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Genuinely curious

Posted: Dec 20, 2012

I'm trying to figure out if there is another side to this that I haven't considered, because I can't come up with a reason. Why do people need semiautomatics? Why do people need scatter shot? I'm trying to get to the bottom of this.

To be extra clear, because there seems to be a cognitive disconnect in some earlier responses to my posts, I am not talking about guns in general. I am a supporter of your right to bear arms. I just put an asterisk on "arms" to mean useful defensive or hunting weapons like handguns and hunting rifles. Bans on rapid fire and single-shot-multiple-kill weapons is what I'm talking about.

So, again, why do people feel they need semiautomatics? Why do you need an AK-47 to hunt or defend your family? The only thing you ever hear is knee jerk reactions like "You can't take my guns!" Never an explanation as to why these particular weapons are so important to the poster.

I'm also curious as to how much support semiautomatics actually have. Because it's really hard to tell whether someone is misunderstanding the subject and thinking we're going to take away your hunting rifle and starve you versus how many people truly want rapid fire capacity on their weapons.

Thank you for your responses ahead of time.

;

The real reason is not for hunting deer. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
This guy does a good job summarizing it.

http://non-intervention.com/1058/to-president-obama-the-2nd-amendment-is-about-fighting-tyranny-not-hunting-deer/

Excellent interview tonight on - Fresh Air

[ In Reply To ..]
http://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/

Power of the NRA teamed up with gun manufacturers. Interesting discussion.

I heard it, and it was most excellent. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
There was a huge amount of information in that interview regarding gun laws, gun behavior, and the NRA, that never gets publicized or discussed.

The article for Fresh Air - RC

[ In Reply To ..]
What gun manufacturers have done to rejuvenate their markets, Diaz tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross, is to emphasize military-derived semi-automatic guns and, in marketing, "appeal to the inner soldier, the insurrectionist feelings and high-tech desires to market these military-style guns."

thanks for posting the link - very illuminating (nm)

[ In Reply To ..]

Well then, if this is all about preserving the right - to combat "tyranny" via armed insurrecti

[ In Reply To ..]
it seems like we need some 21st century post Newtown clarification on other such Constitutional references, such as "well regulated," "militia," "security," "free state," and "the people," mentioned in the 2nd amendment. Do first amendment rights to PEACEFUL assembly extend to kids in a class room, theater patrons, temple members in prayer, etc? How does this mesh with the 14th amendment definition of "treason?" Where do we draw THAT line. What about laws against sedition and insurrection. Null and void by cl/wingers who these days think affordable healthcare a 39% tax rate on the ubers is "tyranny?"

treason

An interesting read - Fanatical Hypocrite

[ In Reply To ..]
I can't say whether the poster of it believes in the content of the article or was simply posting it as a possible explanation to my original question. So I will address the article itself.

I understand the ideology behind it all too well. I think every American does. This country was founded by revolution and we grew up hearing about it and reading about it. The whole article raises an important debate about the use of violence as a means to an end. The big problem I have with the article is the juxtaposition of fighting the tyranny of old through revolution and modern politics. As if our petty political disputes, right and left, equal a reason to kill one another.

I can't help but see all these modern revolutionaries like Jesse Ventura, Ted Nugent and the guy who wrote this article as cowards. They are so scared that they would kill their fellow Americans in the vain hope that they might feel safer later on.

The article, playing pretend like a pouty 5-year-old, acts like it doesn't endorse violence. It asserts we need these weapons to intimidate the government. Like nuclear weapons, the threat of mutually assured destruction will keep both parties safe. The Cold War was proof that such nuclear deterrents are catalysts for suspicion and terror. It, however, is so clear from the content that for the writer war is all but inevitable because of the scope of the perceived injustices.

One of my favorite sayings is "If you have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." Well, America has guns and every problem looks like a target to us. When we talk about the government and the military like giant faceless entities it's easy to think about fighting them. But they aren't faceless. They are made up of us. My cousin, who was like a big brother to me growing up, is in the Navy. Maybe to a revolutionary he's a trained killer for some global conspiracy for a new world order, but he's my cousin. Reid, Boehner, Obama, all of them are people.

I have to wonder how close these revolutionaries are to the psychology of gunman. They must feel so scared and so alone and so disconnected. They must see their targets as non-people. JFK was a politician. Bobby Kennedy was a politician. Gabby Giffords. Ronald Reagan. Abraham Lincoln. MLK changed the whole political landscape of his time. On a smaller scale, Adam Lanza was probably scared and confused and thought what he did was justified.

Finally, regarding the article's numbered list of "theoretical" (and I thought I was snarky) grievances, I have to say 10 is my favorite. Apparently the Supreme Court "empowers the federal government to wage unrelenting war on religion, especially on Christianity."

Christians can have churches. Those churches are tax exempt. Their holy texts are legal and everywhere (I'm agnostic and I have four Bibles!) Bible quotes written on any surface that doesn't wash off in the rain outside. Dozens of Christian channels on T.V. Radio broadcasting the Word to every man, woman, child and passing alien civilization. They can congregate, preach, pray, teach and celebrate anywhere they choose that isn't specifically held for non-religious purposes, which is still 99.9% of the land mass of the United States. God's all seeing eye looks up at us from every dollar bill while the children pledge allegiance to Him. All their holidays are national holidays. Also, 73% of the country is Christian, so to be oppressed at a certain point they would have to oppress themselves.

What more rights could a Christian want in regards to their personal religion that doesn't force others to follow their practices? Abortions aren't mandatory. You don't have to watch, listen to or read anything that espouses anti-Christian ideals. The government doesn't strap evangelicals down to a chair Clockwork Orange style and make them watch the Bravo network until they turn gay. And be careful about opening up religious practices in government run facilities. I doubt you would want the Islamic call to prayer in your schools, Pagan protection spells written in your hospital room or a pentagram drawn in goat's blood on the steps of your courthouse.

So, in summation, while the problems our country face are real and serious, filling the streets with blood is not the answer. Killing only the bad people is something only sociopaths and egomaniacs think they can do.

Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ realized what happens to a society that takes an eye for an eye or uses violence to get their way. If only he had had the foresight to write a book about it...

Very well said, FH - RC (nm)

[ In Reply To ..]
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