A Reasonable Conversation About Guns?

Townhall.com ^ | December 7, 2015 | D.W. Wilber

[Kaslin]

While I am a proponent of gun rights for Americans I have never been opposed to there being a reasonable conversation between differing sides on this contentious issue. Unfortunately with our extremely polarized nation, not just on gun issues but on just about everything, a reasonable conversation isn't going to happen very soon.

If a Republican says "the sky is blue," a Democrat is more than likely going to argue that "the sky isn't blue, it's light blue." Our political parties simply cannot agree with each other on even the smallest, least controversial issue. To do so in their minds would be to concede some sort of political advantage it would seem.

Both sides of every issue just scream back and forth at each other that 'it's my way or the highway.' They are never able to agree on anything without threats and intimidation, and bringing government right up to the precipice before they work out some temporary fix that never really solves a problem, only pushes it farther down the road.

And I certainly am not interested in leaving something so important and monumental as "gun control" up to the career politicians in Washington, D.C. to make the decision for me as to what kind of, or how many firearms I may possess. With all the money and lobbyists out there politicians simply can't be trusted to do what's right for the American people.

Realistically the only thing that might reduce the number of deaths as a result of firearms would be a complete and total ban on gun ownership in America, requiring voluntary surrender of guns by all citizens, along with a robust confiscation effort by law enforcement. There's about as much of a chance of that happening as there is of getting a pot-head to give up his dope stash. And the war on drugs so far has been a dismal failure.

Which begs the question since the Mexican drug cartels easily and successfully smuggle tons of drugs into the United States annually, does anyone think they won't be able to just as easily smuggle tons of guns and ammunition across our porous southern border into the heart of America?  Chicago perhaps? As far as the Mexican cartels are concerned they could really care less about any carnage on the streets of America, it's all about the Benjamins to them.

But who is likely to be the primary customer of the Mexican cartels smuggled guns and ammo, the suburbanite who just wants a simple handgun to help him protect his family in a more and more dangerous world? The young woman who drives through a tough neighborhood to get to work and wants the means to keep the predators at bay? Or the gang banger who just wants to shoot up his neighborhood? I think we all know who the main customer would be.

Under Barack Obama and his Democrat allies 'perfect solution' Americans clearly might be disarmed, at least the law abiding ones anyway. But American inner cities certainly won't be pacified and will be just as dangerous as they are now.

Which by the way if you subtracted the gun violence statistics of American inner cities from the annual stats, the U.S. would fall somewhere around Iceland or Japan's annual gun homicide rate, which is near the bottom of the list of nations. It seems most gun violence occurs in America's inner cities, the overwhelming vast majority of which are governed by, you guessed it, Democrats. 

As for my solution to the problem of gun violence in America I think I'm more inclined to look at bringing back 'Marksmanship and Firearm Safety' to our school's curriculums, as they once were. Young people were taught to respect firearms, how to safely handle them, and to shoot competitively at targets, not to take pot-shots at their fellow man. 

Which also brings to mind the need for a return to more traditional character and morality building as a means of reducing gun violence in America. When young people are taught to respect other people's property and rights, along with respecting the gift of life itself, the chances of successfully reducing gun violence in America would be much better I think.

Unfortunately I think it's highly unlikely that the Democrats in Washington will go along with anything that smacks of "traditional values and morality" or common sense firearms education, since as progressives they are more interested in tearing down the character and soul of this nation, and "fundamentally transforming" it into something entirely unrecognizable to most Americans.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

If someone is too dangerous to own a gun, they should be behind bars.

Let’s face it, some people are convicted felons because they filled in a tiny pond on their own land. I would have no problem with those people owning firearms.

People convicted of non-violent crimes should have their constitutional rights restored.

[Flintlock]

Don’t be ridiculous.
Check ANY anthropological site—the vast majority of hominid remains succumbed to what we would call HOMICIDE.
‘Been killing each other for a looooooooooong time.

[grobdriver]

Young people were taught to respect firearms, how to safely handle them, and to shoot competitively at targets, not to take pot-shots at their fellow man.

This would help with the small number of accidental shootings (kids getting their hands on loaded weapons), but as for "not to take pot-shots at their fellow man", forget it.

That line was crossed long ago and is fixed in place by the Left's blatant disregard for life, beginning with unborn life.

That and the Left's approach to crime and punishment is the prime reason ghetto kids would just as soon shoot each other as play basketball together... with probably a nod towards first-person Doom gaming desensitizing them.

[RinaseaofDs]

If someone is on the no fly list for a good reason, deport them or lock them up. If they are on there for the wrong reasons, take them off the list.

That way you don’t have to even worry about who’s buying guns and who isn’t.

Were either of the jackholes who killed those people in SB on the no fly list?

If I were a college president, I’d call the NRA, set up gun safety and pepper spray safety classes and I’d get everybody armed up. I’ll bet the money I’d lose from the leftists would be more than made up by people who’s minds aren’t completely polluted past all hope of education in the first place.

I think your enrollment would go through the roof.

[Phlap]

If you live in the Land of the Free, and you are not armed, you should be. IMHO!

[showme_the_Glory]

We’re all Neanderthals now

mostly Chicago, St Louis, Baltimore, and the like. In Cali the sleeper cells are beginning to awake.

[Impy]

Gun grabbing is unconstitutional, there is nothing to discuss with those who refuse to except that.