Guns and the Gabrielle Giffords shooting.

[smokehouse]

There's really no reason Americans need guns any more than any other first world nation.

"Need" is a dangerous word, a word often used by politicians to take away rights. You don't need a $100,000/yr job, you don't need excess food, you don't need a car that had 300 horsepower, you don't need fancy healthcare...

Crap like this is the beginning of oppression and socialism (or even worse, communism). The idea of one man telling another he doesn't feel he needs something is dangerous. Like it or not...politicians are just that...men and woman. They're no smarter than us, they shouldn't be telling us what we need.

Rednecks will be rednecks.

I love this misconception. If this is true than I guess every liberal is a flag waiving faggot, anyone who listens to rap is a nigger, anyone that Catholic is a child rapist, anyone who every hispanic person in the country is an illegal...we could go on and on...

If you're this closed minded why are you even in a thread like this...following your own generalization...shouldn't you be sucking a cock somewhere?

The most important part of firearm ownership is safety.

By the way, that handgun was not "automatic" - automatic weapons are heavily regulated under US law.

It was a semi-automatic weapon.

The media often gets their terminology wrong. But we already knew that.

I love that...when it comes to the media every handgun is a glock...ever rifle is an assault rifle and everything is an automatic or machine gun...morons.

It reminds me of this:

"A 17-year-old boy arrested after a handgun in his backpack accidentally discharged and wounded two other high students Tuesday was able to bring his automatic pistol on campus apparently because the Los Angeles school does only random metal detector checks, police said."

love the phrasing here, HIS automatic pistol, as if a 17 year-old CA kid is somehow legally able to own his own pistol.

Bingo...let's pass more laws because obviously this youngster fell through the cracks and got that gun at a local store...stronger laws would have prevented that you know...

 

[aria]

The real tragedy of that recent school shooting is that it could have been prevented if more children had brought guns to school.

When will those nuts led by Barack Hussein Obama learn?

 

[galfordo]

nice post by smokehouse

bobak, not so much

 

[aria]

nice post by smokehouse

bobak, not so much

You don't get it because you're not armed and thus obviously a communist sympathizer.

Those children could've returned fire like a rapper's posse. It would've worked to perfection.

 

[Mike Shagohod]

"Need" is a dangerous word, a word often used by politicians to take away rights. You don't need a $100,000/yr job, you don't need excess food, you don't need a car that had 300 horsepower, you don't need fancy healthcare...

Crap like this is the beginning of oppression and socialism (or even worse, communism). The idea of one man telling another he doesn't feel he needs something is dangerous. Like it or not...politicians are just that...men and woman. They're no smarter than us, they shouldn't be telling us what we need.



I love this misconception. If this is true than I guess every liberal is a flag waiving faggot, anyone who listens to rap is a nigger, anyone that Catholic is a child rapist, anyone who every hispanic person in the country is an illegal...we could go on and on...

If you're this closed minded why are you even in a thread like this...following your own generalization...shouldn't you be sucking a cock somewhere?



I love that...when it comes to the media every handgun is a glock...ever rifle is an assault rifle and everything is an automatic or machine gun...morons.

It reminds me of this:

Bingo...let's pass more laws because obviously this youngster fell through the cracks and got that gun at a local store...stronger laws would have prevented that you know...

I HAD TO quote smokehouse for an excellent reply. At the end of the day though, we (those of us law abiding gun owners) realize we're living in a nation full... FULL, of self important *Intelligent* but not necessarily "smart" (there is a difference) citizens who unless raised around weapons or came from military or police households (and even then I've learned that's not always the case)... They just don't get it. And they never will. In their minds, it's about what is showing at the cinema, what vapid popstar is on the radio (or dancing with stars), and BEVELING IN the system, that while still the best around is seriously fragmented and rife with problems, "to do for them" and God forbid... oh wait... most don't believe in anything, I mean... NATION BE DAMNED if the Federal Government cannot "do" for them.

You hear "self vigilance" touted all the time, but how many understand that means living by one's own wit, always observant, making sound decisions under duress because one has given forethought to such things (in all things) and BEING ABLE TO act on the will to defend one's self be it with firearms or by whatever means necessary to end the respective dilemma at that moment and not a step beyond that, WHILE assisting any civil servants and/or military personnel (should that be the case) or even privatized contracted out companies (there are more security personnel than police or anyone else these days) in a coherent manner?

