Gun control

[Raeven]

One of the differences, I think, is the extent to which guns are fetishized in this country. Americans think guns are SEXY. It's horrible, and changing that perception should be a priority.

Yes- but how do you think that happens? Most people like shoot-em-ups, or those movies wouldn't be so popular. And based on the research in the article, little boys are nearly hopeless in this regard, which depresses me.

<sigh...> I don't really know the answer to this. I mean, I remember playing cops and robbers with the neighborhood kids when I was little, and we all pretended we had guns and shot at everything in sight. But they were just our fingers, or some silly toy -- and we did know the difference. In my household, we grew up with loaded guns leaned in out-of-the-way corners. We knew not to touch them -- period.

Personally, I do think the cultural issue is huge. The roots of this dysfunction are deep in our history, having wrested our freedom from King George using lots of muskets. Unfortunately, the rather vague nature of the Second Amendment leaves a lot of wiggle room for gratuitous interpretation (a lot like the bible) in modern times.

And while we may dream of establishing a gun-free culture like that of the UK or Australia, I don't think that is possible here. It's too embedded. So... what are the alternatives? We've tackled big issues before with education, and I still believe it is the key. We made huge inroads into discouraging people from smoking by educating them as to the terrible dangers of it as well as making it socially uncomfortable. Might we do something similar with the gun culture? I think if it is approached in a reasonable way, there are gains to be made. Just a thought. It's a big problem, and the prongs of solution are multitude.

I don't reflexively blame the gun.

It's more complicated than that for me, and I think for you, too. It's blaming a whole culture that doesn't THINK about these things, or teach parents to think about them without getting hysterical.

I'd be interested to hear your further thoughts on this. I guess what I was trying to say is, I'm less concerned with the method chosen to facilitate a suicide than I am with the underlying reason why so many feel the need to kill themselves in the first place. But that's another whole discussion.

As for why some object strenuously to background checks, I think there is a vocal faction among gun owners who equate having their guns to living in their own personal Western. ANYTHING that they see as an encroachment on their rights is to be bitched about and resisted. Most of the gun owners I know have no problem with thorough background checks. I view those who object to them with extreme suspicion -- and I always hope they don't have a gun.

Is this a minority or majority faction, IYO? And I'm pretty sure that those who shriek about it are the most likely to be armed- or is that my liberal gun-naive voice talking?

As to your first question, I think it depends on where you live in the country. I think I'm in the majority, but the minority is vocal and very angry. The NRA has been woefully successful in convincing people that any restriction on their rights to own guns is a personal assault on their liberties. And no, it's not your "liberal gun-naive voice" talking. Those folks are most likely to be armed... as well as the ones who own assault-type weaponry, legal or otherwise, and a lot of it. Even if it was all made illegal tomorrow, you'd never get those folks to surrender those arms.

Reasonable gun owners have no objection. The Posse comitatus crowd start to froth at the mouth at the very notion.

But surely they see YOU as unreasonable, and you probably have a better grip on why that is than I do- and I would like to hear your thoughts on that.

They do see me, and others like me, as unreasonable. I'm continually surprised at how many people who happen to learn that I shoot automatically assume they know my politics. They couldn't be more wrong -- but I seldom disavow them of their mistake. It's interesting (and often disturbing) to learn what they really think. There are some really scary people out there with guns. And that said, there are many, many responsible, reasonable people out there with guns, too.

The knee-jerk resistance to background checks, etc., seems to come from a highly emotional place rather than one of reason. Hmmm... I wonder what organization has a vested interest in creating a highly charged, emotional issue out of gun control... hmmm... which, indeed?

Truly, I hope I am helping you do that.

You are. I am genuinely thinking about what you have said and trying not to make the reflexive responses of someone who has never shot a gun. Which may or may not be working, but it's rare to find someone like you to discuss this with peacefully. I appreciate it.

Thank you. In general, I support gun control and virtually all of what it hopes to accomplish. I do draw the line when anti-gun folks call for the elimination of all guns in all possible situations. Apart from it being purely wishful thinking, there are legitimate reasons to have them, as I have previously mentioned. I would hate to have to try and strangle a pig.