You know there are places that need guns,right?

[flotsam]

We don't need AK's or M16 derivatives but there are places where firearms are needed and people are entitled to carry...My brother whose squad was overrun during the Siege of Firebase Ripcord may be the least of these, but facing off with death should confer certain advantages and in our rural states he travels strapped. My family is spread across the country-in the southwest a female cousin carries a .45/.410 snake gun because she needs it. An uncle just 40 miles north of here went strapped to empty his garbage since bears had once stopped him from re-entering his house. Craigslist and FB marketplace are a frontier and I've gone to meetings armed. I don't think they or I am bad people-I think we are realists. Sometimes life is risky and reducing risks is prudent. Reasonable gun control is just that, but forcing people into going up unarmed against obvious threats is just stupid,

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. I respectfully disagree...

No one NEEDs to own a gun.

[flotsam]

4. And you have the right to

Would you be willing to face off a rattlesnake or bear unarmed. Or how about enter an anonymous deal worth several hundred dollars in cash knowing the gun doesn't matter unless the guy dealing with you is ripping you off?

[A HERETIC I AM]

48. "Would you be willing to face off a rattlesnake or bear unarmed."

First....i just have to respond to that statement.

Wait a tic.....



...BWah.


BWAHA.

BWWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAH!!







Second;

About 3 fatal bear attacks a year in North America.

FUCKING THREE.

Around 5 people die from venomous snakebite a year.

FUCKING FIVE!

Third;

If you are so concerned about your safety that you need to carry when you are going to sell shit to strangers, perhaps you should look into Ebay and do it via the mail.

Would you be willing to face off a rattlesnake or bear unarmed. Or how about enter an anonymous deal worth several hundred dollars in cash knowing the gun doesn't matter unless the guy dealing with you is ripping you off?

That post is, in my opinion, just about the lamest justification for firearm ownership I have ever seen. How the fuck can you stand even getting out of bed in the morning?

"Would you be willing to face off a rattlesnake?"

Ummmm...no...I'll just turn and walk the other way, or wait till it buggers off, that's what normal people do. For fucks sake, it's not as if a god damned rattlesnake is going to chase you down the street!

Jesus Fucking Armed to the Teeth Christ.

[davekriss]

49. Perfect reply :)

[DBoon]

51. I've met rattlesnakes

Be careful, be aware of your surroundings, and walk away.

This isn't sharknado, rattlesnakes don't just fall from the sky

And have your dog go through rattlesnake avoidance training - they will detect them before you do, and if the dog knows they are trouble, the dog will warn you

I will trust my dog to protect me before I will carry a firearm

[A HERETIC I AM]

57. Of course!

I own 2 guns, so I am not opposed to ownership, but the idea that I should have to "face down" a rattlesnake or a bear is....well....laughable.

I'm not sure where that person lives, but most wild animals want to stay the fuck away from humans, and if a property is attractive to bears, it's the property owners fault, not the damned bears!

Doing the little Googling I did for the above response, it became clear how many other common things hurt people way more often than bears and snakes.

[Laffy Kat]

230. No, the OP has a point.

A few nights ago I had to face down a spider and I didn't have a bazooka.

[True Dough]

56. I've seen some SLAMS on discussion boards before

but your response is a systematic dismantling.

[A HERETIC I AM]

59. LOL....

I'll take that as a compliment!

[stopdiggin]

133. yep. we lesser mortals salute you

and agree with virtually everything you said

[pangaia]

58. Now I can go to bed... well, after I clean up my computer screen

[A HERETIC I AM]

62. ...

[H2O Man]

60. Okay, okay .......

But! What if you were tripping on three four-way hits of acid -- but not the brown acid at the original Woodstock -- and you were alone on a minature golf course, hungry for some pickled beets .....and suddenly, in a speeded-up slow motion, an earthworm with rabies started to attack you to the tune of Revolution 9 being played backwards at a high school party. Wouldn't you want a gun then? Be honest.

[A HERETIC I AM]

65. Fine. Now you have brought hallucinogens into it.

Couple things;

Earthworms with rabies are as rare as fatal bear attacks. Sorry, but someone had to say it.

Playing Revolution Number 9 does not contain dastardly messages. In fact, it reveals the proper procedures on how to change the oil in a 1965 Morris Minor.


No one goes to a Miniature Golf Course alone, even on acid.

I have never been hungry for pickled beets in my life, my previous life and any subsequent lives. If you have ever been hungry for pickled beets, I suggest getting better acid.

I had a gun at a high school party once. I didn't get laid for another 4 years.

[H2O Man]

75. It wasn't me

that brought the stuff into this discussion. I blame the friend who gave me the gram of hash I ate a few hours ago. Someone must have put some drugs in it, darned them.

I had a relative who, when I was little, was paranoid when it came to pickled beets. Years before, he knew someone who died a day after consuming pickled beets with other things. I hadn't thought of this for years ....something in the OP/thread reminded me of it.

My friend -- no lie -- was complaining about a bear that had ripped into her garbage the night before. She told me in great detail about opening her door and yelling at it to get off her porch.

[A HERETIC I AM]

88. She and anyone else with a bear problem just needs a French Bulldog;

Look at that not afraid of nuttin', bad-ass little sum bitch!

My brother recently sold his place in Estero, Fla, about 12 miles from I75 near Ft. Myers. By no means the wilderness, but lots of wildlife.

Had a few bears over the years, mostly tearing up the garbage cans or into a feed bin or after a bag of dog food, etc. Typically just move on or easily scared off with a loud yell.

Alligators, feral pigs, raccoons, otters, snakes of various types. All sorts of critters.

The only animals he ever shot were the gators that would come into his pond, because he had Vizsla dogs that loved to swim, and gators are ambush predators. Don't want a sweety pup pup to be dinner for a big ass lizard!

I get that rural living can be justification for firearm ownership. But that post above just struck me as a little over the top.

One thing I learned about smoking hash years ago......

[H2O Man]

97. We've had bears.

It's often surprising more than anything to encounter them. And even a relatively small bear looks big when they are on their hind legs. No doubt about it.

For years, I raised chickens, ducks, turkey, and geese. By far the worst problem was coyotes. I got a German shepherd, and didn't lose another bird.

I recognize that Amendment 2 is in the Bill of Rights for a reason. But I don't think the OP made a serious case.

[A HERETIC I AM]

104. Agreed.

Bad argument, no doubt.

Interesting about the coyote. I live in Jacksonville and I am a fair distance away from anything that could be called "countryside". 4 miles, easily with lots of busy roads in between.

There was a coyote in the neighborhood a while back. Used to have rabbits in the yard all the time. After the coyote went through, I didn't see a rabbit for 6 months.

