Gun Control

The Constitution

I do find it kind of neat that the US is the only country in the world, where people can just more or less freely buy and sell guns. Since I don't use guns myself, this is to me a kind of academic, intellectual curiosity.

Besides personal defense, the most often quoted reason to keep gun ownership legal, is hunting. But since I am not a hunter, from a purely selfish point of view, I feel like we would all probably be better off without guns.

Playing with guns is kind of like drinking. It is fun. But it serves no useful purpose, and it can be really dangerous to others when done irresponsibly.

I personally care more about the right to have a drink when and how I want to, than about the right to hunt. Yet, I have to accept that my right to have a drink is being severely curtailed by safety considerations (drunk driving).

One could argue that drunk drivers are irresponsible and do not represent the norm. But nobody buys that argument nowadays. But when gun control laws are proposed because criminals abuse guns, gun proponents claim that those are exceptions.

Responsible drinkers have to deal with MADD. It is only a matter of time before responsible hunters will have to deal with MAGA.

Maybe we need a "Mothers against Gun Abuse" (MAGA). It is only a matter of time.

It is strange how this is the only constitutional right that has been consistently upheld, although many, many people were killed by guns. Although I feel no particular like or dislike for the organization, I have to admire the National Rifle Association (NRA) for their effectiveness.

This seems to imply to me that Constitutional rights are not something people are automatically granted, but something they have to consistently defend. If enough people want a Constitutional right badly enough, it will be respected. If not, it will simply be forgotten.

I once bought a roll of cotton string. It carried the warning "not intended to hold heavy objects, may cause serious injury or death". But guns carry no warnings. They could say: "Intended for protection only. Can cause serious injury or death...". Not that I believe that would make much sense, but neither does it make sense for a piece of string.

Packs of cigarettes carry warnings. But that has not protected the cigarette industry from liability.

For ideological reasons, I am willing to accept guns (freedom is always better than overlegislation). But honestly, it makes no sense.

18, 000 killed by drunk driving per year. Search how many killed by guns. Gun lovers. Trend: get used to the idea of kissing your right goodbye. Personally, I don't care too much. I don't like guns, I don't use guns and I am not a hunter. As far as I am concerned, guns are macho and dangerous. On the other hand, I am perfectly willing to accept people who do like guns. And for ideological reasons, I am for the freedom of owning guns. But the inevitable is there. Gun laws will be more and more restrictive. Even if the constitution allows guns, some people will find ways to restrict that right. It will probably happen just like with smoking.

• Gun manufacturers being sued
• more and more restrictions
• more and more red tape
• more and more safety devices bad news for gun lovers: cigarette deal

I find it strange that of all the rights Americans are losing, the right to use guns seem to be the only one they care about.

There is something kind of romantic about guns.

Shooting guns is kind of like drunk driving. It is fun, but serves no purpose and can be dangerous.

From a freedom point of view, I would advocate gun ownership. But at the same time, I have to admit that in a society that is obsessed with safety and family values, guns are a kind of anachronism. Besides, I have never had any interest in owning a gun myself.

Guns may be OK for entertainment purposes. To prevent crime, they are not effective. More people die of accidents than are saved.

It is kind of hard to imagine how people are allowed to have guns, while they are not even allowed to decide for themselves whether to gamble, go to a strip joint or smoke a cigarette.

Guns are an interesing part of American history. The fact that they could be purchased and used so easily for so long, is quite unique in the world. Unfortunately, even that will soon become a bygone era.

Guns were an interesting piece of American history, but soon they will belong to a by-gone era.

It was interesting while it lasted, but it is about to be over fairly soon.

Guns convey an illusion of power, and therefore may easily appeal to people who do not feel like they have a lot of power otherwise.

The love of guns has a very strong sexual component. It has to do with virility.

Owning guns makes no sense to me. It is just a macho leftover from old times, when those things did serve some practical purpose. However, I am not in favor of banning or regulating guns too much. I like the idea of freedom. It is not because I don't like guns, that I should prevent others from having them.