For The Love Of... Guns? Why are they so loved?

[Leg End]

It matters intensely what the hobby in question does; its impact on other people is precisely what we take into account when we regulate anything, hobby or otherwise. Cars cause harm, but they are also often utterly indispensable in our current society.

Buses. Automated cars. Trains. Ride a bike. Walk.

Guns, not so much.

So ignore hunters or just ban guns for everyone. But wait, the usual argument is that guns should be banned for everyone except very specific groups. That is what makes it a joke.

In killing? If people see beauty in killing, or the ability to kill, then I frankly do not care, and do not respect that as an argument in its favour.

The internal mechanisms of a firearm.

The infection analogy has its uses.

Not really.

Gun proponents do often make the asinine argument that if everyone involved had had a gun, then the shooting wouldn't have taken place; a cyclical, ignorant argument.

If someone with a firearm was there, it could stop a shooter before things get out of hand. You call a cop when something happens, and that is just a man in uniform with a gun and badge.

 

[Vigormortis]

Aren't most wars started because of a penis. Penetrating the enemy, spreading the area, getting into the right position, completing the mission, pulling out when needed, cleaning up afterwards.

Penis' are dangerous and ugly to be fair.

Speak for yourself! Mine's beautiful!

[sub][sub]Though no less dangerous...[/sub][/sub]

 

[Gengisgame]

Aaaaaanywho. Why are guns so loved. So, embraced. So... loved. I mean in the US, if you mention any sort of gun control, people lose their shits. I gave seen those documentaries where parents would by their little ones guns and customise it and love it and name it, take it out for dinner, buy it some sexy Victoria Secret. The works.

What's the obsession about. Is it a penis thing? It's a penis thing isn't it? A small piece?

Don't own a gun, maybe I'll get one someday, maybe I won't but I think we need to have a discussion on how many people feel the childish need to attack sexuality when someone does or likes something they don't like.

TC would you equate a woman doing something you don't agree with or like with being a whore any chance you get, or being gay, of course not, difference is you would normally get called out on it but I'm calling you out on this.

Hell even if it was a penis thing for some people so what.

 

[Parasondox]

Aaaaaanywho. Why are guns so loved. So, embraced. So... loved. I mean in the US, if you mention any sort of gun control, people lose their shits. I gave seen those documentaries where parents would by their little ones guns and customise it and love it and name it, take it out for dinner, buy it some sexy Victoria Secret. The works.

What's the obsession about. Is it a penis thing? It's a penis thing isn't it? A small piece?

Don't own a gun, maybe I'll get one someday, maybe I won't but I think we need to have a discussion on how many people feel the childish need to attack sexuality when someone does or likes something they don't like.

TC would you equate a woman doing something you don't agree with or like with being a whore any chance you get, or being gay, of course not, difference is you would normally get called out on it but I'm calling you out on this.

Hell even if it was a penis thing for some people so what.

A small joke is... a joke. That bit weren't even serious. Am I not allowed to make a few funnys (yes bad ones) at something that is stereotyped to death? If you wish to have the discussion you pointed out, by all means, go for it.

 

[Silvanus]

Buses. Automated cars. Trains. Ride a bike. Walk.

Indeed, none of which entirely fill the same requirement, which-- when suitable employment is often quite thin on the ground-- is vital for a lot of people.

So ignore hunters or just ban guns for everyone. But wait, the usual argument is that guns should be banned for everyone except very specific groups. That is what makes it a joke.

Really? The UK operates such a policy, and enjoys a rate of gun-related killings many hundreds of times lower than does the US (as do most other countries).

The internal mechanisms of a firearm.

Recreate them outside the confines of a deadly weapon, then. The majority of gun-enthusiasts are not enamoured of the clockwork, but something else entirely.

If someone with a firearm was there, it could stop a shooter before things get out of hand. You call a cop when something happens, and that is just a man in uniform with a gun and badge.

Uh-huh, if they get the drop on the shooter, then he may go down after only a few murders. And even that's a big "if". On the other hand, if nobody has a gun, including the attacker, I'd rate everyone's chance of survival rather higher.

 

[Eacaraxe_v1legacy]

Gun-owning, Second Amendment advocate, liberal here. Yes, American "gun culture" is excessive, and quite stupid, an enormous amount of time. However, that does not mean guns serve no useful purpose, nor have no place in people's homes.

I used to live in a particularly rough neighborhood with a higher-than-average crime rate, and my shotgun was my means of personal defense.

