The Colorado thing and FaceBook

[JetGirl]

In well over half a dozen years worth of birthdays, bonfires, weddings, funerals, Thanksgivings, Christmases, etc., I have never been to one single function unarmed. Ever. My family knows this. I've never heard anything but encouraging/positive remarks about it... in fact, some want to go shooting with me.

However...

This event in Colorado is really defining lines of the "pro/anti" crowd and I'd have never guessed in a kazillion years that it would be in *my* family.
In fact, I'd have put money on "not one person in my circle would ever say 'guns gotta go'!"... but... well here's the conversation;


OP/ My family member [status]: i hate guns.

Annie; My safe still has too many empty spots...I'll take your share! I'm there for ya!

Aunt of OP/(& my cousin): I hate that some people misuse them!

Sister of OP: Amen sister!

Sister-in-Law of OP; ditto!

Annie; Spot on, [Aunt of OP/my Cousin]. A gun is an inanimate object, like a car. A car isn't bad, it's the nut behind the wheel! Ted Kennedy's car killed more people than all my guns. Blame the operator, not the tool!

OP: yeah, but if they just weren't available we'd have FAR less problems.

Sister of OP: I love lamp!

Annie: Disarming the citizenry makes for a tyrannical government. I'd rather stay a citizen than become a subject. I'm sure places like England are lovely and all...but even their people cry out for their ability to protect themselves back. If someone really intends to do harm...they don't need a gun.

OP; My post doesn't have anything to do with the government or politics, I just don't like violence and to me that's what guns represent. It was just a thought running through my head as I watched story after story on the news that had to do with people that are now dead as a result of a gun. Simple as that. I just hate em!

Annie: You can't really discuss anything related to gun control without politics/government coming up. It is a political issue...dealt with by politicians. The 2nd Amendment is written into a political document. Kind of inseparable... and (just like FaceBook or other social networks), you'll find people ready to toss the Bill of Rights away, and people on the other end of the spectrum vehemently protecting them... and not really too many in the middle.

Some non-family Dude; Who would've guessed the person violently and relentlessly assaulting your Facebook post and foaming at the mouth to politicize a tragedy would be a gun-obsessed conspiracy theorist.
Oh wait. Everyone would've guessed that.

Annie: I never foam at the mouth unless I'm brushing my teeth and I'm hardly a gun-obsessed conspiracy theorist "assaulting" anything. But thanks for lumping me in there. As far as that story in the news, the fact is all the Law Abiding people heeded the "no firearms" sign (theater policy). The nutter didn't...as nutters are wont to do.



Yeah, that's gonna be my last interaction there.
I *think* I stated what was in my head fairly well. Although, I'm my own worst critic.
I think I'll take a break from family facebooking and just read friend updates.

 

[JetGirl]

And by the way, I have no idea who that dude is. Never heard the name, never seen the face. I have no idea why he said, "gun-obsessed conspiracy theorist"... he knows nothing about me and we have never interacted.

 

[hopper68]

I keep hearing about car wrecks on the news. People get injured, even killed. Maybe we should ban them too.
We all have some liberal relatives that spout stupid stuff from time to time.

 

[sepe]

I won't add quite a few of my family members, even ones that I get along with. There are some I get along with perfectly fine and respect but I can't stand when they start in on certain things. I've had to delete some family because they state extremely ignorant opinions as facts and got upset when presented with the actual facts regarding the topic. There are plenty of people somewhere in the family that I wouldn't be related to if I had the choice.

 

[Double T]

I was removed by two family members over this yesterday after pointing out that I play violent video games, listen to all types of music, watch violent movies, and watch the news...and myself and millions of others didn't shoot anyone yesterday.

They called for censorship on violence, we already have "rated R/M for mature" ratings, and if someone cannot handle it to stay away.

I asked at what point should the government censor and filter. Guns, movies, music, the news, what type of car we drive, how long we work, pay, energy usage.

I also stated that allowing any form of censorship was a violation of free speech, and they couldn't handle it. They removed me.

Don't worry about it. They'll be the ones running to us when the SHTF...

 

[The Commissioner]

FaceBook makes my eyes hurt.

