Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Chris T.'s avatar

Love this line of thinking, which I hadn’t seriously considered but find very compelling. I’m going to reread later when I have more time to process. Only thing I take issue with is this idea of a “gun lobby.” There’s no gun lobby. The NRA is powerful because gun owners vote. And they will vote single-issue. Ask Tom Foley how the 1994 AWB went for him.

Expand full comment
Edward Hackett's avatar

You make an interesting case for our present gun control problem. As with much of the thoughts expressed by the right, they are totally out of touch with reality as it exists today. No group of citizens can stand up to any modern army, no matter how many AR-15s, etc., they may have. It is a myth from a bygone era. I understand the need for guns in hunting. Still, unless Bambie has gotten body armor and can shoot back, it is unnecessary to have semi or fully automatic weapons with 30-round mags to be a successful hunter. My father served with many "farm boys in the first world war." Almost all were excellent shots, and they all learned to shoot the same way. Dad taught them how to shoot and hunt, then they were three bullets and told to get dinner. Bullets were expensive, even if you were a re-loader. They all ate well and were fed by single-shot rifles. Since then, guns have become more accurate, and bullets are better made. Other than hunting a dangerous animal like a grizzly bear or a wolf, the need for these large magazines lies in the mind of the shooters. I have known hunters who went after black bears with magnum revolvers - 6 shots. They hunted in groups, and if the first hunter only wounded the animal, he had backup. They prided themselves on the accuracy of their shooting. Different parts of this country have different lifestyles, and I understand that many in the western areas grow up with guns and shooting. This is why my liberal associates are wrong in trying to pass laws that work for everyone and everywhere. I like the idea that a gun owner or the parent of a young adult who owns a gun is legally and financially liable if that weapon or weapons are used in an unauthorized manner. If we start heavily fining and incarcerating gun owners and those who should be responsible for the legal use of those weapons, we will see a drop in this gun madness. As the saying goes, the most sensitive organ in the human body is the wallet. Hit them where it hurts. It won't bring back anyone, but it will cut down on future shootings.

Expand full comment
20 more comments...

No posts