I used to hunt often in relevant season, but don't any more because I just don't have time. Guns help provide food, and for a lot of people around the world even today, even in the first world, hunting is vital for putting meat on the table year-round. I do not support trophy hunting, by the by.

And, acknowledge it or not, wild animal attacks do happen, especially in rural areas that are urbanizing or in areas of growing urban sprawl, where natural habitats are destroyed and animals becoming socialized to human presence. Where I grew up, when I grew up there, we had a huge copperhead problem for that very reason (habitat destruction); that "copperheads are generally avoidant, rarely strike, and if they do they dry-bite" line is complete bullshit, copperheads are not nice snakes especially in areas where they've learned to recognize humans as potential predators. Guns are your best line of defense if it ever happens.

 

[DefunctTheory]

And, acknowledge it or not, wild animal attacks do happen, especially in rural areas that are urbanizing or in areas of growing urban sprawl, where natural habitats are destroyed and animals becoming socialized to human presence. Where I grew up, when I grew up there, we had a huge copperhead problem for that very reason (habitat destruction); that "copperheads are generally avoidant, rarely strike, and if they do they dry-bite" line is complete bullshit, copperheads are not nice snakes especially in areas where they've learned to recognize humans as potential predators. Guns are your best line of defense if it ever happens.

This is the first time, in my entire life, I have ever heard anyone say they need a gun to deal with a copperhead. My 76 year old Grand Mother who has a hard time getting up the stairs kills half a dozen of those things a year with a shovel.

As for copperheads as a whole, its in comparison that copperheads are fairly tame. Probably the only snake I've ever encountered that was more timid then a Copperhead is rattlesnakes, which will generally do everything in their power to avoid a confrontation. If someone ever gets bite by a rattlesnake, I assure you it's that person's fault. Copperheads are a little less so, but still fairly tame.

Water Moccasins, on the other hand, are complete assholes, and if you find one I suggest dynamite. You probably don't actually need explosives to deal with one, but I'm still in favor of atomizing the little bastards.

 

[Leg End]

Indeed, none of which entirely fill the same requirement, which-- when suitable employment is often quite thin on the ground-- is vital for a lot of people.

Acceptable sacrifice for public safety.

Really? The UK operates such a policy, and enjoys a rate of gun-related killings many hundreds of times lower than does the US (as do most other countries).

A nation surrounded by water has more effective means of controlling what goes in and what goes out.
Yet none of this matters because not only do guns get in anyway, you have the same situation replaced with knives. It's an endless cycle.

Recreate them outside the confines of a deadly weapon, then. The majority of gun-enthusiasts are not enamoured of the clockwork, but something else entirely.

I'm reminded of a female politician stating something along the lines of "handgun owners aren't happy with the ban on handguns as they enjoy them for sport. My response is 'find another hobby'." That line of thinking doesn't quite fly here.

Uh-huh, if they get the drop on the shooter, then he may go down after only a few murders. And even that's a big "if". On the other hand, if nobody has a gun, including the attacker, I'd rate everyone's chance of survival rather higher.

So now we get to a pretty common argument I hear myself: If it saves even one life, it's worth it.
But instead you have a situation where there are people saved by having firearms, but no one cares about that.
This isn't even going into how you can never guarantee someone won't have a firearm. You can however guarantee that those who need them can get them and use them to protect.

But no, let us chase the fantasy of there not being a gun in the hands of the wrong people in a country of over 300,000,000 of them in existence. Let us ignore that the two mot touted utopias of guns being heavily restricted have nowhere near the same geographical situation of the US. Ignore that we have almost as many guns as people floating around. Ignore it being a guaranteed right in one of our most sacred documents.

Just pretend for five minutes that it's possible to make guns illegal in the US and get all 300+ million of them rounded up.
I can still go to the Home Depot up the road and make one in my garage in about twenty minutes. 2 minutes if I really just need something to go bang and fire a projectile. I can make bombs with the materials currently under my sink. Hell, I know for a fact with what I have under the sink I can make stuff not too dissimilar from mustard gas.

It is a laughable attempt at utopia that throws everyone under the bus in the name of an actual fantasy. The people of the United States say no and any attempt to go against the will of The People is living proof why every free person must be armed to protect against those who are also armed in the effort to disarm the free people.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Because people like the idea of shooting things. Cans, targets, animals , people, they just like the idea of being able to destroy something in an instant. Power is addictive.

I don't like guns. And everytime someone accidentally hurts themselves i don't feel any pity.

