Reckon this will be my rant...
<here begins start of rant>
There are two types of gun owners - the responsible ones and the irresponsible ones. By that I mean the irresponsibles are going to be accident prone, criminals or the mentally or emotionally unstable, and no gun legislation can control that, as much as some folks wish it would.
No law can control emotional crimes nor mental illness.
What I'm saying will be nothing new or something you all haven't already considered, it's just my 2 centavos worth.
I like guns, I use them recreationally, target practice, that sort of thing... but some folks still use firearms for hunting to feed their family, as generations have done before us, before there were big crowded cities. Some people now need them for defense in crime ridden areas, just for some sense of peace of mind that they might be able to defend themselves.
Some have actually used them in the defense of others, if not themselves, and I'm sure everyone has seen
this recent story.
There are many stories when guns have saved innocent lives, not taken them. But all most of us ever hear of are the tragedies involving guns.
I like guns in the way as the guy next door admires his car for the fine German (or wherever) engineering, or the person that truly appreciates a fine vintage wine, well crafted... (
hiya Wino ) ... or the doctor that can rely on a particular precise surgical instrument to make sure his patient lives, a pilot that relies on the integrity of his aircraft to get the passengers in his charge safely to the destination.
Kids like guns because the first exposure is frequently (now days) a video game, where the consequences of a real gun, in real life will be a concept foreign to them....you shoot , you win in the video...but sometimes the level starts over because you get "killed"...no real thing except a bit of frustration.
I'm not NOT going to into the "video game = violent behavior" thing, nor will I get involved in any political aspects (which, as history has proven = violence). I teach my children and grand children about gun safety FIRST, and the responsibility entailed. I let them shoot real weapons when they are old enough to understand the consequences of their actions. And some of them understand, and some never want to do it again.
I shoot guns because there are fun for me (safety first), but always realizing they are mostly designed to be weapons. I also realize that many people in the world that have no respect for life, and do crazy things.. And you never know who that could be....
Would I ever shoot some one? God I hope not!
If my life, or my family were in grave danger... (
is there any other kind?)... could I even do it?
I don't know, and hope I never need to know.
I keep one at my bedside...just in case...because you never know...
Let me end with a quote by some guy named Clint Eastwood:
I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it.
<and there seems to be end of rant>