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

[Scott1]

Great thread everyone.... I just want to add my two cents

Jewscout brought up a good point.... any firearms a civilian can own are no match against a corrupt US government should rebellion be necessary. I know that the Revolution showed what a dedicated Militia can do, but for someone who has seen what an M1 Tank can do.... guns are not a check against tryranny, the government would crush any and all resistance.

On a personal note.... I am happy to see that so many posters at least have respect/fear for what a firearm can do.... for someone like myself who has been on both sides of the gun, I'm glad no one here has glorified the main use for a gun: to kill another human being.

Peace,
Scott

[Jaymes]

Well, my dad needs guns to hunt. It's less cruel than arrows and a quicker death for the animal.

[martha]

There are some very good suggestions about the regulating of guns and I mean that. Although in a sarchastic vein,... Please be sure to tell the clandestine, under the counter arms dealers of your rules. I am sure they will fall in line immediately. It is not the people who are responsible, legal gun owners who create the havoc. It is the ones who buy guns under the table.It is the gangs, or the guy at the local bar or club, who can't get a legal gun license who asks another guy if he can help him out. 'Cmon people, lets face the facts. Where is the money going to come from to implement all of these new rules, or hire people to enforce them? Heck, we can't even pay people to be proper social workers to watch out for the safety of the children, we can't keep up with all the Welfare cheats, we can't even control the illegal drug traffic in this country. Does one really believe that some written rules and regulations will make a difference? Can you determine the disposition of a man when he comes in to apply for a gun permit. Do you know for certain that he is not a weekend binge drinker with an inferiority complex? Can you be sure that the woman who applies for her gun permit hasn't been abused all of her life, and putting a gun in her particular hands might end up in murder? I think not. There is no garantee, no written law is going to change human behavior. Man can be savage. But as I stated earlier, man will find a way to kill even without guns.

Alfred Nobel, the creator of the Nobel Peace Prize also created dynamite for the purpose of engineering and building. He, upon questioning whether he was concerned about the damage his invention might cause to humanity said, he believed that when man saw the awesome power dynamite and nitroglycerine had, would be so shocked, that it surely would become a deterrent to anyone using it for those purposes. He really believed it would be a deterrent! I'm sure that the scientist's who created the H bomb, and nuclear weapons, felt the same way ie: When people see the awesome destructive power of these weapons, they would never think of implementing them against humanity. History tells us otherwise!

I wish with all my heart that I did'nt have to sound so very negative about the subject. The fact is that we have guns now and will always have guns. Wishful thinking isn't going to change a bloody thing. Right thinking men and women will try to implement proper laws to govern the correct use and possession of guns, and rightly so.

Man has been killing man since the beginning of time, mostly because of greed. Greed for property, greed for supposed love, greed for control, greed for food, greed for money and posessions. Perhaps guns were useful for hunting at one time in history, to feed ones family. Even then greed took over, consider the poor buffalo, almost wiped out by man's greed and guns. If man wasn't so darned greedy there would be no need for war, or murder. Greed, not money is the root of all evil. IMHO

[angellous_evangellous]

Man has been killing man since the beginning of time, mostly because of greed. Greed for property, greed for supposed love, greed for control, greed for food, greed for money and posessions. Perhaps guns were useful for hunting at one time in history, to feed ones family. Even then greed took over, consider the poor buffalo, almost wiped out by man's greed and guns. If man wasn't so darned greedy there would be no need for war, or murder. Greed, not money is the root of all evil. IMHO

If you have not seen the first 20 minutes of 2001: A space Odessy, it has a very touching opening scene about the first pre-human murderers. It is quite wonderful.

[john313]

Originally Posted by Jensa

Well, my dad needs guns to hunt. It's less cruel than arrows and a quicker death for the animal.

Rambo used a knife to hunt.
he could become vegetarian/vegan, then he could just pick his food instead of hunt it. he could even dress up in camoflauge and sneak up on the cauliflower .

[The Black Whirlwind]

what about lightsabers...

[The Black Whirlwind]

yes, gun's are needed to protect ourselves from harm and, like others said, potentially from the government. gun's are so far the latest tech and should be utilized if need be.

[robtex]

Originally Posted by john313

Rambo used a knife to hunt.
he could become vegetarian/vegan, then he could just pick his food instead of hunt it. he could even dress up in camoflauge and sneak up on the cauliflower .

I know you were being funny but it does bring up a serious point. Knives takes skills and a high level of emtional committment to use when compared to a gun.

One has to know which knives can thrust cut, two edged versus single edge and the differences in using shorter blades versus longer ones. Suffice to say a drunk with load of problems on his shoulders is not going to make the "cut" so to speak to pull off a kniife fight.

In addition, the stabbing someone is much more personal ,or as it was once put to me intimate than shooting them. A person killing or injuring someone with a knife has to physicall touch them drive the blade into them, usually repeatly, and keep stabbing (to protect themselves) while watching the person die.

With a gun you have a mechanical device with a spring and a projectiile can be done with a lesser degree of personal interaction and thus requires quite a bit less emotional equipment.

Secondly, any person tall short, weak small old and young can pull a trigger meaning in comparision to other implements one can kill with it is a breeze.

If guns were restricted things like sticks, knives and such would very unlikely pick up the slack do to this and as such the gun is unique instrument for killing by being easy to use by comparision and lacking the emotional committement neccessary to have a lethal application done with its assistance.