What Made you Smile/What Ticked you off Today?

[dsheinem]

Ticked: A friend said I "helped" kill 20 kids because I myself own handguns. And according to him anyone who owns a gun is partly responsible for the massacre.

that reminds me of one of my friend's reactions to this article which was to say that "those who defend the right to bear arms are complicit in the massacre of children" --

I have a lot of love for my friend, I generally like the New Yorker, and I usually find myself sympathetic to most liberal causes (inluding stricter gun regulations)...but idiots like this writer and comments by folks like my friend and your friend make gun control advocates look like some crazy-activist archetype of "ban all guns"/guns have no value"/"melt tem all down" that leads to the end of needed conversations, not the start of them.

Yes, we have a gun problem. No, the wholesale banning of all guns will not stop it and not everyone who defends a right to bear arms also defends the right of everyone and anyone to own any gun.

I'm curious for our non-American members: do you live in a country where you feel there are reasonable gun laws that would still permit you to purchase one for sport/protection?

[alienjesus]

I'm curious for our non-American members: do you live in a country where you feel there are reasonable gun laws that would still permit you to purchase one for sport/protection?

For sport? Yes. For protection? No. And I honestly don't have any issue with that. Gun crime rates in the UK are such a lot lower than the US it's pretty crazy. I personally feel that the benefits outweigh the downsides.

Honestly, I'm not sure you'd find many people outside of the US who feel that the US's approach to gun ownership is preferable. I've personally pretty much avoided the 'gun thread' here on Racketboy because I've long since learned that many Americans don't want to hear it if you think there should be stricter gun control.

[dsheinem]

I'm curious for our non-American members: do you live in a country where you feel there are reasonable gun laws that would still permit you to purchase one for sport/protection?

For sport? Yes. For protection? No. And I honestly don't have any issue with that. Gun crime rates in the UK are such a lot lower than the US it's pretty crazy. I personally feel that the benefits outweigh the downsides.

Honestly, I'm not sure you'd find many people outside of the US who feel that the US's approach to gun ownership is preferable.

So you can't AT ALL purchase a gun for protection in the UK?

[alienjesus]

I'm curious for our non-American members: do you live in a country where you feel there are reasonable gun laws that would still permit you to purchase one for sport/protection?

For sport? Yes. For protection? No. And I honestly don't have any issue with that. Gun crime rates in the UK are such a lot lower than the US it's pretty crazy. I personally feel that the benefits outweigh the downsides.

Honestly, I'm not sure you'd find many people outside of the US who feel that the US's approach to gun ownership is preferable.

So you can't AT ALL purchase a gun for protection in the UK?

Pretty sure owning a gun for self defence is illegal. UK police officers are also not armed with firearms, and only a limited number are trained in their use, for exceptional circumstances. The number of shootings per population in the UK is one of the lowest in the world, there has been very few mass shootings of the likes that seem to be so often sadly reported from the US, and very few police officers have been the victim of a shooting, even though they are unarmed and deal with criminal elements.

Actually, a high proportion of firearm offences in the UK involve air rifles and other similar weapons from what I've heard. I know for a fact that I haven't seen a real gun in person in the UK in my entire life, but when I visited the USA, there was an entire rack of them in the first Walmart I visited. It was kinda surreal.

[BoringSupreez]

Actually, a high proportion of firearm offences in the UK involve air rifles and other similar weapons from what I've heard. I know for a fact that I haven't seen a real gun in person in the UK in my entire life, but when I visited the USA, there was an entire rack of them in the first Walmart I visited. It was kinda surreal.

People are allowed to ask to hold them too, so some nights I've got one or two customers aiming down the sights in front of the sporting goods counter. Quite a different philosophy you guys in the UK have.

[Erik_Twice]

Legislation in Spain is similar to the UK. You can't own weapons for personal defense unless you have been under very serious threats like terrorism or other small exceptions like jewelers and people who sell firearms themselves.

Owning weapons for sports and hunting is allowed but you have to be federated. There have been no issues on this topic.

Assault weapons, grenades, baton-guns, automatic knives, hidden knives, and all other weapons of the kind are banned for obvious reasons.

Laws are also pretty harsh on showing your gun around, which is considered grave intimidation and firing them outside of sport enviroments is also frowned upon. Sports and hunting are exceptions and the idea of having a gun outside of that enviroment is as alien as having nitric acid in your bedroom.


You can't own many guns, at least compared to the US. Getting weapons if you are bad on the head is impossible as far as I'm aware.

There has never been a gun massacre in Spain that I'm aware of. Terrorists and other criminals seem to need to dedicate a good chunk of their resources to obtain weapons without raising suspicion and gun-related crime is low compared to other countries, it's probably not worth it. In fact, only the Eastern European gangs seem to rely on weapons and they are known for being very dangerous even if they don't have any.

The average criminal won't use weapons, they will simply smash the counter with a car and run with as many phones or jewels as they can in less than a minute. If someone is related in a gun-crime he's probably a very dangerous criminal, not the average drug addicted felon.


The thing is...I don't think you realize how much of a gun culture you have, which is baffling for anyone else in the world. Teling people you have a gun is considered creepy around here and showing them one will make everyone jump in their seats and excuse themselves to never come back again. To us, selling rifles at supermarkets is aking to selling dynamite and rocket launchers in a sense.

[BoringSupreez]

I think a hearty F*** Yeah! 'Mericuh! is in order.

Really though. I'm glad we're the sort of country where we can buy guns and oranges at the same time with no hassle. People around here (at least where I live) realize that guns are like cars or knives. They can be very dangerous, but used properly there's nothing to fear.

[dsheinem]

I think a hearty F*** Yeah! 'Mericuh! is in order.

Really though. I'm glad we're the sort of country where we can buy guns and oranges at the same time with no hassle. People around here (at least where I live) realize that guns are like cars or knives. They can be very dangerous, but used properly there's nothing to fear.

they aren't like cars or knives though. with cars you risk hurting yourself if using it to attack, and with a knife you have to get close and use physical force. neither is true with a gun.

That said I believe people should be able to own a handgun for sport or protection, but let's not equate them with vehicles, utensils, or produce. That's part of "'Mericuh's" problem...

[Luke]

Well, apparently I just don't get it because, "Whether for sport or for target practice it doesn't matter. At the end of day all the gun maintenance, cleaning, and shooting, the real reason you own a gun is the perversion of you being happy that you hold a killing machine".

There is no rationalizing with him at this point. If you own a gun it is not for fun or protection, it's because you fantasize about murder and that's the only reason people love shooting clay ducks or the biathlon.

[MrPopo]

Well, apparently I just don't get it because, "Whether for sport or for target practice it doesn't matter. At the end of day all the gun maintenance, cleaning, and shooting, the real reason you own a gun is the perversion of you being happy that you hold a killing machine".

There is no rationalizing with him at this point. If you own a gun it is not for fun or protection, it's because you fantasize about murder and that's the only reason people love shooting clay ducks or the biathlon.

He says that like he doesn't fantasize about murder without a gun. Everyone fantasizes about murder at some point or another.