Guns are the problem, not the answer

[SecularMotion]

In 1969, I toted a gun around Vietnam. My fondest desire after coming home was to never carry a weapon again and, to this day, I haven’t.

Don’t get me wrong; I was glad to be armed back then because things got hairy once in a while. But there is no comparing a war zone like Vietnam (or Iraq or Afghanistan) to life in Fort Collins, or Denver or even the south side of Chicago.

Gun enthusiasts and the NRA would have you believe that today’s America is a scary place. Statistically, it’s not … for most citizens there’s little to be afraid of regarding gun violence. The argument that everyone should be armed to the teeth to protect person and property is simply a marketing ploy used to sell more guns.

Yes, terrible gun violence has occurred in 2015: the recent Lafayette, Louisiana, theater shooting spree; the Chattanooga Marine killings; the Charleston church massacre. Yet each one of these incidents can be explained by the shooter’s mindset … mental illness, lone-wolf terrorism, bigotry.

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2015/08/03/soapbox-guns-problem-answer/31088053/

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. "Yet each one of these incidents can be explained by the shooter’s mindset … mental illness..."

Why no mention of Garland, Texas?

[branford]

2. I find some portions of the editorial odd and inconsistent.

Yes, terrible gun violence has occurred in 2015: the recent Lafayette, Louisiana, theater shooting spree; the Chattanooga Marine killings; the Charleston church massacre. Yet each one of these incidents can be explained by the shooter’s mindset … mental illness, lone-wolf terrorism, bigotry.

What does that even mean? You're just as dead or injured if the motivations behind violence are "mental illness, lone-wolf terrorism, [and] bigotry" as you would be with more "routine" crime, and a person's right to self defense would remain unchanged.

Gun enthusiasts and the NRA would have you believe that today’s America is a scary place. Statistically, it’s not … for most citizens there’s little to be afraid of regarding gun violence. The argument that everyone should be armed to the teeth to protect person and property is simply a marketing ploy used to sell more guns.

Statistically, my house is unlikely to burn down or be broken into, yet I maintain a fire extinguisher and costly insurance, and that generally concerns property damage, not my life or those of my loved ones. It's a personalized cost benefit analysis, and citing general statistics fails to reflect individualized circumstances and dispositive factors such as where a person lives and works, age, infirmity or disability, profession, race, gender, etc. In fact, I choose not to own firearms, and respect similar choices in others. I simply will not substitute my judgment for anyone else, no less tinker with the Bill of Rights because of fear and loathing of an inanimate object.

[ileus]

3. This guy (except it was the Korean war) was my World Literature professor in college.

He started out endorsing Ross, then Clinton, then Ross again when he got back in the race.


I still remember his goofy rant about how Uncle Sam put a gun in his hand and sent him to Korea, and how "to this day" hadn't touched a gun since.


Poor Guy...


While I know my area is pretty safe that's no reason not to go around prepared.


Sad news is I'll be heading to Boca Raton this Sunday while we're driving down, I'll be flying back and knowing how they love to trap good citizens and make them criminals...so a fishing rod will be my only weapon I take with me to training.



I suppose since the author believes America is a safe place he's fully supports our 2A rights???

[sarisataka]

4. You have an SOP violation

In your group
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12629460
You're welcome, in advance

[Duckhunter935]

7. does not seem to matter as long as

they are the chosen ones allowed to post.

I love the selective enforcement.

[the band leader]

5. Criminals are the problem. Locking them up is the answer.

And guns are here to stay regardless I'm afraid.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

6. That's your problem, not mine. n/t