Gun Control/Rights

[Vanquisher]

Okay, so I'm not a fan of the 2nd amendment. Just cause it's in the Bill of Rights doesn't make it right!

My FIL is a very conservative, NRA card-carrying, capital R- Republican.

He sent my hubby an e-mail this morning:

Chad
You really need to think about getting your pistol down there, just in case. Your mom has bought a really neat "gun box" that can only be opened with her finger print or a RF bracelet . It is very secure and would make it so that only you, or Heidi could access it.

Not trying to tell you what to do but the crazy's are multiplying rapidly. Here is a link to a story right there in FL that shows you what could happen.
http://bearingarms.com/burglar-ignor...tm_campaign=nl

I would sure feel better if you had the means to protect your family if the need ever arises. Crooks are getting really brazen and home invasions are very scary - remember, bringing a knife to a gun fight will assure you second place at the best. If you are not interested I will buy your pistol if you want me to, or I will just continue to store it, whatever you want to do.

By the way, the family photo's were terrific - your mom shared them with me.

Love, Dad


Ugh. I hate guns!!! Hate!!! I feel they are WAY more likely to be used against me than in my protection. The odds of Chad being home, able to access a gun, and use it effectively to protect us, is IMO, super, insanely low.

My FIL had a nephew who killed himself with a gun. LAST WEEK his brother was shot in a turkey hunting accident by their good friend. He's had firearms stolen from his home.

No. Just no! With my family history of depression I do not need a gun in my house. Like Ryan can't get a RF bracelet! Ugh. I'm so tired of this argument. This is one area where DH and I just disagree completely. If it were my choice, I'd repeal the fucking 2nd amendment. I feel like all the arguments in favor of gun ownership are fucking lame at best and dangerous at worst!

Well, hit it. What say you?

[WolfpackWife]

My parents are more regularly conservative, non NRA-card carrying members, and republicans with a lower case r. I was raised in conservative home, but not overly so. The evolution of their conservatism has evolved to mostly fiscal matters, and have become more socially liberal.

That said, my dad and brother both own guns, are licensed to buy and carry firearms, and have their concealed carry licenses as well. My mom (the more conservative of the two of them - Catholic upbringing!) freaking HAAAATES the guns. Hates them. Won't even look at them. Didn't talk to either of them the day they bought the AR-15.

I am not enthusiastically pro-gun, but I am not anti-gun at all. Like Cassy said, they are certainly not appropriate for everyone and maintaining a very healthy respect for guns is key in responsible gun ownership. I think the screening process for not only the gun owner but anyone else in the household should be much stricter (if the Sandy Hook tragedy was any indication - the mother who *owned* the gun was mentally sound, but the son living with her clearly had problems, IIRC). My dad and brother take their courses and training very seriously. You should not, under any circumstances, own a gun if you are the least bit uncomfortable with the notion. You are right, Heidi, a gun in your possession is much more likely to be used AGAINST you if you aren't willing to use it properly and if necessary. I'm comfortable with the thought of people who meet these criteria owning guns.

The interesting thing about the gun debate is that people equate owning a gun and carrying one means that they will shoot to kill in self defense every single time. That's not the case - if I recall correctly my dad and brother shared with me many bits of info that they learned about how to shoot in self defense without aiming to kill. If you're a responsible, licensed individual with a gun, you're likely not out looking for someone to murder - but you're willing to use your weapon if your life or family are in danger.

That said, I don't 100% see the need for assault rifles to be legal. My dad & brother recently purchased an AR-15 and, while it's super fun to shoot (they all are, TBH), I don't see the purpose in having one. I chalk it up to a hobby like most other things - just a hobby that deserves a lot more respect than knitting or reading (and my respect I mean an understanding of what you're in possession of, what it's capable of, etc.).

Guns are scary to me, but I'm not scared *of* them, if that makes sense. I know people usually mock the argument that criminals will always find a way to obtain guns whether or not they are legal so we law-abiding citizens should reserve the right to own weapons as well - but that's the kind of thing that seems plausible to me and encourages me to remain pro-gun (again, with stricter requirements for legally obtaining them). Also, the shooting range is seriously so fun - I wasn't expecting it to be and was really nervous the first time my dad and brother brought DH and I (I'd never shot a gun before).

We do not have a gun currently. We are not licensed nor do we have our CC. We intend to one day, but are in no hurry. I'm not ready to have a gun because I'm not 100% sure I could use it if I needed to, and if I have any doubt, I don't need one. Our intention is to get educated and licensed, and purchase one. Obviously my first (and preferred) line of defense would be an alarm system, but I think we should have and deserve the right to defend ourselves if necessary. That said - I wouldn't go all TX on someone (i.e. shooting them in the back at the edge of my property line just because I could). Firing at an intruder would be an absolute last line of defense for me.

