Gun Control

[SalixIncendium]

I’ve consistently agreed with the proverb, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Well, I learned today that this isn’t always the case. I lost a nephew today to a gunshot wound resulting from apparently handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.

PSA: Guns and alcohol are not a good combination.

That is all.

 

[Vee]

I'm really sorry for your loss @SalixIncendium . If he handled a gun intoxicated, it was stupid, but losing his life is unfair and much too high a price to pay. My condolences to your family.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I’ve consistently agreed with the proverb, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Well, I learned today that this isn’t always the case. I lost a nephew today to a gunshot wound resulting from apparently handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.

PSA: Guns and alcohol are not a good combination.

That is all.

Sorry for your loss, mate.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I’ve consistently agreed with the proverb, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Well, I learned today that this isn’t always the case. I lost a nephew today to a gunshot wound resulting from apparently handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.

PSA: Guns and alcohol are not a good combination.

That is all.

I'm so sorry. My condolences.

 

[Kenny]

I’ve consistently agreed with the proverb, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Well, I learned today that this isn’t always the case. I lost a nephew today to a gunshot wound resulting from apparently handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.

PSA: Guns and alcohol are not a good combination.

That is all.

My heartfelt prayers and condolences.

 

[Revoltingest]

I’ve consistently agreed with the proverb, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Well, I learned today that this isn’t always the case. I lost a nephew today to a gunshot wound resulting from apparently handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.

PSA: Guns and alcohol are not a good combination.

That is all.

Guns require a great sense of responsibility, & a little dose of heathy fear.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Thank you to all of you that expressed your condolences, but I don’t want this to turn into a SalixIncendium pity party.

I posted this in a debate forum for a reason. So let’s get to it.

Does this warrant a need for gun control or do people have personal accountability?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Guns require a great sense of responsibility, & a little dose of heathy fear.

You posted this as I composed my last post. Thank you for this.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Thank you to all of you that expressed your condolences, but I don’t want this to turn into a SalixIncendium pity party.

I posted this in a debate forum for a reason. So let’s get to it.

Does this warrant a need for gun control or do people have personal accountability?

There's a program called Vision Zero that's aimed at eliminating motor vehicle crash fatalities. Its two core principles are:

- people are fragile. The human body has a limited capacity for injury, and our policies and systems should take it into account.

- people are imperfect. We should not set up systems that rely on perfect human behaviour, because we will never get perfect behaviour. Humans make mistakes, and our systems should be designed so that these mistakes do not have fatal consequences.

I think it would be wise to apply both of these principles to guns, too.

 

[Dawnofhope]

I’ve consistently agreed with the proverb, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Well, I learned today that this isn’t always the case. I lost a nephew today to a gunshot wound resulting from apparently handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.

PSA: Guns and alcohol are not a good combination.

That is all.

Sorry to hear that Salix.

Is there any possibility he committed suicide?

From an outsiders perspective I see America's obsession with guns and the right to bear arms as bizarre.

 

[Vinayaka]

I grew up around guns. Dad had 3 of them, a 22, a shotgun, and a .270 Winchester. We were cautioned regularly, and he was critical of anyone who wasn't incredibly careful. The shotguns and the rifle were for hunting purposes, and the 22 was more for fun, target practice, and shooting gophers. He gave us safety lessons.

Still, I knew a few people who'd lost friends in gun accidents. Carelessness, mostly, or hair triggers. My first gun, which Dad bought me, had a hair trigger. I fired it accidentally a couple of times before I got so scared I could hardly fire it at all. I lost an acquaintance from cross fire in America, being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Not all farmers had guns, or hunted. Lots of folks avoided the hobby for lack of interest. Of course, when I grew up I got rid of my guns. For a while I took a camera hunting with family, but I became saddened by the brutality of hunting. (Finding Hinduism played a massive role.)

I have no problem with guns, (or without them) but I take exception to those who are all agog about it, and about their rights to own them, or carry them anywhere. It rings of an entitlement not all that justified. I will never own another one personally.

Yes, it's people, not guns, just as it's people, not cars. I think the key is common sense. If you do feel the need to own a gun for self defense, for sure train yourself, and as we all know ... Bad things happen when you drink.

 

[Vinayaka]

Sorry to hear that Salix.

Is there any possibility he committed suicide?

From an outsiders perspective I see America's obsession with guns and the right to bear arms as bizarre.

The obsession is only with a certain segment. Not all. But yes I also find that intense degree of caring about it to be bizarre. It's even more bizarre first hand when you drive through rural America and see folks standing by the road shooting.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Thank you to all of you that expressed your condolences, but I don’t want this to turn into a SalixIncendium pity party.

I posted this in a debate forum for a reason. So let’s get to it.

Does this warrant a need for gun control or do people have personal accountability?

The question is whether it will be the government alone or the citizens that has an ability to form a scary and dangerous miltia. The government has a lot of guns and kills a lot of people. Should the citizens also have this ability or not? Should we take it away from the government?

Guns are about as safe as they can be made without inhibiting their accessibility. If you want to make them safer they have to be made less accessible. Therein lies the question of who should have access to them. Only the government, only citizens, both or whom? Maybe the citizens should keep the guns and only loan them to the government in times of need. That might solve certain problems.