 

[DefunctTheory]

I don't like guns. And everytime someone accidentally hurts themselves i don't feel any pity.

I wonder if that extends to people who fall off mountains while rock climbing, people who's chutes don't open properly when they jump out of air planes, or people who get concussions or broken bones when playing sports.

 

[MrFalconfly]

Because people like the idea of shooting things. Cans, targets, animals , people, they just like the idea of being able to destroy something in an instant. Power is addictive.

I don't like guns. And everytime someone accidentally hurts themselves i don't feel any pity.

I wouldn't say it's "the power to destroy" that makes shooting "fun" for me.

To me, it's the purest of case-studies regarding classical mechanics.

Everything from Hooke's law determining the firmness of the trigger, to Newton's second law determining the speed of the round, to Newton's third law pushing against your shoulder (in case of rifles).

To me, a rifle is the most intimate you can get with physics.

EDIT:

Should be said, I'm a Dane. I don't own any guns.

I merely talk from my experience in the Danish Army (and some sport-shooting, both clay-pigeon shooting, and .22LR range sport-shooting).

 

[Leg End]

Because people like the idea of shooting things. Cans, targets, animals , people, they just like the idea of being able to destroy something in an instant. Power is addictive.

I don't like guns. And everytime someone accidentally hurts themselves i don't feel any pity.

I don't like guns. And everytime someone accidentally hurts themselves i don't feel any pity.

I wonder if that extends to people who fall off mountains while rock climbing, people who's chutes don't open properly when they jump out of air planes, or people who get concussions or broken bones when playing sports.

Or people who drown while swimming.

BAN ASSAULT POOLS

 

[Frankster]

Non gun owner and never intend to travel to the US exactly because of "mah guns!" attitudes, ultimately people with guns make me feel unsafe because I don't trust these mofos, it makes me feel like I need a gun in return to even the odds, or at least carry a knife or something. I mean if everyone else is armed, I don't want to be the one idiot who isn't. Anyways random thoughts:

-Historical angle. I might not like it any more then Dopo doees , but fact is US mythology is choke full of stories of people with their guns, the image of a self reliant frontiersman eking a living for themselves with little interference, etc..
Whereas in Europe we never had that, sure we used guns of course, but that was for the military, "normal" people weren't armed and they didn't live in isolation with each other in an untamed country like frontiersman did, we never went through a wild west period and got romantic images of lone gunsmen writing wrongs and thus never romanticized the image of a lone gunman in the same way.

-The hunting and rural community argument where everyone lives an hour away. Allright this makes some sense, but honest question, how many folks here are hunters or live in such areas? Most people in the western world are city dwellers last I checked and what are you going to be hunting in the cities, pidgeons? So this argument gets a big meh from me.

-US peeps don't trust their cops. Look at some of the comments in this thread, "a cop is just a dude with a badge" or just a general feeling you can't trust cops to help you out (in the case of rural communities where nearest cop is an hour away..that seems more understandable), so a lot of people don't seem to trust the law will be there for them if they need it and seem to want to feel in control thanks to a gun, so that "if" something happens, then they will be ready to act. I find this a somewhat sad state of affairs though and just cements my decision never to live in the US, I like feeling like I can trust and count on my local cops.

-However find the argument of "gun collecting is just like any other hobby! Like euh..collecting cars, magazines or model soldiers! EXACTLY THE SAME THING" to be pants on absolutely retarded though and whenever someone says that, I have the mental image of the person shooting themselves in the foot because this just makes whatever actual good arguments they had seem super silly and you have to go through incredible mental leaps to put a gun, a tool dedicated to killing with no other practical purpose, on the same level as transportation people need to get on with their every day lives or common tools like knives you need every day.

Ok then...If we really want to play it like that....
I happen to enjoy collecting Nuclear weapons, Chemical weapons, bombs of all kind and military hardware.
What? Oh cmon don't be lame, I'm just COLLECTING them, why you so scared of that? They are works of art! The inside pieces of them is just fascinating! And have you seen a man die in horrible pain to white phosphorous? It is truly breath taking as the person agonizes whilst their skin is horribly burnt... Oh don't worry guys, I only have it for self defence and for when I feel like kicking back with the boyz on the weekend, it's a fun social activity, especially with a few beers! Seriously dudes? You can do just about fucking anything and make it fun thanks to being with buddies and a few beers so don't use that as a justification.

I swear this has potential to become the new "it's just a prank bro! it's just a prank!" only applied to firearms.
"It's ok bro! I'm just collecting bro! It's a collection! Why you scared of my collection? They just like any other hobby out there bro!".

