Friends & family,
Today, I had the chance to “vent” to an old acquaintance who supports gun control. Below is some of what she wrote in an email to me and following that is my reply.
JF Ranch
********************************
...My very good friend died because a student shot her with his dad's police revolver. I guess we will have to agree to disagree about gun control.
Take care.
Lynne
Lynne,
I know there is strong disagreement over many issues, with gun control being a hot topic right now. The gun control side is fueled by emotion, particularly with the recent tragedy in Connecticut. If the facts are considered with common sense and logic, it would be clear to most that regulating, banning or otherwise restricting my rights under the Constitution to own and use guns will not make anyone safer. Unfortunately for those of us who are responsible with our guns, we are on a fast track to restrict these rights, before the emotion of the moment subsides.
Clearly, it is the criminally minded or mentally ill who are the problem, not the firearm. If certain weapons are restricted, only those of us who are responsible will suffer. Crooks or Kooks will get them anytime they want them. Heck, I could make one if I want to. Unfortunately nothing can stop a Kook from doing stupid things. If guns were somehow wished away, there is always the knife, hammer or fist that can be misused as a weapon to kill.
There is plenty of reason to believe that if more responsible people had conceal carry, gun crime would diminish. It makes sense that if a crook is not sure who on the street is armed, he will be more careful. In fact if he knows folks are unarmed in restricted areas, there is no reason for him to be careful.
A firearm is a great equalizer for an undersized woman. If all women were trained to carry and use a gun, we would see more wounded or dead rapists and less rapes.
I’m sorry that your good friend was killed but it was the fault of an idiot, not the gun. I happen to know and have relatives who have died in traffic accidents. Would banning certain automobiles prevent traffic deaths?
Purely on the side of self defense, I might be persuaded to give up my gun if I could be assured that no one else I might meet will have one. That will never happen. As I mentioned, a weapon is easy to make.
The argument will go on & on but you cannot say that disarming responsible folks will prevent the mentally disturbed from doing their evil deeds. Unfortunately, I think we in this country like to “feel good" about doing something/anything to solve problems, even when the results don’t necessarily make good sense.
This country became great because of our Constitution and countless millions of people around the world have come to thrive here, because of the freedoms it ensures. How many more of these freedoms are you willing to give up?
Please notice that I’ve used the words “logic”, “common sense” and “good sense” in what I’ve offered here. I think if we are not driven by pure emotion, we will be much better off.
Sorry for the rant, but you got me started!
JF Ranch
Today, I had the chance to “vent” to an old acquaintance who supports gun control. Below is some of what she wrote in an email to me and following that is my reply.
JF Ranch
********************************
...My very good friend died because a student shot her with his dad's police revolver. I guess we will have to agree to disagree about gun control.
Take care.
Lynne
Lynne,
I know there is strong disagreement over many issues, with gun control being a hot topic right now. The gun control side is fueled by emotion, particularly with the recent tragedy in Connecticut. If the facts are considered with common sense and logic, it would be clear to most that regulating, banning or otherwise restricting my rights under the Constitution to own and use guns will not make anyone safer. Unfortunately for those of us who are responsible with our guns, we are on a fast track to restrict these rights, before the emotion of the moment subsides.
Clearly, it is the criminally minded or mentally ill who are the problem, not the firearm. If certain weapons are restricted, only those of us who are responsible will suffer. Crooks or Kooks will get them anytime they want them. Heck, I could make one if I want to. Unfortunately nothing can stop a Kook from doing stupid things. If guns were somehow wished away, there is always the knife, hammer or fist that can be misused as a weapon to kill.
There is plenty of reason to believe that if more responsible people had conceal carry, gun crime would diminish. It makes sense that if a crook is not sure who on the street is armed, he will be more careful. In fact if he knows folks are unarmed in restricted areas, there is no reason for him to be careful.
A firearm is a great equalizer for an undersized woman. If all women were trained to carry and use a gun, we would see more wounded or dead rapists and less rapes.
I’m sorry that your good friend was killed but it was the fault of an idiot, not the gun. I happen to know and have relatives who have died in traffic accidents. Would banning certain automobiles prevent traffic deaths?
Purely on the side of self defense, I might be persuaded to give up my gun if I could be assured that no one else I might meet will have one. That will never happen. As I mentioned, a weapon is easy to make.
The argument will go on & on but you cannot say that disarming responsible folks will prevent the mentally disturbed from doing their evil deeds. Unfortunately, I think we in this country like to “feel good" about doing something/anything to solve problems, even when the results don’t necessarily make good sense.
This country became great because of our Constitution and countless millions of people around the world have come to thrive here, because of the freedoms it ensures. How many more of these freedoms are you willing to give up?
Please notice that I’ve used the words “logic”, “common sense” and “good sense” in what I’ve offered here. I think if we are not driven by pure emotion, we will be much better off.
Sorry for the rant, but you got me started!
JF Ranch