Posted on 06/09/2022 7:44:09 PM PDT by DoodleBob
The terms of the gun debate have been set so firmly and for so long that any attempt to venture past the slogans employed by the respective sides is typically met with derision.
I suspect that, for many, there is very little thinking about this topic anymore; what is called argument is really just posturing or strategizing. Where there are no genuine questions being asked, there is no thinking.
The participants in the debate come largely from two camps: on one side there are the gun enthusiasts for whom guns are an expression of identity and who therefore regard any attempt to regulate guns as a personal attack; on the other side are the gun despisers who have never owned or fired a gun, live largely outside the gun culture, and who see guns only as a threat.
But there are many Americans — perhaps a quiet majority — who do not fit neatly into either camp. These are people for whom guns are tools, not symbols; they use them for hunting, shooting sports, self-defense or work. They are concerned about gun violence and dislike the aggressive posturing of certain gun enthusiasts. At the same time, they are skeptical about many of the proposals put forth by gun control advocates and tend to be wary of government overreach.
Their voices are often left out of the media representation of the gun debates. Moreover, they are reluctant to enter into those debates because they tend to be misinterpreted by both sides.
I decided to reach out to some of these people to see what they had to say. I contacted a dozen people who own several guns (most own more than 10). I wanted to hear from people who are comfortable around guns and shoot them regularly. All of them are longtime hunters.
I asked them a simple, open-ended question: Are there any gun restrictions you would find acceptable?
It surprised me to find that most had been thinking about this issue for some time but had rarely been asked for their opinions. They wanted to know if I would use their names. They were willing to share their views but were worried about repercussions from extremists.
“Oh, boy. I have to be careful,” is the first thing Tony said. He is a professional hunting guide and talked about the numerous close calls he has had with clients.
“As a guide I've had loaded guns with safeties off pointed directly at me numerous times by inexperienced hunters who claimed to have prior gun-handling experience. I believe having some sort of mandatory gun safety class prior to firearm purchase makes a lot of sense.”
Ray agreed: “Many states require gun safety classes for youth hunters and out-of-state hunting license purchases, but I think it’s even more important for people who purchase firearms and don’t hunt. Hunters quickly see and experience the lethal effects of a firearm when they are afield. Taking a life, any life, is a very serious event, even when hunting game.”
Most of the hunters I talked to think universal background checks should be implemented. Tom put it simply: “I have a problem with gun shows and private persons selling guns.” Keith added, “I have to wait every time I purchase a firearm from a dealer, and I am totally fine with that.”
Many favor eliminating high-capacity magazines. A few, like Chuck, even propose limiting the amount of ammunition a person can carry (outside of a gun range or private property): “Five rounds are adequate for self-defense and in line with the ethics of ‘fair chase’ while hunting.”
Several are in favor of raising the federal minimum age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21. “Being a teenager is just too damn chaotic these days,” Tony observed.
Some of them mentioned red flag laws, which would allow law enforcement to identify those who might be a threat to themselves or others and confiscate their weapons through a court order. Bill, who works for a large outdoors organization, is cautiously supportive: “I don't buy the argument that if you precipitated a mass shooting, you had to be mentally ill. Still, a red flag law might be of some value. If you have expressed yourself in a threatening way, the system might catch it and might take action to limit your access to firearms.”
What I found most interesting about the responses, however, were the feelings they expressed toward the most vocal participants on both sides of the debate.
They don’t like the exhibitionism of the gun extremists. Henry said, “I think the greatest threat to gun rights is overzealous enthusiasts using guns in a way that is offensive, like walking into a grocery store with an open-carry military-type assault rifle.”
They also worry that if the measures presently being considered do not stop all mass shootings and other gun violence, the gun control advocates will push for even more restrictions that violate the civil rights of law-abiding gun owners.
Greg said, “The problem is they can’t enforce the laws that are already on the books, and that’s just going to get harder if we pass more laws.”
There is often a deep irrationality to the public debate about guns that leaves reasonable voices on the sidelines. In private discussions, the tone and content of the debate can be altogether different. It’s time to encourage the quiet majority of gun owners to join the discussion.
That's typical ammo carry for hunters, good enough for deer, but what if you are in an urban area surrounded by 20 gang members? I'd sure want more that 5 rounds.
I hunt tyrants who might arise.
Agreed. This article is BS.
Hunting Huey, Duey, and Louie is not the reason for the 2nd.
Hunting politicians - those who want to take away my freedoms and right to protect those freedoms - is the reason for the 2nd.
OMG! You’re right. You’ve discovered the underground network of material thieving bloggers on the internet.
Wait ‘til everyone else sees this! Major revelation!!!
And the firing range at every military base opened up to civilians with weapons and ammo provided to the militia.
No where in the Second Amendment is hunting or sport shooting ever mentioned.. I’m a fud none of my weapons are included in the list of soon to be bann d weapons but one is an old worn out but still functional arisika type 99 short rifle.
Definitely a weapon of war that probably killed a bunch of allied troops.
The rest are a shotgun, rifle and a revolver. I don’t feel l the n the d for any other type weapon but I’ll defend the constitution that says very one eligible for military service and a clean record should be able to purchase one.
Yeah, not a bad idea.
Maybe states should handle that though. Keep the FedMob totally out of it.
Yes,
If you do not get the deer with 5 rounds, it is gone!
Basically all the hunted animals are a lot faster than humans and if shot at they will quickly depart.
Look, you can’t hunt with a cannon or an F-15 jack!
Gun safety should be ongoing classes in public schools from about grade 5 on up.
________
I would agree to a degree.
However gun safety is pretty simple to learn. Couple of hours should be sufficient.
As a matter of fact, the gun safety is getting across the people.
The number of gun accidents is going down constantly. Mostly because of NRA efforts.
Ranges have safety rules and force you to read them and sign.
Good hunting guide should repeat them every time he gets on the tour.
SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED
I can think of two reasons to have it repeated from year to year. One, many students would have no interest in guns and would forget it all pretty quickly.
Two, it brings the topic up lending even more familiarity to the subject. Familiarity with firearms decreases fear of them both in handling and in the event one has to face someone using them hostilely.
At least that was my experience growing up shooting compared to kids I knew who didn’t. I’ve read the same thing said by firearms instructors.
When we get rid of public schools we’ll have to restructure the whole program though.
LOL I stopped caring and I didn’t even try a search.
He’s discovered bloggers who steal and publish other people’s materials.
There’s dozens of them. On the internets.
The Second Amendment isn’t about hunting.
Dittoes. I don’t hunt. I have a rifle.
2A only applies to hunting during Despot and Tyrant seasons.
Sounds like 1968 all over again when the news media found a few old farmers willing to register their guns and tried to convince us this was the opinion of all gun owners.
The ranges where police train are funded by taxpayers and should be available to taxpayers.
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