 

[Silvanus]

Acceptable sacrifice for public safety.

I would hope that you recognise the difference between banning something integral to modern society, and banning something unneeded by it.

A nation surrounded by water has more effective means of controlling what goes in and what goes out.
Yet none of this matters because not only do guns get in anyway, you have the same situation replaced with knives. It's an endless cycle.

Uhrm, no, we don't have anywhere near the same situation with knives. That's ridiculous. They do not account for anywhere near the same level of killings.

I'm reminded of a female politician stating something along the lines of "handgun owners aren't happy with the ban on handguns as they enjoy them for sport. My response is 'find another hobby'." That line of thinking doesn't quite fly here.

Why not? Someone who enjoys the hobby of bombmaking is expected to find another hobby.

So now we get to a pretty common argument I hear myself: If it saves even one life, it's worth it.

Stop right there; that's not the argument I used.

It is a laughable attempt at utopia that throws everyone under the bus in the name of an actual fantasy. The people of the United States say no and any attempt to go against the will of The People is living proof why every free person must be armed to protect against those who are also armed in the effort to disarm the free people.

Which is why I'm not advocating that someone merely go out and nick all the guns; I'm advocating for a cultural change.

Must be a very mundane fantasy, since so many people are living in it already.

 

[Eacaraxe_v1legacy]

This is the first time, in my entire life, I have ever heard anyone say they need a gun to deal with a copperhead.

I said a gun is good to have against animal attacks. I used copperheads as an example of how wild animals in suburban areas can and do become dangerous. Perhaps I should have been clearer in intent.

As for copperheads as a whole, its in comparison that copperheads are fairly tame. Probably the only snake I've ever encountered that was more timid then a Copperhead is rattlesnakes, which will generally do everything in their power to avoid a confrontation. If someone ever gets bite by a rattlesnake, I assure you it's that person's fault. Copperheads are a little less so, but still fairly tame.

Water Moccasins, on the other hand, are complete assholes, and if you find one I suggest dynamite. You probably don't actually need explosives to deal with one, but I'm still in favor of atomizing the little bastards.

I've ran into all three in the wild. The thing is (explaining for the sake of folks who may not have grown up around venomous snakes in the wild), cottonmouths are active predators and rarely use caudal luring after the juvenile phase, but they go absolutely batshit in food mode. Most cottonmouth bites are because someone was playing around in a stream or pool, or fishing, and provoked a feeding response. Defensively, yeah, cottonmouths have an "envenomate first, ask questions later" attitude, but they don't strike unless they think they're in immediate, mortal danger; they'll musk and run any other time, and their threat display is unmistakable by all but the dumbest and most unaware people.

Compared to copperheads which are ambush predators, an encounter with one pretty much guarantees it'll go straight to defensive mode (not counting them getting out of dodge before you realize they're there as an encounter here). Compared to a cottonmouth in defensive mode, copperheads are a hell of a lot more aggressive and prone to striking. You can shoo off a cottonmouth, not so much with copperheads.

 

[BodomBeachChild]

There's a ton of reasons to love guns, or at least view them as a necessity.

For starters, in some areas of the country, people may use guns to help protect livestock. For instance, when I lived in Michigan, I had friends that had to worry about some animals (I believe raccoons) killing their chickens. People don't want to give up guns when part of their livelihood depends on them.

Then there are hunters. In a lot of states (e.g. Michigan, Pennsylvania), hunting is a major past time. It's not uncommon for politicians there to go after a rival by claiming that their proposals would put restrictions on hunting. Some people fear gun restrictions would take away (or reduce) the enjoyment (and potential food) they get from hunting.

And then there are people who like shooting sports. Actually, a vast majority of the people I know who are really into guns just like going to a range with a few friends and shooting at targets. It's relaxing and good for socializing and fun competition.

Finally, you'll occasionally get the instances where the person feels legitimately in danger and wants a gun for protection. This is used a lot in ads, but I've rarely seen it play out in real life. It certainly isn't as common as the above reasons.

Edit: Actually, one more reason: A lot of people like collecting guns. I'd imagine this is similar to the desire to collect other weapons like swords or knives.

Basically, think of guns like alcohol. You can easily pull out a lot of statistics on both that show how they are a danger to both the user and those around the user. But any restrictions will be seen as punishing the vast majority of legitimate, safe users because a small percentage misuse whatever it is. As a result, those will probably have a hard time catching on.