It's remarkable how far into civilization some wild species will venture.

This video of a Florida Panther encounter was taken at the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, not at all far from Naples and Fort Myers;

https://goo.gl/maps/sVWWi3G7Jj9ryb349

[Coventina]

108. Which again proves the point that IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES

wild creatures, even the most potentially dangerous ones, want nothing more than to GET AWAY from you!

Yes, as you pointed out, there are a small handful of yearly cases where people die, but really, you need to be more afraid of donuts than bears!!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

109. Yup.

Them fuckin' Krispy Kremes will kill ya!

[Hekate]

138. Oh gods that is about the funniest thing I've seen in 3 years! Now need screen cleaner...

[smirkymonkey]

154. Wow, that is one bad-ass little pooch!

Absolutely fearless and those bears ran like the clappers!

[A HERETIC I AM]

169. He don't fuck around, does he?

LOL...tough little guy!

[cwydro]

218. That's fucking hilarious!

Love that little dog.

[pangaia]

76. Oh, god you're good....

I used to play jazz gigs with a bass player(acoustic) who had a Morris Minor...
Seriously....

[A HERETIC I AM]

93. hee hee.

The cryptic messages bullshit always amused me. I often thought that if the Beatles or any other band actually did that, it would be for something silly like oil change instructions or a recipe for Spotted Dick!

Hopefully the bass player only had to carry his own amp!

[pangaia]

112. No amp-- just his bass...

upright bass. not electric bass.. that's the point !!
It fit, sticking out a window... !!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

115. OH SHIT!!

Got ya!

Too funny. Almost needed a "Wide Load" sign on the back!

[klook]

158. "Does this car make my bass look big?" (nt)

[CentralMass]

178. :-)

[mr_lebowski]

66. Pretty sure I'd just start laughing my friggin' ass off ...

Never tripped balls on 12 hits though (2's the most I ever had) ... no matter what, though, the very LAST thing in the WORLD I want to see, hear, know about, think about, have ANYTHING to do with when trippin' ... is friggin' GUNS.

Well ... and cops. But they have guns, so ...

Just so you know, I did get your joke

[rufus dog]

77. This is to mark the post that led to A HERITIC I AM being elected to the DU Hall of Fame

Well done.

[A HERETIC I AM]

91. LOL! So soon?

I've only been here for 16 years!

It's too early, it must be!


LOL...thanks.

[rufus dog]

94. Best takedown of 2019

Start working on your speech.

You going to go with formal wear or something more casual?

[H2O Man]

98. "

[A HERETIC I AM]

107. Formal Kilt.

The only appropriate attire for the gentleman who eschews underwear.



This is actually bad ass, in my opinion!



I no longer work for a firm that has an annual Christmas party or anything of the sort, but if I did, I would wear one of those.

Comes with a knife to fend off snakes and bears!

[pangaia]

166. hear hear hear........

[A HERETIC I AM]

170. Awwwww.....

::::Shuffles feet nervously::::


Thanks!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

122. And remind me again how many people die from guns in this country?

Is it even slightly more than five?

[A HERETIC I AM]

125. A tad, yes

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

126. So, can I go out on a limb here and suggest that

guns are just a teensy-weensy bit more dangerous than bears and rattlesnakes combined?

[A HERETIC I AM]

171. By a tiny factor, yes you can.

[Hekate]

135. That's a keeper, Heretic

You did exceptionally well, there.

Definitely DUzy-worthy.

[A HERETIC I AM]

172. LOL...

Thanks!

[Ferrets are Cool]

143. Thank you. nt

[mcar]

144. ...

[TubbersUK]

152. [phone] n/t

[lark]

156. I live in FL where there are tons of snakes.

We have killed many snakes over the years, or chased them away, but never once needed a gun. People who need guns for snakes, well, that says a lot more about them than the snakes, IMO. Wear boots, carry a hoe, and don't put your hands in places where there could be snakes and leave them the hell alone. Walk away if they are rattling. It worked when we were at Girl Scout Camp as kids and in piney forests where there are lots of rattlers. Commonsense, like avoiding old wood, especially near small streams and creeks, works for avoiding cottonmouths. Well that and being careful when getting wood from an old wood pile work. My mom and dad's old wood pile was a fave for cottonmouths, so they always took the hoe out with them and moved the logs first with that. Lots of snakes came out over the years, but they were never bit once. They kept the hoe well sharpened and killed some that acted aggressive, but most just ran away fast.

I think this is just being used as an excuse.

[Bradical79]

162. Yeah, and seems any gun not a shotgun is bad for poisonous snakes

Being a poisonous snake, you have to remove/destroy the head. Otherwise, it can still bite you. If you don't have something with a fine spread, that's pretty hard to do. Gun just seems excesive.

Bears can be chased off with a variety of means. My uncle kept one from coming through the front door with a pellet gun as a last resort.

And as for Craigslist, carrying hundreds in cash to meet a stranger for a Craigslist sale is just plain dumb. And a gun is generally a pretty poor self defence weapon outside the home anyway.

[Poiuyt]

196. I have just four words for you

SNAKES ON A PLANE!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

197. That's why they point out the exits at the beginning

So if you see a snake you know where to go

[A HERETIC I AM]

207. Was that directed at me?

If so, please read the other posts I made in this thread. I’m not opposed to gun ownership, just silly and bullshit rationale for owning them.

Interesting that after more than 24 hours since I put up that post, YOURS is the first response telling me that my “outrage is sorely misplaced”.

You misunderstand. I’m not outraged.

I’m amused.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

212. Huh?

"less than 300 homicides by all rifles. . ." First off, you mean fewer than 300 homicides. And even then you are wrong. Unless you are idiotically separating assault weapons from guns from rifles, in which case you really are an idiot.

Something like 11,000 plus people die from guns in this country each year, and that's not counting suicides.

It's the guns.

Get rid of them. Fewer homicides. Fewer suicides. Fewer debilitating injuries, which is really what I wish more people would concentrate on. Those who survive a shooting are usually maimed and impaired for life. But there are almost never any follow up stories on them. There should be. Just as there should be photographs in the news showing the damaging gun violence does to the human body.

What you see on TV or in a movie bears very little resemblance to what actually happens.

[cwydro]

216. Thank you!

A fantastic reply!

[Disaffected]

52. Face off a rattlesnake???

Sounds like a third rate video game.

Why not just step away or go around?

I've come to notice that gun owners tend to rationalize a lot.

[Retrograde]

79. I startled a rattlesnake once

I slowly backed off and it did the same. Never encountered a bear closer than about 100', but I did come across a mountain lion while hiking last year: got close to my companion to make us look really big and stayed still until it found something more interesting to pursue.