If someone feels its only the government (with few exceptions) they'll need to overcome US citizens fear of dictatorships and fear of the typical steps taken by dictators on their way to complete power. One of these is seizing all weapons from the populace. This is true both in modernity and historically going all the way back to the bronze age.

Another thing is they'll need to get support from various groups that have been mistreated by government choices. In this country there is a history of distrust of government, and there are very real reasons for that. We have plenty of examples of reasons not to give the government absolute power. On rare occasions it has been the guns which have convinced the government to be reasonable. Also sometimes historically the corporations will do things like hire small armies to attack striking workers. This can be a dangerous place, sometimes; and begging the government for help isn't always a solution. Sometimes the government doesn't seem to care when you're community is being shot at.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I’ve consistently agreed with the proverb, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Well, I learned today that this isn’t always the case. I lost a nephew today to a gunshot wound resulting from apparently handling a loaded gun while intoxicated.

PSA: Guns and alcohol are not a good combination.

That is all.

Its tragic but at the same time, guns are like fire.
It can be of great use and benefit or it can be the greatest of destruction and misery.

How we use it is what we make of issues like gun control and such and the decisions as to weither its good or bad.

 

[Brian2]

Thank you to all of you that expressed your condolences, but I don’t want this to turn into a SalixIncendium pity party.

I posted this in a debate forum for a reason. So let’s get to it.

Does this warrant a need for gun control or do people have personal accountability?

Of course people have personal accountability but outside the bubble that is the USA many of us just shake our heads in disbelief at the lack of gun control in the US.
It seems to be a bigger issue than just guns however. We also shake our heads in disbelief at other things that happen in the US.
Maybe just get rid of the people and start again from scratch.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Sorry to hear that Salix.

Is there any possibility he committed suicide?

From an outsiders perspective I see America's obsession with guns and the right to bear arms as bizarre.

It had been considered before we received all the information. But his mood observed by people he interacted with that day conflicts with any intent of suicide.

He was Facetiming someone we went to school with. Her narrative is that he was handling his 9mm, dropped the phone, and when he went to pick it up, the gun went off.

 

[Dawnofhope]

It had been considered before we received all the information. But his mood observed by people he interacted with that day conflicts with any intent of suicide.

He was Facetiming someone we went to school with. Her narrative is that he was handling his 9mm, dropped the phone, and when he went to pick it up, the gun went off.

Thanks for that. When I hear of a young male, alcohol affected, and death by gunshot the question of suicide naturally comes to mind. I had a friend suicide by gunshot many years ago. So as devastating as it is to lose a family member under such tragic circumstances, it's good to know he didn't suicide.

Hunting and guns is part of life here in New Zealand too. I've tried it on a few occasions but I find no pleasure in killing. We inevitably have our fair share of accidents. Of course alcohol is a huge risk factor. Should we legislate to prevent gun ownership? Hunting has its place so I doubt if that will happen anytime soon in either of our countries.

In some countries there is a zero blood alcohol allowed for driving a motor vehicle or operating dangerous machinery. Perhaps that should be extended to handling guns. Alcohol and guns seem like a bad mix. Still accidents will inevitably happen and once again I'm very much saddened knowing you have lost a family member, especially one so young.

 

[Dawnofhope]

The obsession is only with a certain segment. Not all. But yes I also find that intense degree of caring about it to be bizarre. It's even more bizarre first hand when you drive through rural America and see folks standing by the road shooting.

We banned many of our semi-automatic weapons last year after the mosque shootings when a lone gun man managed to kill 51 Muslims, all unarmed and gathered peacefully at two mosques. It didn't take much to get consensus amongst the two main political parties. The USA don't want to give up their right to own such weapons and no amount of mass shootings seems to make too much difference. So I wonder what it is about the USA attitudes to guns that is so different from many other developed countries?

 

[Vinayaka]

We banned many of our semi-automatic weapons last year after the mosque shootings when a lone gun man managed to kill 51 Muslims, all unarmed and gathered peacefully at two mosques. It didn't take much to get consensus amongst the two main political parties. The USA don't want to give up their right to own such weapons and no amount of mass shootings seems to make too much difference. So I wonder what it is about the USA attitudes to guns that is so different from many other developed countries?

Yes I've pondered that as well. It's certainly palpably different than here. I see a strong tone of independence, (freedom) being able to do what you want to do, and that's the consciousness established from when they broke away from UK so many years ago, and passed down generation to generation. You can feel substantial differences from state to state , even from local to local. It saddens me, as an onlooker.

 

[Revoltingest]

It had been considered before we received all the information. But his mood observed by people he interacted with that day conflicts with any intent of suicide.

He was Facetiming someone we went to school with. Her narrative is that he was handling his 9mm, dropped the phone, and when he went to pick it up, the gun went off.

Such accidents would go away if I were dictator.
I favor thorough training in order to possess guns.
We certainly have the 2nd Amendment right to own
them, but it's not compromised by training & storage
requirements.
By analogy, we have the right to travel, but we're also
required to have a license to drive a car. More training
for that would be useful too....especially for pulling
a trailer.