Do we NEED guns? (evolution, America, pagan, Zen)

[Darkdale]

Originally Posted by robtex

So you are saying our govement is tyrannical and you need an automatic weapon because having such an instrument is essential to your liberty?

I'm saying government is tyrannical and the weaker the people are, the more tyrannical the government. Weapons are our right by virtue of liberty, power is not soley in the hand of the government, but also in the hands of the people as well. But the real reason, the most important reason, in my opinion, for guns, is the protection of the home. In the end, the most important thing in life are the lives of your family and I feel we have an obligation to be prepared to protect them. Even if you don't have a gun, some kind of weapon capable of protecting the home is wise. (knowing how to use them is also wise). But they should be legal, we should at least have the option of owning them.

[Kowalski]

Originally Posted by Maize

Do we really need guns in our society?

Of course, how else are Americans going to shoot their fellow citizens ?

Cheers

K

[Darkdale]

Originally Posted by Kowalski

Of course, how else are Americans going to shoot their fellow citizens ?

There is a difference between being an a$$ and a smarta$$ lol You are coming close to crossing that line.

[martha]

I was about to read all of the posts regarding the question, "Do We Need guns?"
Upon reflection, I decided against it for the thoughts of some might sway my thinking. This is my honest opinion about guns. I can speak with conviction for I have been a gun owner. I would caution anyone who reads my post to consider that these are my thoughts alone, others may have conflicting ideas.

A gun, once held in hand gives the holder a certain sense of power. There is nothing more intimate than firing off a round and having it hit it's mark. When one has felt that power, it can become overwhelming to the person. If one does not have a real grip on reality, one can succumb to the subtilty of the action. Therefore I say, a gun in an unenlightened one's hands is a murder weapon, a gun in an enlightened one's hands is a hinderance!

A gun's primary existance is to kill a human being. Therefore we do not need guns. What we need is patience, understanding, compassion and the ability to speak of our differences without rage entering into the quotient! I used to love to shoot my gun and see how good I was at hitting a target at the range. I also became very aware that this expertise gave me a certain sense of bravado. " Yeah that's right I'm a girl and I can shoot like a man!, even better!" Yes, I fell victim to that way of thinking for awhile. I am thankful that my thoughts have changed, for if they didn't I would be hell bent on shooting up and taking out some people that I might have had a beef with. In the end I am happy to be who I am, one who has compassion and forgiveness in my heart not malice and hatred. I no longer own a gun! Gee can you guess why? With a gun, the rage within might just take over. I do not hold with the rage within my being. I keep it down. We must always calibrate the peace and the rage within our minds. If one get's out of balance, it can do much harm.

One might ask, " How can peace get out of hand?" Well when one believes that their way of peace is the only way, then I think it gets out of hand. We must be open to the views of all of creation to become truly peaceful. Guns are not the way to peace! And that's my bottom line.

[robtex]

Martha that was beautiful......you are so amazingly skilled with words. thank you for your post. I will have to frubal you later after I spread some love around..that is what the frubal gods just told me.

[Faminedynasty]

That is an interesting perspective Martha, but I disagree that guns fundamentally have the ability to corrupt. If people had a little bit of empathy, morality and responsibility they could all be armed to the teeth and would still be more peaceful than they are now. And until people do have these qualities they are still going to harm one another. I, like you, am glad to be who I am, glad to have compassion and forgiveness in my heart. But firing a gun never aroused hatred in my heart. If anything, it is a release of negative emotions that leaves me feeling relaxed. Firing guns, feeling their power in my hand just makes the thought of using it to harm someone that much more appaling.

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

Robtex,

by banning pistols and assault rifles, but allowing hunting firearms, you are basically saying that hunting is acceptable, but using a firearm to protect yourself is not.

READ the second amendment. No mention of hunting. Hunting at the time of our constitution was a given. The second amendment reads "A well regulated Milita, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the PEOPLE (emphasis added) to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

When you ban some guns, you are infringing on the right to keep and bear arms. The peoples right to keep and bear arms is what is necessary to keep people free. Now I am well aware that the weapons citizens possess does not equate to what the military has, but without an armed populace, any country is easily overrun. Think Poland during WWII. Try that same strategy in Texas Mr. Hitler, see what happens. Not only armed soldiers, but every country boy in the state with a deer rifle taking shots at ya.

Guns exist. You cannot make them not exist. Since the bad guys have them, the good folks definately need them to keep the bad guys at bay. This has been recognized since at least the 1770's in this country. And reading letters and articles written by the constitutional framers written contemporaneously makes it clear that they intended an armed populace to keep our gov't in check as well as foreign gov'ts in check.

Sadly the constitution has eroded over the years and the federal government, mostly through misuse of the commerce clause, has expanded to the point that it may be nigh unto impossible for even an armed populace to keep our gov't in check. As George Carlin says, "the military has all the flame throwers, I'd say if we have to go up against the military, we are jolly well ________" (Insert your own verbage as age and predeliction allows)

B.

[Kowalski]

Originally Posted by Darkdale

There is a difference between being an a$$ and a smarta$$ lol You are coming close to crossing that line.

Oh. of course, you don't shoot each other in the States, you all keep guns for fun and target shooting, yes ?

Cheers

K

[Darkdale]

Originally Posted by Faminedynasty

That is an interesting perspective Martha, but I disagree that guns fundamentally have the ability to corrupt. If people had a little bit of empathy, morality and responsibility they could all be armed to the teeth and would still be more peaceful than they are now. And until people do have these qualities they are still going to harm one another. I, like you, am glad to be who I am, glad to have compassion and forgiveness in my heart. But firing a gun never aroused hatred in my heart. If anything, it is a release of negative emotions that leaves me feeling relaxed. Firing guns, feeling their power in my hand just makes the thought of using it to harm someone that much more appaling.

I agree. I know lots of good folk that own firearms that are far less dangerous and more moral than a lot of folk that don't. Owning a firearm should be a matter of responsibility and I'm all for the government making damn sure that everyone that owns a gun has been educated and indoctrinated with a responsible gun care attitude. I think we should have to take classes before we can become eligable to buy a gun. But there is nothing corrupting about weapons. That kind of attitude is simply indicative of the "I want to ban guns because I don't like the people that like guns" persuasion.

[Kowalski]

I'm for all citzens owning an M16, or AK47, assorted handguns and unlimted ammo, after all it's only a matter of resposibility and training.

Cheers
K