As for anonymous deals - I tend to avoid them.

[hunter]

113. Our next door neighbor's son got killed in a drug deal gone bad like that.

Yeah, he had a gun, but the baddest guy always shoots first, unexpected.

I have some really shitty life experiences but they've only enhanced my ability to mock gun fetishes.

Rattlesnakes and bears are easy. I've had many encounters with both.

My PTSD shit is guns, and possibly one of the reasons I've never been seated on a jury...

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

121. I live in rattlesnake country. Not so much bears.

But, and I know this is going to sound crazy, I've never needed a gun.

So, yeah. no one NEEDS a gun.

[neeksgeek]

139. You don't have to kill it just because it's dangerous!

I once spent several days in the Costa Rican rain forest. Lots of animals there that bite.

On one excursion, we walked up on a Fer-de-lance, a venomous and aggressive snake. Our guide, who was armed with a machete, held up her hand and our party stopped. The snake was perhaps ten feet ahead of our guide. It continued on its way and after a few moments, so did we.

Now, last night I found a black widow spider had woven a web in an area my dogs frequent. That spider is dead. I see your point but I’m going to argue against violence unless absolutely necessary. Constantly carrying a weapon increases the possibility of violence.

[Ferrets are Cool]

145. Thank you. People KILL things for the stupidest reasons.

Killing a rattlesnake just because it is a snake is fucking stupid. Of course, there are always people who can justify killing anything...even giraffe's.

[pangaia]

167. " That spider is dead. "

And I am sure you shot it.

[Liberty Belle]

134. Yes, they do. Here are examples:

First, I do not own guns and never have. So don't accuse me of being an NRA nut.

But I do know people who live along the border in a very rural, remote area (Boulevard and Campo, CA). They have encountered armed smugglers on their properties several times. One friend of mine's husband was tied up and gagged. Thankfully she came home later and found him in the shed, where he'd walked in on human traffickers. He's lucky they didn't killl him. He got a gun after that, and carries when he walks around his property. I would have done the same.

If a bear, mountain lion or pit bull dog was attacking your child, I'm pretty sure you would shoot it rather than let it carry off and kill your loved one. A mountain lion attacked a child earlier this year in our region. The father threw rocks and saved his boy but I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd used a gun in such an extreme case. You mention only fatal cases which are rare but there are quite a few more non-fatal attacks that still result in serious injuries. That child wound up with a major head injury, for instance.

Guns can save homeowners, too. A month or so ago there was a case here in San Diego where during a home invasion robbery one of the suspects shot the homeowner, thankfully not fatally. The homeowner's teen son grabbed dad's gun and killed the shooter and the second suspect fled (he was later found and arrested). I would say they certainly needed their gun or they both might have wound up dead.

I am all for seizing and destroying every assault rifle on the planet. You don't need a weapon of mass murder to dissuade an intruder.

But a rifle, shotgun or handgun is needed for people in certain living situations. Unless you are mentally ill or have threatened someone, you should be able to own a gun, though I don't think you should be able to stroll into any Starbucks or Walmart with it strapped on. But in your own home and on your own property, you should be able to protect yourself.

I also know people who have had to get a restraining order against a violent ex who threatened to kill or harm them. Since such offenders often violate restraining orders, some women get concealed carry permits to protect themselves if attacked by a wacko ex. I think this is a right that they should have.

[JonLP24]

141. You make several good points

To be honest I'm more scared of guns than pit bulls or dogs. As far as the mentally ill only 5% of gun violence is committed by those with mental illness. They are at increased risk for suicide though with a gun. Also what if it is a mentally ill person that is having their home buglarized or having armed smugglers on their properties?

I certainly support not allowing people who committed domestic violence to ever own guns.

However: there is no factual link between mental illness and violence against others. In fact, people with mental health disorders are more likely to be victims of a violent crime (up to 10 times more likely than the general population) than the perpetrators. A 2011 meta analysis found that to prevent one homicide of a person unknown to the perpetrator, 35,000 patients with schizophrenia judged to be at high risk of violence would need to be detained. Similarly, few U.S. mass shootings have been committed by people who were “mentally ill;” there is a much stronger correlation with other issues, like domestic violence. Finally, people with mental illness are much more likely to hurt themselves than others. Two-thirds of gun deaths in this country are suicides, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/time.com/5645747/gun-violence-mental-illness/%3famp=true

[Coventina]

2. Really? Are you being serious right now?

I've lived / camped in snake and bear country all my life and have never needed a gun.

[flotsam]

6. And these people have lived there

for many years. Maybe your week or weekend were different but living with the threat really is different.

[Coventina]

16. Did you miss the part where I said "all my life"?

And I'm over 50.

[flotsam]

38. OK

If you lived where a bear challenged you when you attempted to take out your garbage would you rather deal with that armed or unarmed? Would you deliberately face a bear with or without a firearm?

[Coventina]

89. Where, exactly, are you claiming that bears are "challenging" people?

What? Are they slapping people with gloves now?

You live in a world you've made up in your head.

[shenmue]

132. BEARS ARE EVERYWHERE

Shut it.

[cwydro]

219. Dude, I needed a laugh today, and this thread sure is bringing it!

I hope you’re “strapped” because you may need it here today!

[essme]

150. We live, and I have

Spent my entire life around bears.

I do not carry. If you can't figure out when and how to take garbage out at this point, you need to move.

[Timewas]

34. Please

Would you elaborate some on where it is that you live and camp that has no dangerous wild animals?? I live in a very rural mountainous area and have for over 40 years,we have cattle,goats and other critters. We lose some every year to coyote's skunks, weasels and bears even lost some to a cougar..I have used guns for the most part to scare them away,had to shoot one bear that was the only time I actually had to kill any of them but standing on my porch yelling at them won't do it but shooting in the air or ground near them does the trick every time.. I am for really stringent background checks for anyone buying a gun and severe penalties for misuse of any fire arm... Period...takes their second rights away lock them up for serious stuff and make sure they can never get their hands on a gun again

P.S. All of my firearms are locked in a safe always unless needed for aforementioned purposes.

[procon]

63. I raised livestock in a rural area and we

had trouble with predators. We invested in 2 Great Pyrenees livestock guardians and never lost another critter with them on the job.

We had a rifle for hunting, but the dogs were much more effective in deterring predation strikes as they were alert and on duty 24/, rain or shine. A gun isn't nearly as effective as those big dogs. Even if you and see or hear an attack in progress, which is unlikely as predictors prefer to hunt in the dark, so the first alert you get is a bloody carcass. So you're always going to respond too late to prevent your livestock from being injured or killed.

[pangaia]

64. ".... shooting in the air or ground near them does the trick every time."

