I wish I had posted before the argument moved to arguing about arguing. . .
The gunzos forget the part about responsible gun ownership. I don't think anyone (except those on the far left) is really talking about total outlawing of guns, but neither are people talking about what responsible means. I understand the scare tactics of the NRA, entertainment is more violent, but doesn't that statement also go against some of the other rhetoric that the "right" espouses, free enterprise and market demand? Why can we/they speak out against violence in the entertainment sphere but not in the real world.
After 9/11 (hope it's not too soon to invoke) George W. Bush (a president I was not fond of, but wouldn't go so far as to libel, or disparage on a personal level in a public sphere. . . nothing nice to say and all. . . but I do think he tried to make a positive impact on certain things that his party spent the past two cycles trying to demonize. . . Immigration reform to name one... You don't have to be a dick to be partisan. Also I am sorry for the long aside, but I just finished reading Shame by Salman Rushdie so. . . digression city) told people to go on about their lives "get down to Disney" shop. With what money though? A lot of spending was done on the credit card (or credit as a system of transaction). Now this same party wants to obstruct normal functions like debt ceiling talks (also up for negotiations, beyond this whole fiscal cliff jibber jabber), and call for de-funding programs, like subsidized after school aide and activities, that have been shown to help keep kids stabilized. All differing levels of irresponsibility.
. . . and as far as guns. . . let people have what they want (for the most part, and within reason), but regulate on a sliding scale (though I will admit I am not experienced in the differences between the regulations for buying an AR or AK versus a six shooter pistol). Require not just background checks, but credit checks (I mean you can't get a job without one), check Facebook pages (again job scouts look at them), if something comes up, require mental evaluations (and possibly updates), maybe require owners to purchase insurance (new income streams) and update this information regularly.
I love the car analogy because of these reasons of which I kept on coming back to when talking to a co-worker about it the day of.
Before you buy a car (in theory) you have to get a permit, it requires a test (and yes some people just wing it) to show you have adequate fluency in the basic theory of driving. You then (in many states, it's been awhile I don't know how wide reaching this is) have to take lessons in driving from a (qualified, arguably) professional, showing time spent in practice. Then you take a separate test, (and granted again sometimes not the hardest, but sometimes very relevant. I took a road test and failed several times for not understanding the difference between the practice of driving and the laws of driving) proving the knowledge of theory in relation to practice (I am against parking lot driving tests, maybe just jealous). Then you get your license, which has to be renewed regularly and is subject to confiscation for misuse. Also, more is required of you as your abilities become compromised (my grandmother is still on the road so effectiveness, debatable).
All of this regulation is for automobiles, which serve a multitude of purposes (but also cause on average well more than the amount of deaths that guns cause) as opposed to guns, (and I say this with no antipathy) which only have the purpose of destroying something (from inanimate targets, to lives). You also can't sell a car (regardless of how/where) without transferring the title and then registering it with your local government. . . All I'm saying is I guess that gun ownership is a privilege, like driving. Shouldn't it take more than it currently does to prove that a person can take responsibility for having said privilege? I am leaving out other things (like in home safety, ability of non-permit holders to handle guns owned by permitted owners). . .
But, this post has gone on so long that no one will read it. . . and it could be so boring as to serve to at least end this topic. . . but maybe I'm taking too much credit.
