BS: I'm scared of Americans and Guns

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Caitrin
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:58 PM

I agree, Jon. Respectable hunters eat what they kill. I have serious problems with people who shoot animals for trophies.

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: JedMarum
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:55 PM

yes - and yes; gun shots, bombs, stabbing, widespread lawlessness.

that's my point. it wouldn't work.

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:50 PM

Jed, didn't they try banning alcohol in the US once and didn't that bring about an increase in deaths by gun shots?

Jon

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: JedMarum
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:35 PM

and why are we so willing to ban handguns? firearms are not only for hunting? Who needs to hunt in America, these days?? Very few of us! Handguns I believe are owned primarily for personal defense. I realize many people also owns them for the sport of target shooting, and even some for hunting.

I believe we ought to consider banning alcohol. It destroys many many many more lives each year then do firearms, and it has no value to a reasonable person.

and while we're at it; I don't like bad things. Let's stop them all from happening!

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:21 PM

Caitrin, I have been a vegetarian at times in my life but I have never had anything against a person who shoots an animal for food. I do however object those who kill animals for pleasure... brings me on to one of my pet hates - fox hunting - I'd love to see the participants swap roles with the fox.

Jon

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Caitrin
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:14 PM

I hate sounding so bloody NRA-ish, but this is ridiculous! A handgun is NOT the same thing as a hunting rifle. I firmly stand by my right to kill deer and eat them. Words are not known for their ability to create venison. Where does your dinner come from, Lizzie? Unless you're a vegetarian, somebody killed it. Now, whether he used a gun or not, I'm not sure. However, it's definitely quite dead. People tend to complain, otherwise. Every gun is not used for killing a person!

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:07 PM

I've known English people with guns and they would be just as scarey as Americans if they wanted to use them the wrong way...

Jon

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:03 PM

Lizzie; While I can understand your feelings about guns, I must say I am a bit dismayed that you are scared of us Americans. Yes, the press does tend to convey a violent society when America is mentioned and there is some truth to that. But, it is a small minority of our society. I own one gun a replica 1863 Springfield that I use strictly at Civil War reenactments. I have fired live rounds meaning bullets through it once at a demonstration for the Boy Scouts. I like to think I'm a nice and non-threatening guy. If you base your fear on what the media portrays, then I hope that you will either visit us here in the United States or get to know some of us here at Mudcat. I believe that will allay your fears. V/R Neil

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Margo
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:01 PM

So Lizzie, what do you do when someone WON'T negotiate with words? It's a FACT that words don't always work. The British troops were very surprised to find the American colonial farmers armed and ready to stand up for themselves. I guess not much has changed there! :o)

Margo

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: GUEST,Lizzie
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:01 PM

This is what scares me:

I say that no-one with any sense should need a gun. Lonesome EJ then tells me that I'm naive.

Maybe I am, but I'm scared by the fact that I even need to bring this up:

Guns are wrong!

Guns kill people!

Gun control NOW!

Sorry, but I feel strongly

Lizzie

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Caitrin
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:56 PM

First, all guns are not used for killing people. Some are used for hunting and target shooting. Many people who want to own guns do not want them for the purpose of shooting people. The idea that everyone who has a gun plans to kill someone is positively ridiculous. It is a serious mistake to equate a hunting rifle with a handgun. Used responsibly, guns should not be feared. They should be respected and treated with a definite sense of their power. Unfortunately, there are lots of gun owners who do not treat their weapons with proper respect, which results in my father having to pick up a woman whose chest has been perforated by a shotgun which was left chambered, cocked, safety off, ready to fire, and unattended. Also unfortunately, there is a criminal element which does use guns for killing people. Thus, many people feel the need to have a gun for protection from others with guns. So, yes, there are many Americans who want to have guns because there are people on whom words are not effective.

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:54 PM

Well, Lizzie - I have to admit that although I'm strongly in favor of banning handguns and restricting the use of hunting weapons, gun's aren't something you see every day in the United States. Sure, you see police officers carrying them in their holsters, but I can recall only one occasion in my life when I saw somebody carrying a gun in a way that frightened me. The guy and his wife had shotguns pointed at me, afraid that I was some sort of bad guy. It took me a while to convince them that I was indeed a Federal agent, armed only with a ballpoint pen. After that, they settled down and put away their guns, and we all had a good old time.
-Joe Offer, retired fed-

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: JedMarum
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:52 PM

this is a joke, right?

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Amergin
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:50 PM

Don't be scared of us. What you see on the news about people killing each other with guns and what not is actually a fairly small percentage of the American population (I know these damn statistics again that have been shown over and over again). I grew up in North Idaho where guns are pretty prevalent (hunting rifles and handguns). I grew up around guns and I know how to use them. You have to understand though that with our country's history and the histories of the people who fled here from their own governments and other persecutors, a good many folks here are leery of the government taking away anything they see as being theirs by right. That is all I have to say on the subject. Blessed be.

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:45 PM

Lizzie...it's a bit difficult for a hunter to bring down a deer by shouting "Bang! You're dead!" The use of a rifle is generally more effective. And believe it or not, the preservation of many of our wilderness and wetlands area here in America is often directly attributable to hunters. I own a 16 ga shotgun and an 8mm Mauser hunting rifle myself, and I do believe in the right of citizens to the responsible possession and use of such dangerous weapons for activities related to hunting.

I will not attempt to excuse the possession of handguns, semi-automatic, or automatic weaponry by the public. There is, I believe, no excuse for possession and use of such. And I believe that the use of shotguns and rifles should be more tightly controlled, through a licensing program such as that used by the Motor Vehicle Bureaus in most states. I also believe that fines and punishments for crimes in which guns are used should be greatly increased in severity.

When you state that "nobody with any sense needs a gun", you badly oversimplify the case regarding guns and gun control.

Subject: RE: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: GUEST, Threadie
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:34 PM

Right on darlin'. Imagine the Brits with guns eh?

Oh Praise....?, another newbie.

Come and welcome her....

Subject: I'm scared of Americans and Guns
From: GUEST,lizzie
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:25 PM

I'm new here, and I live in england.

Why do so many of you americans want to have guns? Nobody with any sense needs a gun. Humanity invented these things called 'words' a while back - used reasonably, they work quite well!

please stop wanting 'the right' to own guns, it makes me scared

Lizzie