Why not just get one of these.. I have two.
I'd be happy to give you one if it's that big a deal.

?t=15

[Beartracks]

118. That's a BFH!

[pangaia]

120. Yup.

And there is a decades long discussion amongst percussionists on just how to make the BOX,

And people think we just sit back there twiddling our ....... thumbs..

[Hermit-The-Prog]

128. that's a commander

In timber framing, that particular hammer is called a "commander". You can buy 'em, but no self-respecting carpenter would do so if the intention is to build a timber framed structure. (It makes sense that a musician would prefer to buy one made by a woodworker, however).

[pangaia]

164. Very interesting. I made the 2 that I have for playing Mahler 6 years ago.

Somebody else made the box, about which there are as many idea on construction as there are percussionists,

[Hermit-The-Prog]

174. that box is a mystery

How do you make it strong enough to withstand that kind of beating and yet still flexible enough to push sound out? Do you have to tune box and beater?

[pangaia]

176. There have been many different designs over the decades.

Historically just a big box...
But more recently, the box design has become more sophisticated --


Here is one of the newer ones.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/91835994-132.html

And a more high tech one.. although the guy just blabs and blabs
( I do know they guy and he makes superb rope tension drums...)

[Hermit-The-Prog]

179. why not round?

The "high tech one" sounds pretty good, but why not a round box? It seems to me that a round box of fairly thin material would create the musical whomp they seem to be after. That heavy, rectangular 3/4" plywood body with rigid, full-height legs is likely to dampen the sound, rather than help it. The box resists the vertical impact due to the height of the sidewalls, not their thickness.

I'd be looking at bass drums, cellos and stand-up basses for inspiration on the shape and thickness of the box. The guy doing the talking in the video you posted has a good idea, imho, with the maple strike plate (although I'd make that round, too) and tuning the thing for specific frequencies (I have no idea how to do that).

That rectangular box has sharp corners with complete interruptions in the surface of the wall at each intersection / corner. That would seem to me to be a good way to kill all the long waves (low frequencies) that appear to be what they're wanting. A continuous, circular sidewall of thin material should resonate with those low frequencies and help move them out the bottom, toward the floor.

[pangaia]

186. Very interesting concepts.

I am a percussionist with pretty much no knowledge of the science of acoustics.
Although I do have a pretty good ear for timbre.. what fits, what doesn't for a given piece...

Mahler's score only indicates "hammer." There is of course historical knowledge about his life at the time and what the 3 original hits might represent, versus his later edition where he deleted the 3rd hit and changed the orchestration..

[pangaia]

177. Here is a good example of one of the blows...

?t=100

[Hermit-The-Prog]

180. thank you!

Somehow I've missed ever hearing about a Mahler box and hammer, before. Thank you for teaching me something new and musical!

[pangaia]

187. Thank YOU for your acoustic considerations.

I will pass the ideas on to colleagues.. Could be very interesting.

[Coventina]

92. My point is that dangerous animals are in most rural places in the United States.

Guns are NOT required to deal with them.

[riverine]

3. No rational person wants to disarm others.

We want background checks.

[flotsam]

9. I know and support that

and would give up my semi-automatics if that became law, All I am saying is some firearms are needed.

[mahina]

15. Thank you

[Eliot Rosewater]

35. Which means the vast majority of the planet are "irrational" sigh

[Ferrets are Cool]

146. Thank you for posting my exact thought in response to that post.

[Voltaire2]

140. Fuck that. Ban assault rifles.

[eShirl]

5. or you could get a dog

yeah, I live in a rural state, too

[riverine]

20. Not REQUIRED, pal. OPTIONAL instead

OPTIONAL.

OPTIONAL.

Just like religion, abortion, marriage partners, etc.

OPTIONAL.

Learn it and love it.

[Skittles]

25. the OP says they are NEEDED

and no...I will NEVER learn to love gun humping morons or mass shootings

and I am NOT your "pal"

[Coventina]

28. Not to mention people who are too dumb to know how to live with wildlife

without feeling they need a gun everywhere.

I mean, it's really not that hard to learn their behaviors and plan accordingly.

No, no need for that, just go around gunz blazing!!

[riverine]

30. So the O.P. OPTED in and owns a gun.

That is his/her right.

I own two handguns - haven't fired either in 15 years and don't want to.

I am thankful no jackboot is barging in my door to make "sure" I am safe.

[riverine]

39. I'm pro-choice on gay marriage, abortion, guns, drugs, gambling, sin, alcohol, sex work, etc

A real liberal in other words - not a cafeteria liberal.

[pangaia]

69. Skittles, I had no idea you are a cafeteria liberal...

Are you just gonna take that sittin' down?

[H2O Man]

71. Could be dangerous!

What id Skittles goes in the cafeteria, and there are three bears deciding what they want out the vending machines? And suppose one asks for a quarter? Best be armed to the teeth!

[pangaia]

74. For your viewing pleasure....

Have a coke...

[H2O Man]

80. Perfect!

Thank you so much!

[mr_lebowski]

78. Wait ... hold on ... how many hits are we on this time?

[H2O Man]

81. This very thread

demands that we add our most serious of contributions!

[pangaia]

84. Maybe the best thread of the summer....

[mr_lebowski]

86. So, if the SNAKE weighs the same as a duck ... then it's made of wood!

And therefore?

A BEAR!!!

[H2O Man]

90. Count off by 3s

and walk around saying, "Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!" Or substitute, "Snakes and ducks and bears!" But the "Oh my!" is manditory.

[2naSalit]

105. I knew it!! ...nt

[cwydro]

222. If I were a bear, I'd think twice about "challenging" Skittles.

She’d kick its ass without a gun lol!

[cwydro]

228. Looks like your "pal" has left the building.

[cwydro]

220. Hey, the OP is "strapped!"

Best watch your tone lol!

[flotsam]

43. How sad to see a person I regard with great respect

Call me a "gun-humper" and a "moron". No respect at all for the fact that I am a veteran and well informed on gun safety or that my brother was overrun by North Vietnamese Regulars and is a veteran of the last major engagement of Vietnam. So here it is-you should be ashamed-Ain't one creature on the face of the planet that said jack shit when we were taught to carry guns or kill people. But now we are the bad guys just for carrying weapons when we perceive them as necessary...

[Lars39]

61. You aren't the only one who served or had kin that served

None of the veterans I know go around armed. Your brother needs counseling

[Mike_DuBois]

184. I wonder how many vets you know

Almost all the ones here do

[Lars39]

192. Quite a few, and that's not counting those that have died,

that survived WWII, Korea, or Vietnam. And especially those older veterans....they would have been outraged at weapons of war being so readily available, and the resulting carnage.