I knew when this lady got shot and the kid got killed that it was going to "be an outrage" and guns would come under fire again. That the mass populous of jerk off who understand shit, would want to fuck with those of us who don't run around doing bad stuff, while at the same time claiming to want to heal old wounds politically on the societal level. Well you don't get there by being a dick about it. No one should be snuffed out like that, but treating everyone else like a criminal (or terrorist) because of some other asshole with a gun makes about as much sense as when a school system PUNISHES a would be victim for "defending themselves" when they didn't ask to be assaulted, under the Zero Tolerance mindset. RIGHT. Punish the victim!??? It's that shit for brains mentality that has done more to push things in the very direction things continue to go in.

SAD. So fucking sad.

 

[neo_mao]

i own a gun for the same reason I buy neo geo homecarts...

...to compensate for my very small penis

 

[Lagduf]

I own firearms because they amuse me.

 

[BigTinz]

Damn...

*points to smoke's post and nods*

 

[Neo Alec]

have you ever fired a gun?

Nope. Lots of hunters where I live in the US though.

i like that even when Neo Alec is saying things i agree with he still manages to make me dislike him intensely

What I do this time? Sorry it didn't please you. The redneck thing was the wittiest reply I could come up with. I can make all my posts as dry as possible, if it pleases you.

"Need" is a dangerous word, a word often used by politicians to take away rights. You don't need a $100,000/yr job, you don't need excess food, you don't need a car that had 300 horsepower, you don't need fancy healthcare...

Crap like this is the beginning of oppression and socialism (or even worse, communism). The idea of one man telling another he doesn't feel he needs something is dangerous. Like it or not...politicians are just that...men and woman. They're no smarter than us, they shouldn't be telling us what we need.

Yep, it's a "slippery slope." lol Let's dissect every word I chose.

I love this misconception. If this is true than I guess every liberal is a flag waiving faggot, anyone who listens to rap is a nigger, anyone that Catholic is a child rapist, anyone who every hispanic person in the country is an illegal...we could go on and on...

If you're this closed minded why are you even in a thread like this...following your own generalization...shouldn't you be sucking a cock somewhere?

Obviously I was being silly. I am related to some good rednecks.

 

[aria]

you don't need fancy healthcare... .

Honestly, while I know this was a part of a rhetorical device that had little impact on your overall argument, this is the only part of your post that I found a bit puzzling.

What is "fancy" health care?

 

[bloodhokuto]

What is "fancy" health care?

This is what rich American's have. It's the same as Euro healthcare, but unlike 'normal' US healthcare, it doesn't make you bankrupt.

 

[Neo Alec]

Talk to people from any other developed nation. Find people who have never been to the US. Their number one concern about visiting/living in the US time and time again is our gun laws. They say, "Don't Americans have guns?" "People get shot in America," "Don't people carry around guns everywhere?" So some people (ignorant as they may be) are scared just to come here. They think we are clinging to barbaric ways. That's the meat of my only point. I guess people are content with that here.

 

[SML]

Talk to people from any other developed nation. Find people who have never been to the US. Their number one concern about visiting/living in the US time and time again is our gun laws. They say, "Don't Americans have guns?" "People get shot in America," "Don't people carry around guns everywhere?" So some people (ignorant as they may be) are scared just to come here. They think we are clinging to barbaric ways.

The whimper of whipped dogs.

 

[Neo Alec]

The whimper of whipped dogs.

That's right. We're better than them. We know a better way, even though it clearly isn't. That's called American exceptionalism. I don't see anything wrong with adopting something that works from another land. It's not the 1700's anymore. We are just being stubborn, held back by the under-educated and religious fundamentalists.

 

[norton9478]

[

What is "fancy" health care?

I think it's a marketing slogan....

Like "Fancy" Catsup.

 

[SML]

That's right. We're better than them. We know a better way, even though it clearly isn't. That's called American exceptionalism. I don't see anything wrong with adopting something that works from another land. It's not the 1700's anymore. We are just being stubborn, held back by the under-educated and religious fundamentalists.

You call "American exceptionalism" naive. I disagree. Those who invoke it are not naive, they're cynical hypocrites.

 

[Neo Alec]

You call "American exceptionalism" naive. I disagree. Those who invoke it are not naive, they're cynical hypocrites.

Fair enough. As long as we're rejecting the concept.

 

[galfordo]

You don't get it because you're not armed and thus obviously a communist sympathizer.

Those children could've returned fire like a rapper's posse. It would've worked to perfection.

ah yes, the sarcastic straw man argument

c'mon bobs, step your game up

 

[Poonman]

Ehhhh....

