BBC News -Democrats just as passionate

[Xela]

Interesting words from what I understood to be a Democrat who is pro RKBA.

Xela

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Brendan and his girlfriend Oona are among the large crowd of customers at Firing Line. He says he already owns around 100 guns and this time he has got his eye on a semi-automatic rifle - the kind you would expect to see a US marine carrying in Afghanistan.

I asked Brendan why he needed another weapon.

At first he said the model he was considering would be good to shoot at coyotes.

Then, after a pause, he added this bombshell: "To be honest, I think the real reason why the public should have semi-automatic and fully automatic weapons is to protect themselves from the government".

Unabashed, he adds: "I know that's going to sound right-wing."

But America's love affair with the gun crosses the political divide. There are Democrats who are just as passionate.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8008682.stm

[villager]

1. One hundred guns, and counting. And one to shoot at coyotes...

Ah, lovely...

[Abq_Sarah]

3. Well...

I certainly don't own 100 guns but each weapon has a specific function determined by barrel length and caliber.

For instance, my Mini-14 is considered an "assault weapon" according to proposed AWB legislation. In reality, it's a varmint rifle.

[Raskolnik]

4. Do you have any reason to suspect that this person is doing anything illegal and/or immoral

with those 100 guns? Or do you just not approve?

[villager]

6. Shooting coyotes? Disapprove! & I would tend to steer clear of the house with a hundred guns...

..myself...

I already know you'd make a beeline there, Raskolnik!

I assume you "approve" of shooting coyotes, too?

[Raskolnik]

7. Depends on why one is shooting the coyotes, doesn't it?

If a coyote is killing your animals, I approve. If a coyote is diseased, injured, or otherwise suffering, I approve. If one is shooting coyotes for giggles, I disaprove. Are there any other aspects of fish & game management you'd like to discuss?

But let's be honest here...your disapproval of this gentleman's gun collection has nothing to do with coyotes. If he never shot anthing cuter than a paper target, you would cluck your tongue. Heck, if he never shot any of his guns, you'd still have to register your disapproval. Why is that, exactly?

[villager]

9. My my -- you seem to know a lot about everyone else, Raskolnik!

How about telling us about yourself first?

NRA member?

How many guns do you own?

Shoot animals much? Just targets?

Should private citizens be allowed to own bazookas? Why or why not?

etc.

[yay]

11. Better yet

Why would avoid such a person? What would you do if you found out a long time friend has several or even more guns?

[Raskolnik]

13. What are you talking about?

Your posts speak for themselves: you don't approve of most, if not all, private firearm ownership, and you certainly don't approve of people who own more than a few guns. If you disagree with my assessment of your posts, please point out where I am in error. Thanks in advance.

NRA member? Nope.

How many guns do you own? Not as many as I used to. Less than a dozen. Not a one of them has ever been used to commit a crime or harm anything other than dangerous/delicious animals.

Shoot animals much? Used to, but haven't gone hunting for years (provided you don't count pheasant hunting once a year over Thanksgiving weekend, which hasn't resulted in any harm done to a single pheasant in several years). Who do you pay to kill your food for you?

Should private citizens be allowed to own bazookas? I don't think so, at least not without significant restrictions. I agree (broadly speaking) with the 1934 National Firearms Act and the recent Heller decision. Do you?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

19. That's not nice you just destroyed her preconceived ideas.

[jeepnstein]

27. I'll play!

NRA? Nope.

How many? None of your business really. Not counting my work guns, which I own, I'll say less than you could count on both hands.

I don't hunt anymore. The last few times I went I just sat under a tree and watched the squirrels play. I may do some ground hogging this year for a friend.

Targets? Yeah, but you wouldn't approve of them. This is the old design. We're no longer allowed to count hits to the arms or hips. OPOTA mandated...



Bazookas? Sure, why not? As long as they obey the letter of the law with the NFA and any other applicable laws I have no problem with it. The key is that the arms must be used in a lawful manner.

[dashrif]

22. Well

I am going to try to get 20 this year to try to increase the turkey population do you disagree with that

[Xela]

5. That hobby is fine with me...

When it comes to the bill of rights, what you do with your own money is fine with me.

You want to own an extensive collection of comic books? Go head.