[pangaia]

70. what in the WORLD does being a vet have to do with this whole discussion?

[cwydro]

221. Nothing that I can see.

This seems to be some sort of “measuring” contest, if you get my drift.

One of the more bizarre posts I’ve seen, but it does have amusement value.

[pangaia]

223. the entire thread became more interesting than the OP, and quite entertaining,,,

[cwydro]

226. I know! It's quite amusing.

Just the term “strapped” had me in giggles right off the bat.

[pangaia]

227. "Strapped" Is that like,, you know.... a... a......a.. cock holster?

[cwydro]

229. Stop!

[AJT]

119. I will say that this thread is fiiled with meanness and disrespect.

Your opinion on guns is a valid one. My daughter lived in rural western Colorado and her husband traveled quite a bit. While she was at work there was a break in at their house and she was alone. She bought a hand gun, got trained on using it and kept it in a bedside lockbox. It helped her sleep at night.

[Ferrets are Cool]

148. Once again....you "perceive" them as necessary

they are NOT. Air horns work better at deterring a bear than shooting at it. No snake NEEDS to be killed. The ONLY reason people kill animals with guns is to feel superior or to gloat. Again, it's MY opinion. Yours is different. Neither of us is going to change our minds.

[Chemisse]

7. I have no problem with people owning guns.

As long as the weapons are not capable of killing dozens of people in just a few minutes, and as long as the owner has passed a background check.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. JFC, no one's taking all the guns, just the war machines.

[eShirl]

11. this

[flotsam]

14. JFC-Did I object to that

Or did I mention some people need some firearms? Your overreaction is just what I would like to see stopped,

[Gidney N Cloyd]

32. I think you structured your post for exactly the response you're getting.

[Hekate]

189. I think that's an acute observation

[Skittles]

29. it's part of their paranoia

[madville]

147. No one is seriously proposing taking those either

Just a similar version of the old Assault Weapons Ban has been suggested that focuses on cosmetic features instead of the actual semiautomatic function of the weapon. Everyone gets to keep their existing ones and the existing ones can still be bought and sold. Existing high capacity magazines (100s of millions) can be kept legally.

[hlthe2b]

10. Oh, please... Even friends in backcountry Alaska and family members in rural WY/MT

have nothing more than a hunting rifle and/or shotgun. As for snakes--give me a damned shovel any day.

I've hiked backcountry with many many friends all my life and spent considerable time in bear/mountain lion territory with nothing more than bear spray, a knife and a small axe/shovel. And yes, while I've personally had no close encounters, several of my friends HAVE, used bear spray as a deterrent, and lived to tell about it. Whether that would have been the case after shooting (and missing) is far more debatable. I have yet to encounter a really experienced backcountry hiker/climber who carries a gun.

[Coventina]

21. Shooting at a snake is almost a guarantee you'll get bit.

I mean seriously...

[hlthe2b]

23. Exactly... Absolutely moronic IMO.

[pangaia]

72. LOL.....

on the $$$

[mr_lebowski]

83. To be fair I'd think a shotgun could be a pretty effective anti-snake weapon ...

Now, I think what we would call 'your eyes + feet' are probably even more effective, to be clear ... the whole 'getting away from the snake' approach ...

[flotsam]

33. That's pretty much what I have

In fact just a shortened shotgun, A .22 plinking gun, a .22 rifle, and a small automatic. Not EVEN a hunting rifle-I don't do that-Just a home defense shotgun, a small carry piece for encounters with strangers when cash is involved. Past that a 5 shot revolver just for fun.

[mr_lebowski]

96. Honestly, I would never even think about shooting another person over a few hundred bucks ...

If I went to buy a washing machine or whatever, and dude pulled a gun on me and said 'give me all your money' ... I give the dude my friggin' money and whatever else he wants ... I'm not going to get into a gunfight and risk shooting somebody (or getting shot) over that kind of money.

And likewise if I was doing a deal for an amount I'd really be concerned with losing, I'm bringing a few friends, or meeting to do the deal somewhere public. I'm not going in strapped like I'm buying 20 keys of Heisenberg Blue or some shit.

The idea of taking a gun to do some small time purchase sounds ludicrous to me, no offense. You're not gonna walk in with the gun pulled, so you're automatically at a tactical disadvantage from word go. All you're likely to do ... is get your gun stolen as well as your money.

TBH, I think the very fact that one OWNS a gun ... makes them feel like they NEED a gun.

[pangaia]

111. Well, I AM encouraged that you only have 4 guns..

That makes up for my none....

Which means between us we average ..... 2.

On the other hand I have several very fine knives-
- Heavy Chinese carbon cleaver for bones
- Lighter Chinese carbon cleaver for everything else
- Shigeki Tanaka --Deba (mostly for bones, thick meat and fish, etc...)
- Shigeki Tanaka --Usuba (vegetable knife)
- Yoshimi-Kato --Nakiri(vegetable "chopping" knife)
And my prize, a Sakai Takayuki- --Shirogami Kiritsuke-Yanagiba (sashimi knife..) a gift from a dear friend in Kyoto, near Osaka where they have been made by Sakai Takayuki for some 600 years...

[procon]

155. If some stranger approached me with a gun

I'd try to get away, lock my door and call 911 to report a man with a gun who is maybe trying to rob me.

Your paranoia is more likely to get you shot and killed. While that's rather an extreme treatment method for undiagnosed mental health problems, maybe legislation should make mandatory psychological evaluations a prerequisite to owning a gun.

[El Supremo]

13. Horseshit!

Only the military needs guns.

[PJMcK]

17. And the police (n/t)

[El Supremo]

18. Yes

[MicaelS]

27. You mean the same police and military...

That are frequently accused of racism, sexism, homophobia, discrimination, abuse and police brutality?

[mr_lebowski]

103. There's still a 99.9% probability that, even WITH all that ... you don't want to take on the cops

with a gun of your own.

The likelihood of an even WORSE outcome ... is pretty much guaranteed.

Just sayin'

[JonLP24]

129. Who is talking about shooting cops with guns?

The poster rightly pointed out that there are police departments with history of racism, sexism (how they improperly investigate rapes), police brutality, etc.

[MicaelS]

195. I do not know where you got the idea..

I am not advocating taking on anyone.

While I am in favor of major gun control, I in no way advocate totally disarming civilians.

I think it is the height of hypocrisy to advocate total civilian disarmament while hating on police and the military, who will be the only ones left with guns.

[mr_lebowski]

198. I guess we see the implication of what you're saying differently ...

Why does it matter if the cops and military are armed with guns and I'm not ... unless I'm contemplating using guns to protect myself FROM them? I guess I don't GET the relevance of the former outside of the context of the latter.