That said, most gun owners I know aren't completely opposed to better regulations here. It's just that their voice tends to get drowned out by the NRA leadership.

This is a really nice reply. I hope it gets more attention.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Because it gives people a sense of power, I guess?

I don't like guns. They're scary. I've shot a fire arm before (sports reasons), and while I liked aiming and it actually ended up being a decent shot, I hated everything that followed directly after I pulled the trigger. The bang, the recoil... It became so very, very clear how much damage it could do. Even though I was the one holding it, I felt a little unsafe. Like, why should I be trusted with something like this?! I'm just an ordinary person! The idea that people genuinely like everything I hated about it, scares me even more. I think that, like many sorts of power, it's something best left in the hands of people who are responsible enough to not want it.

That's also my take on things. My grandfather had a hunting rifle that was passed down to my uncle (the only other hunter in the family), and said uncle figured he'd show me what the thing actually looked like. There was a lock on the trigger - I mean an actual key-required locking mechanism, not just a safety switch - and he didn't take it off. The gun wasn't loaded, obviously, but the feeling I got of holding something that could *kill* someone else?

I didn't like it one bit. I can, however, see how someone else might. I'm a wee Canady with friends from down South, including one who I'd be better off calling a self-taught firearms historian. Get him started on nearly any gun, and you realize he holds these things in the same regard I do Balzac or Tolkien. He's the type of guy who attends gun shows like we do comics conventions and who thinks the idea of firing a tank-busting RPG in a long-distance firing range is pretty freaking awesome.

The most I can do is look at Holland & Holland hunting rifles and go "Yeah, if I had money to burn I'd hang that on top of the mantlepiece and look at it, but I'd never actually fire it". There's a few guns I can consider as "objets d'art", but most of 'em just strike me as being needless displays of power.

I'd equate them with katanas or other sabers, basically. Real pretty if they stay sheathed, scary as fuck once they're drawn. Unfortunately for me, the abovementioned friend is someone who also focuses on their stopping power. It makes some sort of sense, but why worry about how efficiently this or that piece of hardware can kill someone if you're a suburban guy who's never seen so much as the average shoplifter?

It makes me look at shots of Wal-Mart customers doing their groceries with a rifle slung at their back and go "Really? Fucking really?!"

 

[CrystalShadow]

Well, I'm not American, and I'm largely against guns, but I can still see some of the appeal.

They are interesting objects, mechanically.

Besides, I own a sword. I... Can't have it where I live, because I managed to move to the one area in the country that bans them.
(restrictions are more severe than owning a gun. Go figure. Ironic because in the other parts of the country you can own and buy them with no more restrictions imposed than buying a kitchen knife)

Where I have gotten into arguments with people about being allowed to own guns or not, what bothers me is not people that want them as collectors Items, or for use at a shooting range, or even hunting, or, as is the most common use in this country, animal control on farms.

What gets me worried is the people that feel they need it for 'self-defence'. The arguments put forth there always feel like some kind of paranoia, and seem to have some associated attitudes that I find incredibly worrying.

In short, if you say you want a gun for self-defense, I'd be very hesitant of letting you have one, because the attitude to killing I've seen people display that say that is quite disturbing, and does not represent the kind of mentality I'd voluntarily hand a means of killing more efficiently.

Having said that, the appeal of collecting the things or just admiring their form, or the effect they have on a target? Sure.

I've even sometimes thought about trying to get the permits and stuff required to own replica weapons.
(That is, non-functional versions of them).

Why would I do that, if it's as difficult as owning the real thing?
Because the only things I particularly like about the idea of owning guns are not qualities that depend on them being functional.
And I don't consider myself in need of a weapon for any purpose.

That I own a sword is not because I feel like it helps me defend myself, but simply because I appreciate it's shape, appearance, and to some extent, the skills involved in being able to use it.
Those skills are redundant for me to know, but they are still interesting in their own right.

As for the paranoid 'self defense' reasoning? Meh. I find it somewhat pathetic.
To the extent that I have any paranoia of my own, the furthest I would consider going is learning how to use a gun effectively, in case I find myself in a situation where that's the only real option.
But I don't see the need to actually own one.
And I consider even the scenarios where it would be useful for me to know how to use one so improbable as to be almost non-existent.

Still, I'm not going to say there is nothing appealing about owning guns. Because there is.

 

[Leg End]

-The hunting and rural community argument where everyone lives an hour away. Allright this makes some sense, but honest question, how many folks here are hunters or live in such areas? Most people in the western world are city dwellers last I checked and what are you going to be hunting in the cities, pidgeons? So this argument gets a big meh from me.