 

[netsecurity]

Women all over the world hate guns for one reason, and that is because they don't use them (I'm glad you are different, so is my sister BTW). Instead, they have men to fight their wars, police their streets or guard their homes. A gun is not a tool in their kit. Same goes for panzy boys, who just think security is for the police. They are perfectly willing to submit to violence, because they assume they can comply and escape relatively unharmed. We know this is total BS, and that lunatics murder or maim without reason all the time, rarely giving the victim any say in the matter.

I asked my wife what she would do if a criminal broke in the house at night while I was on a business trip?
I'd close the bedroom door and call police.
Good! I said, and now what if he is beating your bedroom door down saying he's going to kill you?
I'd just die...I guess.
Whoa, what? You mean you wouldn't pickup the gun sitting right there on my nightstand?
I don't know how to use it.
Why won't you learn?
I don't like guns.


You can't make people like guns, but you can ask them questions that will cause them to come to their own conclusions. Have you ever heard the saying, you should never tell a man he is wrong? Seriously, avoid telling people they are wrong, it just insults them and makes the debate personal, and you can't defeat their ego. My wife is hopefully taking a course soon, but I will never expect her to like guns. Everyone needs to read in every newspaper and news station that ONE LEGAL GUN CARRIER COULD HAVE REPELLED THE AURORA GUNMAN.

 

[cobber]

I hate--well, I'm very angry with--two of my guns that are with the 'smith currently.

Hope that doesn't make me a pansy-boy?

 

[JetGirl]

The thing is... three of the people in that short convo are the ones who have oft made "that's awesome" comments about everything from pictures of guns I've bought to invitations to shoot them. The OP, in particular, idolized her grandpa...the same grandpa who was a vet very much into the preservation of the 2nd Amendment, carried everywhere he went.
I guess the bottom line here is that I expected this from a lot of people...but just not them. Honestly, out of the whole 40 people on my friend list (of which 23 are family that I see often) I didn't think I'd see any "gunz r badd" posts like a lot of people have said about their own FB pages. It's not like I have 300+ friends that I've never met...

 

[BurninBrass]

There is always the kneejerk reaction of the less-informed after the types of tragedies that have taken place in the last few weeks. It is the common thought process that is flawed. Nutjob on a shooting rampage, blame the guns and ban them. Crazy drunkdriver kills innocent people, blame the car and revoke the license. Terrorists set off a bomb, blame the explosives and restrist purchase of ingredients. The truth is that the PERSON whos actions hurt others is to blame. The weapon is only the tool of choice.

A firearm cannot load itself and pull it's own trigger.

 

[Hoosierdood]

After I posted a picture on my Facebook about gun owners being able to shoot back, I got these comments from the same friend who lives in Australia:

(Friend)- I truly cannot believe what I am reading! When 9/11 occurred - a horrific tragedy - what happened? FAA tightened down security on everything - to get a licence to fly was made much more difficult for everyone, and rightfully so. Almost 3000 people died...and life changed for everyone around the world. In 2009, 11,493 people were murdered in the same country with guns, and what was done? Nothing. Patrick Henry wanted to arm the people against the British redcoats over 200 YEARS AGO.... What about the right to live - shouldn't that be protected more than anything?

(Same friend)I live in a country WITH gun control laws, and I hold a licence for a wide variety of rifles and shotguns. I own a beautiful hunting rifle and my sons and I go shooting, but in Australia we believe that owning a gun is a privilege not a right...and THAT is the truth. You can't drive a car in the States or in Australia without a licence and registration...so why cannot the same apply the guns? I read the absolute rubbish published about Australia's gun control laws - most of which has been written by people who have never lived here, but when the massacre occurred over here and we decided that enough was enough and gun control laws were brought in...guess what, despite what people think, we can still own guns. We can still hunt. We can still target shoot. It is still all there, we are just expected to have responsible behaviour and we cannot own fully automatic assault rifles....whose only purpose is to kill people. Every five years I have to renew my licence and I have to keep my weapons in a safe...and I like that. It is behaving responsibly.

(My reply) apparently we are going to have to agree to disagree. Coming from different cultures and backgrounds, I don't expect for you to understand how much we as Americans value our rights, and will do whatever is necessary to preserve them. I would also question whether Australia's restrictions on firearms considerably lessened the amount of crime (not just murder)? The basic nature of men has not changed, and with or without guns, a few will still find a way to terrorize and murder. I personally find it despicable that when this type of tragedy happens, we attempt to punish those who did not do it, nor would they ever consider it. I can't speak for Australia, but in America, crime is statistically lower in areas where lawful gun ownership is higher.