Plus the whole theme of this thread is kinda also 'reasons one needs gunz to protect oneself'.

Seems like just another 'we MUST have guns because ... danger!' arguments to me. Obviously, YMMV.

[flotsam]

19. So there's no difference between a hunting rifle

and a military assault rifle? Or a .22 target pistol or a 19 shot Glock. If you believe that, well, you are wrong.

[El Supremo]

24. Huh?

[NRaleighLiberal]

22. I am just so thankful I wasn't born with this weird gene that demands guns.

Never used one, owned one, touched one, wanted one....life is good. I tend to find most gun owners sad, and silly.

[Coventina]

26. And fearful. Every gun owner I've ever known lives in fear.

It would be sad if it weren't for the danger they present.

[NRaleighLiberal]

40. Yes - I think you are spot on - fear indeed.

[RobinA]

50. Yup

I’ve had gun owners tell me they aren’t safe without a gun in their car. They are convinced they will be held up in a parking lot. They see bad guys behind every bush. To a man, they have never actually been a victim of crime. I don’t think they get that in order to dispatch a bad guy you need training or dumb luck.

[pangaia]

82. "To a man.."

THAT is a very telling three words....

[procon]

157. Sounds more like mass hysteria

These gun clingers are paranoid. That's a mental health problem that can be treated.

[flotsam]

47. And never signed on the line

And defended the country.You may find that weird but that is how my family rolled.

[RobinA]

54. I Don't Get

what having “defended” the country has to do with it. North Vietnamese regulars aren’t going to overrun my house, they’re in North Vietnam trying to live a normal life. It’s really scary when you say you need a weapon because you were in the military. It sounds paranoid and like you’re blurring the rather wide line between being in a war and going grocery shopping. I think you should stick with the bear argument. You’ve got people visualizing you out looking for North Vietnamese to shoot in your neighborhood.

[Hekate]

190. Very well said. Growing up in a neighborhood filled with WWII vets who were dads by then...

...I knew of only one gun in one household: that of the man who was a member of the Los Angeles Police Dept. If anybody had a hunting rifle it was because they hunted, but I don't recall any hunters.

Personal weaponry was not a topic of conversation among the adults, and I was a child who evesdropped on adults.

Then we moved to the town next door to Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station, and many of our neighbors were active-duty personnel in various branches of the military. It was assumed with good reason that all military-style weapons were safely stored on military bases, not being collected in the homes of civilians, whether or not they were veterans.

Our parents -- and we youngsters -- were much more concerned about the Cuban Missile Crisis than we were about some ass shooting up the local mall out of a sense of personal grievance.

[a la izquierda]

73. Me too and I'm a small woman.

I’ve lived in Mexico City-alone-and all over the US and not once did I think “hey it’s scary. I’ll get a gun.” 🙄

[CatMor]

41. I don't live in a rural area ...

I live in a city that even Venezuela told it's citizens is too dangerous to visit and I don't own a gun or do I ever want one. I hate guns. They are what is causing the violence in most cities.

[Fla_Democrat]

42. Location, location, location.

[Hoyt]

44. Keep a couple 6 shooters on your property, if you must. Otherwise,

people ought to suck it up for the greater good.

[paleotn]

46. +1000

[Mike_DuBois]

185. Yeah...no

Every pogram and atrocity has been committe d in the name if "the greater good". I'll opt out here, kthanx.

[Hoyt]

188. Well, enjoy your gunz.

[Mike_DuBois]

200. Dunno how to do that

[paleotn]

45. In very specific circumstances, yes.

Like virtually all developed countries, you have to have a valid reason for a permit to own, much less carry a firearm. If you hunt? Sure. EU countries do that. You live in a place with dangerous wild animals? Sure. Australia rightly considers that a valid reason. We can debate what's valid or not valid, but at least that's moving in the right direction.

And no semi-auto, period, end of story. You possess semi-auto, like full auto, you go to jail for a long time. Outlaw semi-auto and the whole magazine issue becomes mute and the amount of firepower walking around on the street is drastically reduced.

If you're caught possessing a firearm without a proper permit, you go to jail for a long time. Once we release all the non-violent offenders convicted of ticky tacky marijuana offenses, there will be plenty of room for gun humpers who don't want to get with the program.

[RobinA]

55. Ironic

Semi-automatic weapons - legal
Cannabis - too dangerous, illegal

Insanity

[Polybius]

53. I get wanting a gun if you live around bears

I get that. I don't get bringing a gun to Facebook Marketplace. It's not Craigslist where they are strangers. They have public profiles.

No one would be stupid enough to do something bad to you through Facebook Market. All sellers have got to assume that you looked up their profile and told a friend or two. They also have got to assume that police will go through your Messenger.

[SoCalDem]

67. Military & law enforcement n/t

[dchill]

99. Also, I'd advise rattlesnakes and bears to arm themselves.

And private dicks!

[CanonRay]

85. Go peddle this bullshit elsewhere

[Skittles]

87. that would be nice, wouldn't it?

[Crunchy Frog]

95. WTF?

Is this really the time for this bullshit post?

[NoMoreRepugs]

100. Incredibly entertaining thread.

[hunter]

101. I get along perfectly well without guns...

... and I've too frequently been the sort who gets into rough situations with other people and wildlife.

I don't let anyone I'd care to shoot live in my head, not people, not snakes, not wild boars.

Most people carrying guns are incompetent to use them wisely.

Including cops.

My family is Wild West. Fools and their guns are soon parted.

When I was a kid I once witnessed my mom grab a rifle from someone and break it. He instantly went from being a tough guy to screaming "I'm gonna sue! I'm gonna sue!" He never did.

If I didn't have dogs I might shoot the ground squirrels and rats around here. Our current pack of dogs are exterminators. Our husky is the only dog I've ever had who kills gophers. If he can't dig them up he waits patiently until they stick their heads up and grabs them. He's like a cat that way. He's like a cat in a few other ways too, doesn't do anything just because someone told him too.

Gun fetishes are disgusting. Gun culture in the U.S.A. needs to die.

Yeah, I have shot and killed animals I've eaten, but not in this century. Fantasy frontiersman, even in Alaska, are full of shit. Ninety percent of them buy most of their meat in grocery stores like everyone else.

[mr_lebowski]

106. And shit man your NAME is even Hunter ...

That makes it all the more convincing

[struggle4progress]

102. You know there are people who need electroshock therapy, right?

But it still isn't always appropriate

[2naSalit]

110. Ever heard of pepper spray for bears?

It works. I keep it by the door because bears come by all the time, there's nose prints on the bottom of my front door... I don;t NEED a gun because I'm not stupid, I can wait for the bear to go away or I can hose it with spray to chase it off, then neither of us gets hurt.