[alotofyarn]

Seeing as how I already shared that my hubby wrote his personal statement about competitive pistol shooting, we're in the pro-gun camp. That said, I think restrictions are a good thing. I'm all for background checks and waiting times to attempt to keep them from the crazies. Also, ours are locked up in safes, though we want to get a more easily accessible safe for home protection purposes. Hubby mostly has them as a hobby, and he loves building them and going to the range to shoot them. He does have a concealed carry license though, and he would use it to protect us if necessary. I know how to use them well, just in case, but I don't love them like he does. He wanted to put up "Come and take it" flags at the house and stickers on his car, but I vetoed that, since I felt like it was inviting bad company, and I'm home alone often enough that I'd prefer we not advertise.

[Vanquisher]

Please don't let me be alone.

[MsSassyBaskets]

I do not believe in handguns. Period. I believe that my right not to get shot trumps anyone else's right to a gun. And for those that argue that guns protect your life, I do believe - and I believe evidence has shown - that they are more likely to be used against you or result in an accident than they are likely to protect your life. I am not comfortable going to homes where I know there to be guns, and I will not allow my future children to go to homes where I know there to be guns. Period.

I do not have a problem with responsible hunting, in which the animals are eaten and not simply killed for sport, and weapons are completely inaccessible except when being used exclusively for hunting.

DH agrees with me 100%. FIL is a law enforcement officer and has seen the results of careless gun ownership, and he is one of the only people I know that I trust to carry a weapon.

[SuzySunshine]

DH and I have agreed we will never have guns in our house - we both know how to shoot them but do not see the need. My ILs do not have guns in their house and never had. My parents are the opposite, first my father is in law enforcement so he carries a gun daily as part of his job and also has a conceal carry permit. He is also a hunter, has many guns, differing sizes, bows and arrows, etc. He also has a gun safe/gun closet in his house. It is always the first door I check when we arrive for a visit to make sure it is locked. He has bought my nephew guns (he's 17) and they shoot together, my nephew is a good kid however I don't know how his gun/ammo is stored at his home and that reminds me that I need to ask next time we are there, he does have a 5 year old little sister.

Someday I'm sure my kids will want to learn to shoot and that is fine, grandpa can teach them at his house with his guns, under my or DH's supervision.

I grew up in a hunting community so I have a lot of friends that are still hunters and most of them do it for the right reasons, there are also those that do it for sport and I agree that's annoying - if you're not going to eat it, don't hunt it. With my background and the current environment I see pros and cons to both sides...

I always mean to ask new playmates if there are guns in their houses and I always forget, I know its something I need to be better about.

[rainbabies]

We have guns.

Dh is a capital R Republican. I'm middle of the road. I don't mind guns. They're in my house, locked up. Ammo locked up separately.

The gun range can be heard from my house...everyone here has them, it seems.

[OrionGrad]

I do not believe in handguns. Period. I believe that my right not to get shot trumps anyone else's right to a gun. And for those that argue that guns protect your life, I do believe - and I believe evidence has shown - that they are more likely to be used against you or result in an accident than they are likely to protect your life. I am not comfortable going to homes where I know there to be guns, and I will not allow my future children to go to homes where I know there to be guns. Period.

I do not have a problem with responsible hunting, in which the animals are eaten and not simply killed for sport, and weapons are completely inaccessible except when being used exclusively for hunting.

This is pretty much exactly how I feel, too.

[MrsC]

I believe that guns have a purpose and I don't think they should have anything to do with politics. My Dad is a farmer and has always had two rifles. He's never hunted for sport but if there's a fox killing his livestock he'll hunt them, usually just frightens them off.
DH has rifles for target shooting. He goes to the range occasionally. He really only got them because everyone had them where we lived last.
I don't like hunting but if people are using it as a source of food that's different.
Neither of us believe that anyone outside of law enforcement should have hand guns. As for as I'm concerned their only purpose is killing people.
Our child will not be allowed near a gun until he's an adult. They are all locked in a safe and won't be brought out in front of him.

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[Pollyanna]

I have no issue with guns but we don't have them because it is too easy for an accident to happen. I would love to target shoot and do so with my bow but we're just not comfortable with guns around the house.

[moonlight]

I really don't like guns, but as Americans we have that right to own one because its in the constitution.... Like all those other rights you enjoy.
But like I said, I don't like guns and will never own one. A knife, bat, pepper spray? Come at me and i'll cut your ass and then knock your damn head off!!
People like your FIL live in fear, that's the whole problem with people like that.

[v-girl]

We don't have a problem with them. If we lived in the country we would have one. DH won't get one now because he doesn't trust me and my PMS. Hahaha!


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[v-girl]

A pair of stilettos make a good weapon apparently.


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[MrsC]

I think just because it's a constitutional right to own one, doesn't mean it should be so easy to get one.

[WolfpackWife]

I think just because it's a constitutional right to own one, doesn't mean it should be so easy to get one.

I totally agree. I think owning a gun should be a right *and* a privilege that should be afforded to those who have undergone more extensive screening and education.

Freedom of speech is a right, but I don't think it means people should use it as an excuse to spew ignorance, hatred, bigotry, and judgement (but they manage to do so using the "freedom of speech" umbrella which, IMO, just makes them assholes).