I have given away my guns

[SecularMotion]

I have given away my guns: I’m a Texan and a hunter, but I won’t be part of gun culture any more

I am a lifelong sportsman. I grew up in Texas, hunting with my dad. I’m not sure if I learned how to ride a bike or shoot a gun first, but it was close either way. In addition to creating lifelong memories shooting and hunting with my father, I was educated on gun safety from a very early age. I was taught well, and became a very responsible gun owner and enjoyed sport shooting and hunting into my adult years.

But then something started to change. I don’t quite know what happened; it just seemed that firearms started becoming faster, more powerful and more plentiful. Mass shootings became more common and much deadlier.

Then Sandy Hook happened.

I had recently become a father, and like every other father I hugged my kid just a little tighter that night. Then I walked into the living room and started to cry. All those children, not much older than my daughter, murdered. Humans have a unique capacity for being truly awful to each other, but a more senseless tragedy cannot be imagined.

http://www.salon.com/2015/12/31/i_have_given_away_my_guns_im_a_texan_and_a_hunter_but_i_wont_be_part_of_gun_culture_any_more/

[ileus]

1. "firearm becoming faster and more powerful"...something tells me this "lifelong" sportsman

is a lying sack of trump. If he knew anything about firearms he wouldn't write such silly horseshit...

I was a new father....and I cried....then I gave away all my mean, too fast, and too powerful guns.



I wonder if any of these Salon type pieces are real?

[riversedge]

2. Don't know if story is valid or not but when kids bodies are ripped apart by bullets and

nothing really seems to change with gun regulations, something is wrong in America.

[Human101948]

3. God forbid that someone prioritizes children over guns!

Probably a Muslin terrorist!

[Lizzie Poppet]

6. Nah...he's probably just someone with no idea how a legitimate dichotomy works.

Fixable, with a modicum of instruction in critical thinking...

[Lizzie Poppet]

7. It's them deadly assault bullets!

Why, they can blow your head clean off!

[Puha Ekapi]

4. The credibility of the article isn't important...

...as long as it reads as anti-gun, it's good. Right?

[Squinch]

5. Yes, because if someone says the slaughter of dozens of 6 year olds made him

rethink his gun hobby, he must be lying! Because, who reacts that way to the slaughter of dozens of 6 year olds! Chicken shit gun grabbers, that's who! Am I right??? The real men just hold their guns tighter and go out and buy 5 or 6 more!

[Straw Man]

8. There are several inconsistencies.

Yes, because if someone says the slaughter of dozens of 6 year olds made him

rethink his gun hobby, he must be lying!

First of all, he self-identifies as a hunter. As such, he must have always known the power of guns and known that his deer rifles fired a far more powerful round than the .223 of the AR-15. Second, unless he fears that he is prone to uncontrollable violent urges, giving up his guns does nothing for public safety. Finally, it has been more than three years since the Sandy Hook massacre. Why now?

I don't doubt that he did what he said he did. However, his motives are muddled and ultimately irrelevant. His personal emotional response has nothing to do with any considerations of public policy or ethical behavior.

[Squinch]

9. Ah. As expected, the NRA foot soldier shows up to impugn the motives of those who have

noticed that our nation's gun obsession is insane. While hugging his guns tight in terror of the "grabbers" under the bed.

Enjoy your nonsense.

[hack89]

10. Yes - because who needs rational thought and logic when one has hatred and emotion.

enjoy your cultural war - hope it gives you pleasure.

[GGJohn]

11. And you enjoy your emotion based nonsensical rant.

Feel better now?

[Squinch]

13. And another NRA footsoldier! Now it's a regular NRA party.

[GGJohn]

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[Squinch]

15. Oh, look. They're chanting from the NRA clubhouse.

[GGJohn]

16. Here that whooshing sound going over your head?

That's the sound of my point you obviously didn't get.

[friendly_iconoclast]

20. What have YOU done "offline" to support gun control?

Any dues paying memberships to gun control organizations? (Hitting "Like" on Facebook doesn't count)

Which gun control organizations have you sent checks to in 2015? (There's a whole mailing list in Castle Bansalot)

How many days of vacation have you used to meet with legislators or march in protests in your state capitol or DC?

Which legislators have you met with to talk about repealing concealed or open carry and how often?

What have you done in your state to get Universal Background Checks?

Have you started circulating petitions to repeal concealed carry, the 2nd amendment or anything gun control related?

How many town hall or zoning board meetings have you gone to to speak out about a new shooting range or gun store?

It seems the louder and more obnoxious you lot are on DU, the less you do in the real world.

Much easier to post "FUCK THE NRA" a few times a year than actually do anything like write a check out of your own pocket or take a few days to support your "deeply held beliefs".

Note: shamelessly pilfered from DonP's excellent list of questions for declared
'gun control supporters' at:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1172&pid=183759

[pablo_marmol]

18. I guess I'm an NRA footsoldier as well..........

Since I hold empirical evidence sacred w/regard to ALL issues and abhor emotion-based "arguments", and because I'm disgusted by the political price liberals pay with lies relating to "gun control".

[Straw Man]

12. Do you have comment on the substance of my post?

Ah. As expected, the NRA foot soldier shows up to impugn the motives of those who have

noticed that our nation's gun obsession is insane. While hugging his guns tight in terror of the "grabbers" under the bed.

Enjoy your nonsense.

Or just insults and ad hominem? Ho-hum. Nothing new here.

[ileus]

17. why now? ....a bloomberg infusion of cash.

I've done more as a pro 2A progressive than any of these gun banners have to make us safer after sandy hook.

Whining doesn't get anything done, but I've bought several AR's and magazines over the past few years....AR's and mags that aren't on the street causing damage to society.

Safety first, whining never.

[Eleanors38]

19. And millions introduce kids to the shooting sports every year...

...a practice which lets kids decide if they wish to hunt, compete in shooting competitions, and above all provides sound, safe instruction, which lessens the chance of accidents in later life should a child take up the shooting sports at a later time.