Snakes can be avoided successfully with just a slow retreat.

And sketchy deals can be handled with pepper spray too.

Gosh I never knew I NEEDED a gun for my life with bears, coyotes, wolves and all of nature. Never had any trouble with the twenty or so bears who come around or have in the past.. I just don't do stuff to give them any reason to bother with me, even when I'm out in the woods harvesting mushrooms and berries.

Who NEEDS a gun if they can think?

[sinkingfeeling]

114. Wow. As a 71 yr. old, female, living alone for the last 50 years, I

say, "Bull". I lived in the SW desert. I've lived in the northern woods. I've driven in every state in the Union. I've camped, alone, in the backwoods. I've sold things at my home to strangers. And I was threatened by a bunch of felons when I lead a fight to close down a raunchy bar.

I have never thought for a second that I needed a gun.

[cwydro]

224. You're made of stronger stuff than the OP and his relatives apparently.

They seem to live very frightened lives.

[jcgoldie]

116. Stupid

Nice timing for this bullshit.

[flvegan]

117. "Need" is largely an emotional response.

As a gun owner I find these threads...entertaining.

[Stinky The Clown]

123. MASSIVE, MONUMENTAL, EPIC UNREC

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

124. Kind of makes you wonder how people in other countries survive without guns,

doesn't it?

I mean, life must be vastly more dangerous, and it must be that hundreds of citizens in those countries die from snakes or bears or alligators or other dangerous creatures, right?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

127. There are no places or people that "need" guns or any other means of.....

instant killing.

Just imagine a world that never had guns. People would have managed just fine.

Never dealt with bears but my dad (a timber man) taught me how to avoid rattlers in the woods. He never carried a gun and never got bit. He pulled logs out of the Tennessee hills with mules during the Great Depression.

My philosophy is that when a man or woman is threatened with serious violence, he/she should have the time and opportunity to defend themselves - even with only sticks and stones. Guns kill in an instant with only the flick of a finger driven by a brain that may be filled with intense anger or insanity.

I'll gladly take a trade the risk of a few people hurt by snakes or bears with eliminating mass shootings in schools and other public places.

KY.........

[YOHABLO]

130. I'm sure many would agree there are conditions where having a fire arm would be beneficial.

[Maru Kitteh]

131. Clearly your uncle needs to be more responsible with his garbage and

probably needs to learn a thing or two about co-existing with bears. It's pretty simple. Make noise when you go out. They leave. Carry some fucking bear spray - it works much better than a gun anyway.

"But we neeeeeeeeeeeeed guns! The bears!"

I didn't buy that shit when Betsy DeVos was selling it either.

[Hekate]

136. I no longer fcking care, okay? This country is the sickest on Earth when it comes to gun violence...

And I just no longer give a rat's ass how the owners of projectile weapons feel about their need for their Precious.

I'm not even going to try to reason with you.

Send in the jackbooted thugs to confiscate everything. The clowns are already here.

[Turin_C3PO]

208. We can't and won't win with a confiscation platform.

We can win by instituting common sense gun reform that most Americans support.

[xmas74]

137. I live in a rural area.

We have bears and there are poisonous snakes. (Never saw a rattler, though others have. I've run into water moccasins-zoinks.) The rule of thumb for snakes and bears is if you leave them alone they'll do the same for you. There are other predators I'd be worried about. So, no gun needed for snakes and bears.

As to large amounts of money for buys on Craigslist, Facebook, etc: that's why you always pick an open,busy, well lit neutral spot. I've purchased items in the police department parking lot and in a high school lot, along with Target and Walmart. You're less likely to get ripped off or robbed if there's traffic. And if you find a small town police department you can go in, tell them what you're doing and an officer might even watch out of boredom.

(Find a town with less than 5,000 population and do it on a Sunday afternoon. Unless there's an emergency the officer will probably watch out of boredom and to have something on the blotter. Once again, no gun needed.)

[Captain Stern]

142. No. That's silly. Places don't actually need anything. They're just places.

They were places before guns even existed. And they'll still be places long after you and me are gone.

[USALiberal]

149. LOL, nice try, and no recs! nt

[democratisphere]

153. The Second Amendment is for responsible citizens and should not be messed with.

Criminals will always be able to get guns one way or the other. Background checks for ALL guns should be REQUIRED in all 50 states with NO exceptions including gun show and private sales.

[procon]

160. I think it still says militia, not citizen.

If you're part of the US military and they require you to keep your service weapon, that might be accepted. Background checks are a milksop and don't do anything the prevent people with undiagnosed mental health problems from getting legal guns.

Fearful men who are paranoid want guns because they think everyone is out to get them. If that isn't a classic example of mass hysteria what is

[Voltaire2]

181. Wrong.

The 2nd, like all the other parts of the constitution, should be interpreted based on current realities. It is not somehow sacred.

Nobody except the military needs access to military class weapons designed to kill people in large numbers as fast as possible.

[Hekate]

191. Militia. Well-regulated militia.

[MineralMan]

159. I have encountered a few dozen rattlesnakes.

In every case, I have simply gone in another direction to pass them by. I have also seen bears in the yard at my parents' citrus and avocado farm in California. I have not taken out the trash while they were there. I would not confront a bear with any firearm I would likely carry if I were, as you say, "strapped."

As for Craigslist and Facebook marketplace, I arrange to meet people, either as a buyer or seller, in a public place where other people will be around. Around here, most police departments let people meet in their parking lots. I buy and sell that way a lot, and would not do it otherwise when the item involves more than $100. I recently bought a 1996 Ford Ranger from a private party. After hearing the description of the truck, I arranged to meet the seller at the nearest DMV office to his location. I took a test drive. I bought the truck. The money exchange of 11 $100 bills took place at the clerk's window after the title transfer was completed.

I own firearms. I don't carry them outside of my home when going about my normal activities. I have never felt the need to do so. I think about where I'm going and observe where I am. I am not afraid of violence, because I can normally avoid it.

[bluedigger]

161. Prairie dogs in the hay fields.

You can gas them in the Spring, or poison them, but they just keep breeding and digging up the field. I guess they could just stop farming the field, but people drive hundreds of miles to the Four Corners from as far away as Albuquerque and Flagstaff to buy hay for their livestock. I guess we could get rid of livestock, so we don't need hay...

[Voltaire2]

182. Then you can get a license for your weapon

based on your specific need.

[bluedigger]

193. I don't need to pass a gun needs test.

I just don't need an assault rifle. Single shot bolt action is good.