You don't have to be a redneck, a fudd or mall ninja to own a gun.
What about people who just like to buy and collect cool shit?

Or target shooters?

I live in a pretty rural town, but our gun range has a good number of BMWs and benzes from doctors and other well to do professionals who want to take up something expensive like golf, but without looking like a fag in plaid slacks, reefed socks and a cute little pom pom hat.

So they buy guns and shoot things that aren't people all day long (FOR YEARS) and it's nobodies fucking business but theirs.



Honestly, how many times do we see a peanut gallery of gunfags jumping up and down, screaming for LOOSER gun laws every time a crime gets committed that a gun COULD have prevented?

Every home invasion, mugging, rape, assault....not a peep.
We're always on the defense.

 

[aria]

ah yes, the sarcastic straw man argument

c'mon bobs, step your game up

My straw men are dead children, which are remarkably easy to push over.

 

[galfordo]

My straw men are dead children, which are remarkably easy to push over.

okay, now that's a quality post

 

[SML]

Fair enough. As long as we're rejecting the concept.

I'm not sure we have the same understanding of the concept. American exceptionalism, to you, seems to be the idea that Americans stubbornly stick to their own ways and culture despite the fact that American culture is not the same as the (apparently monolithic) "rest of the first world."

To me, the concept is idealized by many American speakers as the practice of holding ourselves to an exceptional standard, but in reality tends to be our practice of "making exceptions" for ourselves when we don't live up to the standards we judge other nations by.

 

[Maury V.]

Ehhhh....

You don't have to be a redneck, a fudd or mall ninja to own a gun.
What about people who just like to buy and collect cool shit?

Or target shooters?

I live in a pretty rural town, but our gun range has a good number of BMWs and benzes from doctors and other well to do professionals who want to take up something expensive like golf, but without looking like a fag in plaid slacks, reefed socks and a cute little pom pom hat.

So they buy guns and shoot things that aren't people all day long (FOR YEARS) and it's nobodies fucking business but theirs.



Honestly, how many times do we see a peanut gallery of gunfags jumping up and down, screaming for LOOSER gun laws every time a crime gets committed that a gun COULD have prevented?

Every home invasion, mugging, rape, assault....not a peep.
We're always on the defense.

He's right you know.

 

[Neo Alec]

I'm not sure we have the same understanding of the concept. American exceptionalism, to you, seems to be the idea that Americans stubbornly stick to their own ways and culture despite the fact that American culture is not the same as the (apparently monolithic) "rest of the first world."

You're oversimplifying my argument by calling the rest of the first world "apparently monolithic." There are trends that can be observed and generalized.

To me, the concept is idealized by many American speakers as the practice of holding ourselves to an exceptional standard, but in reality tends to be our practice of "making exceptions" for ourselves when we don't live up to the standards we judge other nations by.

Ideally, yes. I'm facetiously using my own more cynical definition.

 

[Lagduf]

To me, the concept is idealized by many American speakers as the practice of holding ourselves to an exceptional standard, but in reality tends to be our practice of "making exceptions" for ourselves when we don't live up to the standards we judge other nations by.

If you want a tag line to call the reality of the situation I prefer to describe it as the American Paradox.

One need only a cursory overview of American history after 1945 to see the height of American hypocrisy through actions completely at odds with our ideals.

On that note, everyone, especially Bobak - needs to pick up this board game: Twilight Struggle. It's a game about the Cold War though it plays out the Cold War as it was perceived by the USSR and USA. That is to say every other country in the world is simply a pawn that can possibly be used to further the Superpower's agenda. The crux of the game is that you are trying to spread your influence and have your Superpower's influence be the dominate one in the region. Often you'll find yourself simply dumping influence in to a region simply because your opponent started to put influence there. I love it.

If you want another Cold War classic you can pick up this wonderful title on the civil war in Angola, titled Angola. I'm waiting for the reprint.

Talk to people from any other developed nation. Find people who have never been to the US. Their number one concern about visiting/living in the US time and time again is our gun laws. They say, "Don't Americans have guns?" "People get shot in America," "Don't people carry around guns everywhere?" So some people (ignorant as they may be) are scared just to come here. They think we are clinging to barbaric ways. That's the meat of my only point. I guess people are content with that here.

Foreigners are ignorant!

What they would find is that the areas they may want to visit generally have some of the tightest arms control laws in the country.