone's point of view except the loony's.

It tends to take the pressure off to know he can't threaten your continued healthy existence without your having a rebuttal to hand.

PM John Major and the Australian Parliament euchred you Ozzies out of that, by and large, you know. Fortunately for reducing crime and increasing common sense, the pendulum now seems to be swinging the other way. Once you once again encourage self defense even unto extremity, your crime rate will permanently plummet: it's just human nature. One shouldn't make laws that fly in its face.

[Aliantha]

John Howard thanks UG, and there was a referendum on the subject of semi-automatic weapons only. Citizens were never permitted to carry concealable weapons prior to that referendum in any case. The only difference now is that people in the city who have no explainable use for a semi are not allowed to have them. People in rural settings are still allowed to have them for reasonable purposes.

I think you'll find the crime rate in Australia is substantially lower than that of the US. More facts required?