[Voltaire2]

194. I'm ok with that too.

But I also see no good reason at this point for not requiring licensing and registration for guns. All guns. We’ve amply demonstrated that not doing this has been an unmitigated relentless fucking disaster that causes the deaths of innocents in preposterously unacceptable numbers.

[Bayard]

163. I agree, Flotsam

If you live in the boonies, you need a gun. We have a small farm in Kentucky. Its just a fact of life.

I'm not talking about shooting a bear or a mountain (they don't live here anyway). But you can get rabid animals--there's no walking away from a rabid raccoon. Or, recently, we were trapping raccoons and letting them loose in uninhabited areas (they were after our chickens). We were able to do that with a couple of young ones. But big mama was a different story. She turned into a whirling dervish of all teeth and claws that you couldn't even get close to to pick up the cage with gloves or a stick.

I've also had to occasionally put down one of my own animals. I hate it, but when they are plainly suffering and no chance of getting them to a vet, its the responsible thing to do.

As for shooting a snake....LOL! If they're moving you best be a damn good shot. I lived in major rattlesnake country in Calif. I used to pick them up with a rake, put them in a big bucket with a lid, and take them way to the back of our 40 acres. I heard that ominous rattle once when I opened my feed room door at the barn. I backed up, and closed the door back. When I went down a couple hours later--no snake. Even if you have to take one on, like the one that killed one of my dogs, a rake and an ax work well.

Our area here used to be known as a haven for, "crack heads". Before we bought this place, they had busted out all the windows, stripped and stolen any copper wire they could find to sell. We built tall fencing and locked gates, along with three very large, very loud Great Pyrenees. They are pretty intimidating at 150 lbs each. But most people are more scared of my flock of geese.

I have been physically attacked twice in my life, and lived to tell the tale. I certainly wasn't packing back then. All we have are two shotguns: one very old single shot that belonged to my father. And one that will hold 5 shots. They stay on the wall unless we really need them for a specific purpose. However, if I was ever attacked again, and I could lay my hands on one of those guns, I would defend myself.

Assault weapons across the country need to be confiscated and melted down.

[Thyla]

165. I mostly agree with you

Except nobody should really be killing snakes.

[Mc Mike]

168. Like betsy deVos sez, some schools need guns to keep the bears out.

We should hire mama grizzly palin to stand guard outside Alaska schools, with an M249 SAW. Betsy and Ditsy would get along swell, I bet.

[GeorgeGist]

173. More jetsam .

[Metatron]

183. LOL

[backscatter712]

175. Fine, then get a firearms license.

If you need a license to drive a car, you should need a license to possess, carry, and use a firearm.

Complete with written and practical testing, criminal background checks, and psychological screening.

And if you fuck up, you lose your guns.

And for obvious reasons, we need limits on the amount of firepower accessible to civilians. You don't need an AR-15 or Kalashnikov to deal with a bear.

Guns should not be a right - the fact we have mass shootings almost daily proves that, and proves that the Second Amendment is a complete failure. The Second Amendment was intended to protect people from violence (well, white people at least...), but in today's society, it does the exact opposite.

Time to put that 18th century relic in history's dustbin where it belongs.

[Turin_C3PO]

209. Trashing the 2nd amendment

will never happen. Thank dog our Democratic nominees promote sensible gun control and not bullshit like what you propose. We’d have Republicans in office for years if that stuff was in our platform.

[harumph]

199. Actually, I live in an urban area - but frequently have had to trek

on foot some through remote parts of Texas near the border. Yes, there are some situations where a firearm might be
needed due to coyotes or snakes. Writing this - I realize it sounds like bullshit to Du'ers who
live in urban areas. I suppose there are some parts of - for example, Wyoming or Alaska, where quick access to
a firearm may be reasonable. I do support universal background checks and limits on magazines. I would also
support taxing ammunition heavily in order to deincentivize hoarding.

[guillaumeb]

201. Have you ever needed an armored vehicle?

The vast majority of people are literally never in a situation where a firearm is needed.

The problem with your argument is that everyone who really wants to own a weapon will self-convince that the need is there.

And notice that I said wants, not needs.

[roamer65]

203. Hunting rifles and shotguns.

Special licensed ownership of revolving handguns. All the rest banned.

[dlk]

204. It's the All or Nothing Argument that Gets Us Into Trouble

It prevents reasonable and rational gun control.

[GulfCoast66]

206. Goodness. Have you even read the last Democratic Party Platform?

Which sums up our beliefs as Democrats?

We as a party agree with gun ownership. But with reasonable limitations. Like not owning weapons of war! And background checks.

I am a hunter and own guns Shotguns and bolt action rifles. What real hunters own.

And you tipped you hand on the rattlesnake thing. No one ‘defends’ themselves from rattlesnake with a gun but with not being a dumbass! If you choose to shoot a rattlesnake you are already in no danger. And I know, we have them. I choose to let them live. They have an evolutionary role.

And if you feel the need to walk around with a gun then you would love Somalia. Everyone there has guns. NRA heaven.

[Turin_C3PO]

210. I agree with what you say

but there’s a lot of looniness coming from some of the responses here. Stuff like total confiscation and trashing the 2nd amendment. I want Democrats to win in 2020 and take control of all three branches of the executive and legislature. Touting the ideas I see in this thread would keep the Republicans in control for decades.

The public is ready for real gun reform so let’s win 2020!

[pnwmom]

211. "Craigslist and FB marketplace are a frontier and I've gone to meetings armed."

Huh?

[Mc Mike]

213. Here's a man who lives a life of danger,

everywhere he goes he stays a stranger. -- Johnny Rivers, via Laurie Anderson

[retread]

214. In other words, they're trying to take

[Fla_Democrat]

215. Figure it out, yet?

There are places that need guns, but it ain't this place.

Ida B. Wells had an idea....

“A Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home, and it should be used for that protection which the law refuses to give.”

but, she was just a supporter of the white supremacy, and (rumor has it) had a small d*ck that she was over compensating for.

Karl Marx had an idea....

“Under no pretext should arms and ammunition be surrendered; any attempt to disarm the workers must be frustrated, by force if necessary”

but he was just a capitalist shill for the gun industry, and had 'Rambo' fantasies, or so I am told.

I know when I need a deeper understanding of firearms, or all things tactical.... the first, (scratch that), the only place I turn to is... DU:GD

[cwydro]

217. "Strapped." Is that like the super cool dude way of referring to being armed?

What in the world are you selling or buying on Craigslist, and to whom are you selling or buying from that you need to be armed?

Your life sounds very, um, interesting.

[pangaia]

225. I've wanted to reply to that phrase but couldn;t think of something snarky enugh

thanks

[cwydro]

231. Lol.

Never heard anyone talk like that in real life.

Great thread!