Speaking of mental illness: why has no one considered the possibility that having the desire to own a gun in the first place is a sort of illness? Seriously-- what is the fascination with guns? I see a lot of people trying to tie it to some stupid romantic idealization of America's past, but when you boil it down, it's pretty absurd.

"why has no one considered the possibility that having the desire to own a gun in the first place is a sort of illness?"


Because it isn't. I own a couple of 12 gauge shotguns. I'm not mentally ill.

Well I think Lea's point is well taken.

I have NO desire to own a gun... I do think people who feel they HAVE to have one "think different", but I wouldn't call them "ill" in any way - it's just a different mind set. And I have no problem people owning guns for hunting. I think it's a silly sport, but that's my opinion. I don't understand why someone feels great about killing something, unless it's a macho thing. But I don't think any are "ill".. .. it's probably due to their exposure (environment) and how they were raised.

If I lived in an inner city ghetto I'd probably want one, but my answer is just don't live there to begin with. Let the creeps have it ( who in their right mind would want that turf any way).

Some people hunt. Some people legitimately need them for self-defense. Some people enjoy target shooting at a range. Some people are collectors or history buffs. Some just admire the technology and craftsmanship. None of those motives are insane.

I own a more than a dozen fountain pens — any one of which I could use to put someone's eye out. If that was my reason for owning them, you could question my mental stability. But I use them to write with. So I'm no more nutzo than any of the gun owner types mentioned above. Nor are they any more or less nutzo than I am.

Lea, on the other hand, is a certifiable whack-ette!

I heard that. You are soooooo lucky you live outta range.






(I'd use the ginormous winky just to cover my ass, but he creeps me out, and besides, my ass ain't that big. )

Heh heh heh...

Guns that exist for the purpose of hunting aren't usually at the forefront of discussion when the topic is gun control, so I thought it could be assumed that I was talking about handguns and assault rifles. I should have been more clear.


This is dubious. If there were better regulation of guns then there would be less gun related crime. If there was less gun related crime, then fewer people would feel the need to arm themselves. It's a vicious cycle.
And on the subject of defense: in how many incidents involving gun related crime is there an actual shootout where someone is actually defending themselves? I honestly can't ever recall a situation reported by my local media where an armed marauder was fended off by an innocent packing heat. The whole idea of guns as defense is a lie that people unwittingly use to comfort themselves during these violent times


Let 'em find a new hobby-- one that doesn't involve a device that can be used recklessly by the owner or be stolen by someone less virtuous. Unless I'm mistaken, a large proportion of weapons used criminally were weapons stolen by registered users. When I was a kid living in South Florida we came home from a weekend in the keys to find our house had been burglarized. Guess what was stolen? That was over twenty years ago. I wonder what the fate of those guns turned out to be? I wonder if a convenient store was ever held up with one of those guns? I wonder if a cop was ever shot with one of those guns?


Riiight. And a love of history translates to a desire to own guns how? How about they come to terms with their pathological sense of machismo and collect something else?


Then collect fountain pens... or any of a number of things that won't rob children for their parents or parents of their children.


Maybe, maybe not. But they certainly are questionable

In my opinion, most of these gun fans like their precious firearms because they feel empowered by them. Pretty sad, if you ask me!

Ok then. We'll just tell every legal and responsible gun owner to get with your program. Whadda they know anyway (not nearly as much as you do fer sure)? Bunch o' maroons.

I never said it would be easy, and contrary to the tone of your last post I never claimed to have all the answers.

Rather than being a jerk, would you care to address any of the points I've made?

You don’t have an issue with hunters. No counter point required.

I know of numerous instances down here, where an”innocent packing heat” defended either his life, his family’s lives or his store/home. There were two such incidents in the past couple of months, I’ll go find the link. This is your opening to step in and call us all gun crazy rednecks. Knock yourself out. But this is a counter point to your argument that self-defense is dubious at best.

Target shooting ~ “Let’em find a new hobby.” Uh, dude. Seriously? And you are mistaken. Most guns that are involved in crime aren’t stolen from your family’s stash (how odd that y’all had one) ~ More likely stolen from guns stores and even more likely trafficked in from out of state or across one of our borders. Registered users ~ I’m not kidding you here ~ register their guns. Bad guys aren’t real hot for traceable stuff.

Collectors (history buffs) would be just as offended by your characterization of “their pathological sense of machismo” as you seem to be by the entire concept of gun ownership. Actually, they’d have better call to be offended.


”In my opinion, most of these gun fans like their precious firearms because they feel empowered by them. Pretty sad, if you ask me!”


Your opinion(s)? Pretty sad, if you ask me.