I live in a town not too far from another town and coyotes roam the streets at night and have a particular liking of my house due to them noticing I have a bunch of cats. Firearms are borderline required when from your car to your front door, you can get attacked by a pack that feels big enough to take on a Human.
We're also not getting into the fact that city folk go to rural areas in order to hunt.

-US peeps don't trust their cops. Look at some of the comments in this thread, "a cop is just a dude with a badge" or just a general feeling you can't trust cops to help you out (in the case of rural communities where nearest cop is an hour away..that seems more understandable), so a lot of people don't seem to trust the law will be there for them if they need it and seem to want to feel in control thanks to a gun, so that "if" something happens, then they will be ready to act. I find this a somewhat sad state of affairs though and just cements my decision never to live in the US, I like feeling like I can trust and count on my local cops.

To be honest, I trust your cops less than ours because I've had some really bad experiences with them. Yes, personal anecdote but some clarification nonetheless.

-However find the argument of "gun collecting is just like any other hobby! Like euh..collecting cars, magazines or model soldiers! EXACTLY THE SAME THING" to be pants on absolutely retarded though and whenever someone says that, I have the mental image of the person shooting themselves in the foot because this just makes whatever actual good arguments they had seem super silly and you have to go through incredible mental leaps to put a gun, a tool dedicated to killing with no other practical purpose, on the same level as transportation people need to get on with their every day lives or common tools like knives you need every day.

Swords. Knives.

Ok then...If we really want to play it like that....
I happen to enjoy collecting Nuclear weapons, Chemical weapons, bombs of all kind and military hardware.

Argument of extremes.

What? Oh cmon don't be lame, I'm just COLLECTING them, why you so scared of that? They are works of art! The inside pieces of them is just fascinating!

As long as you don't do something stupid, have em.

And have you seen a man die in horrible pain to white phosphorous? It is truly breath taking as the person agonizes whilst their skin is horribly burnt...

Disturbing Strawman.

Oh don't worry guys, I only have it for self defence and for when I feel like kicking back with the boyz on the weekend,

If you can manage to own enough land to make that possible, go nuts.

it's a fun social activity, especially with a few beers!

Operating a firearm while drunk is incredibly stupid and this strawman is a bad one.

Seriously dudes? You can do just about fucking anything and make it fun thanks to being with buddies and a few beers so don't use that as a justification.

Except no one in their right mind operates a firearm while not sober as a priest. Anyone that does should be held accountable for whatever terrible events occur as a result of their absolute proof of retardation.

I swear this has potential to become the new "it's just a prank bro! it's just a prank!" only applied to firearms.
"It's ok bro! I'm just collecting bro! It's a collection! Why you scared of my collection? They just like any other hobby out there bro!".

AM I BEING DETAINED

I would hope that you recognise the difference between banning something integral to modern society, and banning something unneeded by it.

So we're ignoring cops being armed? Ignoring people using them for protection? Ignoring those who hunt to know what they eat? Those who hunt because they live in bumfuck nowhere? We're in an age where we can afford mass, regulated, public transit but people will not give up their relics of a bygone age, polluting the planet and funding war. Cause of countless deaths all because they have to own their own little metal box.

Uhrm, no, we don't have anywhere near the same situation with knives. That's ridiculous. They do not account for anywhere near the same level of killings.

Depends per capita but you definitely have around an equal scaled amount of attacks. What we have in firearms, you make up for with blades. I've known one person in particular who carried around glass for their own safety.

Why not? Someone who enjoys the hobby of bombmaking is expected to find another hobby.

Bit of a different case but that's more to the blame of the ATF.
You can still have and use explosives for fun but jesus christ the paperwork.THE PAPERWORK AND MONEY.

Stop right there; that's not the argument I used.

Not one you used directly but in the same ballpark. You trade one form of violence for one you feel comfortable with while not addressing the root cause. To stop violence, you need to address People.

Which is why I'm not advocating that someone merely go out and nick all the guns; I'm advocating for a cultural change.

And that's what I'm advocating. One where more people know and respect the value of life and freedom.

Must be a very mundane fantasy, since so many people are living in it already.

I'll believe it when someone doesn't get .22lr through their window for stating opinions the person shooting at him didn't agree with in Australia and the UK doesn't have knife uses in crime through the roof. Or instances of fucking grenades being used.

The joke would be funny if it wasn't so sickeningly painful.