(his reply)The gun control laws DID lessen the crime rate and also lessened the suicide rate. As you know I spend a lot of time in the States and I am married to an American. And you are right...I do not understand how you can say that you value your rights when if you drive a car in America in a reckless manner, you can end up in jail. If you drive inappropriately, you can lose your license and not be allowed to drive...why? Because you could kill someone. Yet someone can be discharged from a mental hospital and go and buy a weapon over the counter...because it is his right. How many people have to die before enough is enough. I am not against owning guns! I love shooting - especially skeet shooting. I have shot thousands of rounds of ammunition in the last 12 months alone...but it is wrong...flat out wrong...to make assault weapons available to the public. When the 2nd Amendment was written, it was in the time of muskets when there was a war on...but we have taken that amendment to an extent where it is our right to own a weapon solely designed for killing people regardless of our mental capacity or our criminal background. Again, I am not against guns and I am not advocating the removal of weapons from homes...I advocating responsible ownership and checks and balances where sane and safe people own guns so that the public can go to a school or go to a cinema without getting blown away by an idiot who should never have owned a gun in the first place...ever. Again I ask...I realise you value the right to bear arms...but what about the right to live? No one gets punished by properly implemented gun control laws - unless you have your private stash of automatic weapons to start your own war...but then again if we are serious about using them to protect the nation from invasion, we are in a nuclear age now and if you or us ever get invaded, I don't think we will even see what hits us anymore...so seriously? I can't see why the wild west days must continue now.

(More of his reply)And speaking of lessening the amount of crime...I'd rather be robbed than dead...so even if the crime rate didn't lessen, it is still a better outcome. I think you would find very few people who would rather be dead than a live victim of crime. A lot of the arguments out there, especially against Australia's policies, are not truly logical...the primary purpose of the gun control laws were not to lessen the crime rate, but to save lives. The byproduct has been that the crime rate, especially in crimes 'of the moment', have been lessened. But even had the crime rate increased, if people's lives were saved, then how do you put a cost on that? We are not talking 'rates' here, we are talking about real people's lives.

 

[JetGirl]

HD, I wonder what your friend deems "assault" vs his "hunting" rifle.

 

[jmiller676]

The 9/11 happened because nobody could rightfully protect themselves on the planes, Right to live should be protected above all which is why carrying guns is allowed in America (most places), Tell him "assault" is an action not an object, The first gun ever created was to kill people and I will shoot (possibly kill) someone to preserve my life and the life of my familys, On the 4473 question 11 f. needs to be answered "No" or you cannot buy a firearm. (There goes the mental institution argument).


And last but not least Australia can suck my Red, White, and Blue ****. **** you Australia.

 

[cobber]

After I posted a picture on my Facebook about gun owners being able to shoot back, I got these comments from the same friend who lives in Australia:

Tell them Australians wouldn't have been in Australia had the despotic regime in London not disarmed them and shipped them to the penal colony that later became their home sweet home (where they could then oppress the Aborigines, I'm sure they didn't use guns to do that).

 

[JetGirl]

Assault Weapon Defined

 

[dwickstrom]

If you shake a family tree some nuts are bound to fall out deal with this constantly with my mother in law and surprisingly as I found out my aunt

Had a history teacher in high school that I schooled on how the weapons ban and brady bill would not deter criminals from getting guns we debated the entire class over it and during the summer he eent to gun shows with me and bought his first gun.

 

[dwickstrom]

OP buy your family members a copy of John Lott's book more guns less crime

 

[serf]

And by the way, I have no idea who that dude is. Never heard the name, never seen the face. I have no idea why he said, "gun-obsessed conspiracy theorist"... he knows nothing about me and we have never interacted.

I have my fair share of liberal friends. They usually post wacky stuff they find 2-3 times a day... which i just ignore for the most part. However most the time i post something they dont agree with they cant help but open their mouth. Usually reminds me of the "light traveling faster than sound" joke.

 

[jeremy]

After I posted a picture on my Facebook about gun owners being able to shoot back, I got these comments from the same friend who lives in Australia:

Your friend is a Fudd...
Not to mention just by reading his comments to you I can tell you he has a pretty secure financial situation...

 

[tv1217]

We all have dumb folks in our families, mine are just stupid about other things, thankfully.