Xela

[virginia mountainman]

2. LOL, this is no suprise to us!! nt

[irislake]

8. Jeez, I wish you all would get more passionate about

gardening or bird-watching or something more peaceful.

I have never understood the passion about guns.

I live in a rural area where lots of my neighbours have guns but they get passionate about hockey, ice fishing, snow-mobiling and stuff. Their guns are just tools --- like a chain saw or a wood-splitter.

[villager]

10. exactly -- and how many of them own a hundred chain saws!?

And what clues to their personalties might it reveal... if they did!?

[irislake]

12. I shudder to think!

And what about wood-chippers?

[Iktomiwicasa]

15. I own

over 30 firearms. Several of them are black powder antique arms, but most are not. What do I do with them? Hunt, shoot, and if the shit hits the fan I'll be passing them out to family and neighbors who might need one. As long as the U.S. government remains the enemy of my people, I'll stay armed, thank you much.

[gorfle]

18. What a ridiculous argument.

What about people who collect hundreds of stamps? Or coins? Or knives? Or swords? Or cars? Or...anything?

What, in fact, is worrisome about a man who owns a hundred guns? Do you think he is more dangerous because he owns 100 as opposed, to say, one? It's not like he's going to lug around 100 firearms and all the ammo for them as he goes on a shooting rampage.

As the saying goes, "I don't fear the man with a hundred nuclear weapons, I fear the man with one."

[yay]

20. Well since you ARE an expert in phychology

And since you have an in depth few of gun owners from all regions based on years of first hand experience, what would it reveal?

I own 4 guns right now, I plan to sell one and add about 5-6 guns to my collection in the near future, and about 10-15 more in the next few years. I also plan on adding some reloading equipment in the near future as well.

What can you tell me about my personality?

[AtheistCrusader]

21. Well I own 3 gas chain saws, 2 electric chain saws

1 table saw, 2 circular saws, 2 sabre saws, 1 jig saw, a radial arm saw, a compound mitre saw, a hand mitre saw, 2x 2 man hand saws, 4 hack saws, 2 cut-off saws, several drywall saws, 2 pneumatic metal saws, one broken but possibly serviceable tile saw, a drawer full of hole saws, and an assortment of one man hand saws of varying size and tooth style.

And I still need to buy a fully automatic assault meat saw before Deer season.

Go ahead. Psychoanalyze me.

[kudzu22]

23. Saw nut! n/t

[Raskolnik]

14. If someone doesn't hurt anyone else and doesn't break any laws,

why does it matter to you what they collect?


edit typo

[rrneck]

16. I'm passionate about it because

it's a really hard issue to figure out. How do we balance the rights of gun owners and non gun owners? Where should guns be carried? Who should carry them? Why? What do guns mean in our society?

I must admit the bigotry against gun owners leaves me baffled, but I guess partisan politics is partisan politics.

[gorfle]

17. There can be little more honorable or necessary

Than being passionate over our Constitutionally enumerated rights and liberties.

I have never understood the passion about guns.

Likewise, I cannot understand those who would disparage those who are passionate about Constitutionally enumerated individual rights. To disparage a man who is passionate about the second amendment is as distasteful as the disparagement of a man who is passionate about the first amendment.

Guns are not just tools, or else the founders would have mentioned saws and splitting mauls in our Constitution. They are special tools - they are the tools of liberty.

[kudzu22]

24. I never understood

the passion about birds. You seen one bird, you seen 'em all. Most of 'em are too small to eat, anyway.

[slackmaster]

25. I'm passionate about collecting firearms for several reasons

1. They're all interesting examples of industrial design, even bad ones.

2. Most firearms represent some of the best metallurgy and manufacturing methods of their time.

3. Firearms are intimately connected with the history and culture of the time they were made.

4. They're made of metal, fine woods, and other interesting materials.

5. They hold their value well, and usually appreciate over time if they are cared for. My gun collection is by far the brightest spot in my investment portfolio.

6. In addition to tangible value, they will give me something to do when I am able to quit working full time.

7. They're fun to shoot, or even just to look at and talk about.

8. In a SHTF situation, e.g. major earthquake that disrupts society (very possible where I live), they could be useful as self-defensive weapons.

I've never hunted and don't have much desire to try it.

[AtheistCrusader]

26. Well...

There are chain saw and wood splitting competitions too. There's a smaller, casual element of that for many who don't even actively compete. Just a thought.