So you think you know the 2nd Amendment

[Yossarian]

HUH? I think you have me confused with someone else.

Why is it that gun owners can be so very defensive/hostile?

Au contraire, not hostile at all or confused (at least not unless Buster isn't a librarian), just having a little fun and sorry if the jokes are over your head. Stripes is a classic though: http://youtu.be/0OnpkDWbeJs

[CathyA]

Au contraire, not hostile at all or confused (at least not unless Buster isn't a librarian), just having a little fun and sorry if the jokes are over your head. Stripes is a classic though: http://youtu.be/0OnpkDWbeJs

You're still confused. I've never been anyone but CathyA here, and I've never been a librarian. And I never saw Stripes, so I guess that makes me ignorant.

[gimmethesimplelife]

My sentiment to a T!

+1

[iris lily]

I didn't know about the kilt :-) .....

Not only that, but the dude once long ago said something positive about restoring the Stuarts to the throne and for those two things I am in his camp.

[Yossarian]

You're still confused. I've never been anyone but CathyA here, and I've never been a librarian.

Oye, wasn't talking about you. Back to regularly scheduled programing now (so there is no confusion, that's a TV reference).

[Yossarian]

They taught me to fire in short, 3 to 4 round bursts.

One of our local ranges has a full auto MP5 people can rent, but you have to pay by the mag. It's always amusing to see the look on peoples' faces when they run through $25 of ammo in 2.5 seconds.

[iris lily]

Although I have nothing unique to contribute, I have to say that I find it so refreshing to read debate topics on this forum, as opposed to those on other forums or Facebook where people get offended and snarky if you question their opinions.

One of the problems with Facebook is the technology of it. One can't have a REAL discussion because the technical environment for writing a message is so bloody limited. There is no editing function, no delete function, no ability to highlight or make emphasis on text (that I can find, anyway.) It is just a rudimentary environment for writing.

It is meant for limited, snippet-type text exchanges and not surprisingly, we get snarky snipes on Facebook, same for websites and blogs that support "comment" features.

The old forum software like this (is it still Snitz?) where we all meet in one place, the online commons, rather than meet on someone's turf (a facebook wall or website or blog that is clearly owned by Someone) is good for fostering real discussion.

[iris lily]

At the risk of incurring IL's wrath, I have to say I don't understand why some people get away with ad hominem attacks just because they are couched in shrill and incoherent rants.

I think this thread is fairly reasonable. A few little hot spots have broken out in the last few pages, but I was going to say about page 10 that this was one of the more interesting gun threads we've had in a while because all counterpoints have been brought up.

I personally think that Something Will Happen with laws or regs fairly soon but in the long run it won't make a difference.

I am not a moderator for good reason. I'd let everyone bring their talking guns to the center of town and just shoot out their mouths like has happened here, where those of the shrill and illogical text pretty much cause their metaphorical death in the world of words.

[Alan]

I am not a moderator for good reason. I'd let everyone bring their talking guns to the center of town and just shoot out their mouths like has happened here, where those of the shrill and illogical text pretty much cause their metaphorical death in the world of words.

My sentiments exactly! Are you sure you don't want to be a moderator?

[ApatheticNoMore]

I personally think that Something Will Happen with laws or regs fairly soon but in the long run it won't make a difference.

yea probably, and compared to other proposals to deal with the situation, gun control is desirable. I mean if all a heavily armed society does is inevitably increase the militerization of everything in response to it ... then it is not to be desired.

However, any law we get stands a good chance of being mostly a symbolic act of doing something rather than anything that will make any real difference. Why? Lots of opposition to gun control (some of it genuine and grass roots but remember that's always an after thought to the powers that be), and lots of money in the political process. Have you noticed any ability whatsoever to pass laws that actual address *anything* in a legitimate manner recently? No, the corruption of the political process ...

But supposing theoretically they could pass a law with real teeth, then what? I'm not sure. Cross country comparisons seem to show reduction in gun crime, but on the other hand I don't know if those countries ever had the level of gun crime and violence in general the U.S. does anyway. It's a violent culture. People argue things like "Australia has the same culture as the U.S.". Um no, I don't think so. So the question is to what extent it would reduce gun crime compared to what extent it just grows the black market (a source itself of crime and of course a source of anything illegal). But if it was able to shift the culture .... (still can you really do that when we loves our wars).