I know this won’t sway any of the gun lovers, but this is, by far, the best argument I’ve read for why assault rifles shouldn’t be available to just anyone. Look past the occasional dirty word; just focus on the big picture. This is the most important issue our country faces right now. Ask any student.
Edited to add: I can’t thank you all enough for interacting with this post. I am actually surprised that it’s become this popular. This is the first time more than ten people have read anything I’ve written here. I’m probably going to turn off commenting soon because everything that can be said already has been. In general, I’d like to point out that this is an opinion piece. I wrote it on a 15 minute coffee break and posted it unedited. It’s raw, and that’s the whole point. The tone, the language, and the style are intentional. This was written for people like my mostly conservative Army buddies who will never click an article that is titled “Gun control is your friend”, and tend to assume those who support such legislation have never seen a gun before. I’m not a professional writer, nor a particularly prolific blogger until about three…
View original post 1,788 more words
just drive, will you? 
I responded to this post, its an interesting read. Good to hear the other point of view, but I have to say this:
There are simply too many points to refute here so I’m not even going to try to cover all of them. Instead let’s focus on two:
Firstly this paragraph:
“I can’t drive a Formula One car to work. It would be really cool to be able to do that, and I could probably cut my commute time by a lot. Hey, I’m a good driver, a responsible Formula One owner. You shouldn’t be scared to be on the freeway next to me as I zip around you at 140 MPH, leaving your Mazda in a cloud of dust! Why are you scared? Cars don’t kill people. People kill people. Doesn’t this sound like bullshit? It is bullshit, and everybody knows. Not one person I know would argue non-ironically that Formula One cars on the freeway are a good idea.”
Yes you CAN drive an F-1 to work if you want. Go buy one. Get it licensed and insured and you absolutely can. If insurance companies refuse to insure it that is their choice but the fact comes down to this: There is no law that expressly prohibits you from driving a race-style car on the road so long as it is properly equipped and follows the standard guidelines applicable to all road-going vehicles.
Now if you CHOOSE to drive 140, so be it. But do not be surprised when you are punished for stupid behavior just as any criminal will be rightfully punished in accordance with the severity of the crime. And no, cars don’t kill people. I just went out and stood in front of my 6000 lbs pickup. I cussed it. I flipped it off. I even kicked the bumper and you know what? The only thing it did was surprise me when the alarm went off. I’m still here.
People in cars driving STUPIDLY or making HUMAN MISTAKES kill people.
Second point and the last one I’m going to waste my time on:
“But we’re supposed to protect against tyranny! I need the same weapons the military would come at me with!” Dude. You know where I can get an Apache helicopter and a Paladin?! Hook a girl up! Seriously, though, do you really think you’d be able to hold off the government with an individual level weapon? Because you wouldn’t. One grenade, and you’re toast. Don’t have these illusions of standing up to the government, and needing military style rifles for that purpose. You’re not going to stand up to the government with this thing. They’d take you out in about half a second.”
Bullshit. Guerrilla warfare has successfully held off the greatest military powers on the planet more than a few times. Sure helicopters and grenades are an advantage a government would have, but do you sincerely think that in the event of a revolution in the future a government military force of approximately 1.4 million would actually be able to successfully combat a US population of 300+ million? Of course many of the US population wouldn’t fight. Of course many are children. Of course the weapons used may be a smidgen less powerful. Equally however how many military members would defect if told to turn on their countrymen? Despite this, armed militia would vastly outnumber military.
The second amendment is in place for one reason and one reason only: To protect and ensure the security of a free state. This includes protection from the tyranny of government and any other threats(be it foreign or domestic.) Before you roll your eyes and tell yourself it could never happen here, look back at history. EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY IN HISTORY has at SOME POINT had to revolt and rebel against its own government at some point in time. If you think the USA is anything special, that our republic style government protects us or we are too civilized you are fooling yourself. How is it Jewish people were marched into concentration camps in Nazi Germany? How did Stalin killed 20 million of HIS PEOPLE?
Also; did it ever occur to you that the reason for the lower percentage of shootings on army bases (if this is true, I’ve not fact checked it) could POSSIBLY be because any shooter knows he will be actively shot back at? The people there are registered, known, and disciplined. On top of that, well armed and trained in the use of said arms.
Final note: If the Constitution’s amendments are malleable then…..you undo your own point. A right to keep and bear arms can be bent either way, for more or less freedoms. However if you read the Constitution with a legal dictionary beside you’ll find it is NOT malleable. It applies concretely.
Besides….if you are able to limit my ability to have an assault rifle as a responsible citizen because it is unnecessary or “unforeseen by the founding fathers” as many claim….I guess we should just shoot the internet down because God KNOWS they didn’t see it coming. Free speech shouldn’t apply here right?
Stop with the endless double-standards……
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the feedback. Dialogue like this is what needs to happen more often if anything is going to get done.
LikeLike