guns

[fluffhead]

While I've never owned or fired a weapon, I can totally understand the rationale behind our right to bear arms. When your government turns against you, it might be wise to have a well prepared people's militia.
This having been said, I would not be happy having a gun-toting NRA-bumper-sticking squirrel-slaughtering next door neighbor.

No guns in my house. No problem if you have one in yours. Do you really think that we are the ones to ask concerning the gunfire you hear? I mean don't you think the gunfire you hear is not from people like those who frequent this board but rather from those who are firing unlicensed weapons that are likely illegally obtained?

As an avid gun hater, I still feel the need to rebut the comment about gun owners being uneducated people. I am an "uneducated" person (which will surprise a lot of people here) and I think it's pretty insulting to both educated and uneducated folks to make that sort of generalization. Gun ownership for most is a matter of tradition and upbringing, for the minority it's a self-defense thing. I will never agree with or understand why people claim to need automatic weapons or exploding bullets, etc. , or believe that carrying a conceled weapon makes anyone safer - but I truly think these beliefs are held by people of all educational backgrounds.

On the "uneducated" front, a brief explanation: I didn't believe my dad (who was rolling in $) would NOT pay for me to go to school, but for once he held true to his word. I hadn't done anything to arrange to pay for school myself. I had to get a job, and in the interim my mom fell ill for what was the begining of a 4 year ordeal. After her death I moved to California to start over, planning to take advantage of their cheaper education after I was a resident for 1 year, but reconciled with the guy who is now my DH and returned to Cleveland. When I returned I landed a great job and worked my way up, eventually making more $ than all but one of my college graduate friends, and dh and I couldn't see going into more debt for my education at the time. Then I had kids, now I'm a SAHM. That's the story.

I realize I'm not the "average" uneducated person people refer to when making such statments, but the generalization riles me just the same.

No guns in my house. No problem if you have one in yours. Do you really think that we are the ones to ask concerning the gunfire you hear? I mean don't you think the gunfire you hear is not from people like those who frequent this board but rather from those who are firing unlicensed weapons that are likely illegally obtained?

Exactly.

And I think that people who are educated about guns also tend to be people who store and use them safely. I think Luanne's question about guns in the house is a good one -- I wouldn't let my daughters play at a friend's house if guns were present and not stored in a safe. (And I fully realize that my failure to complete a gun safety course before owning a handgun puts me in the "less educated" camp).

[SueC]

No guns here--my dad had a hunting rifle when I was a kid (I think he probably still has it) and it scared the heck out of me. He kept it in his closet and the ammo was kept in a separate location, but if I was looking for something in his closet I was paranoid it would somehow randomly go off and kill me.
My dh sometimes entertains the idea of taking up hunting (probably just so he can get some more stuff), but I'm pretty adament that there will be no guns in this house. And we even have crazy stuff happen in our neighborhood--a few months ago a very good friend of mine was held up at gunpoint along with her husband and 2 year old daughter. This happened not 2 blocks from my house at 7pm when it was light out. That said, I don't think having a gun here would keep me more safe. I would feel more afraid with it here, not to mention I have 3 curious kids running around here who could come across it.
I cringe when I hear legislation being discussed allowing people to carry concealed weapons. That sounds like a gigantic step backwards IMO.

I would be interested to know if that is the more legally guns owned per capita or guns in general. Gun control, to an extent, is ok with me. Outright bans on legal ownership are not. And given what a contentious issue this is, I would closely examine the statistics on either side of the arguement.

[Rapunzel]

Not too many educated and informed people tote guns. I don't think you'll find any answers here. It's the idiots weilding them. Scary thought. And I seriously doubt they could give you an satisfactory explanation.

Actually, many of the most intelligent and educated people I know own guns (and, some of them "tote" them as well)! I suppose it's popular to say that the "idiots" are the ones "wielding" them. That's actually what I would call an uneducated opinion.

I own a gun and have since I was a child (I learned to shoot at the age of three - which I'll explain in my post resonding to the op). I'm fairly certain I'm not an idiot, I'm fairly intelligent (with an IQ in the 140-150 range), I'd say I've maintained myself education-wise (at least I'm able to educate my own children to the point that they're all about two years ahead of their peers ), and I pride myself on staying "informed" about topics that affect me.

Perhaps the problem is that you don't realize that many of the "informed", "educated", non-"idiots" you know actually do own guns? I'm not insulted by your comment, Annie. It's actually funny to see some of the really knee-jerk liberals we meet act so surprised that my husband and I own a weapon and were raised with these weapons. The problem is that people have this stereotype in their mind and that acts as a road-block to their understanding of the subject. So, I'm not insulted, and, I'm not surprised at some of the things I'm reading here.

OK, I'll write out a more comprehensive (ie: LONG) response to the original post later today.

Jennifer

This is what people need to educate themselves on. I'm *not* referring to whether you're packing a PhD or not.

Jenn, I'm sorry.

It's all good. I did find your follow-up post (I think I was phrasing and rephrasing mine) where you clarified the use of the word "educated". No worries!

PS - I like the phrase "packing a PhD".

Maybe if the only people I personally know who are vocal about wishing they could conseal and carry weren't also the ones who think everyone is out to screw them over, the funniest way to say hello is with an insult, and fall for every get rich scheme in the world I would have a different opinion. Did I mention these folks don't go hunting and pass along every glurge email they get? :!

[HeartRN]

No guns here. I have absolutely no desire to have one in my home. It makes my heart race even thinking about it. DH had a friend in med school who grew up going to rifle ranges and he and his wife were both into it, but EXTREMELY responsible about the upkeep, safety issues. They took DH out and he thought target shooting was pretty cool. I, however, can think of plenty of other hobbies I would rather do that wouldn't result in my death (or somebody elses!) if I happened to do something really stupid while engaging in the said activity.

[Rapunzel]

I just joined the NRA today.

Jennifer

do they make congratulatory cards for that or something?

[Rapunzel]

Nope, just thought I'd stir the pot.

(And, it's true ).

Jennifer

[Sheherezade]

This is going to tip your scores towards Bree.....

Seriously, folks, nobody piss off Jennifer.

This is going to tip your scores towards Bree.....

Thank goodness for promos or I would have never figured that out!

Hint to Jennifer's secret santa:
http://www.bustedtees.com/product.php?n ... damendment