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Miko-dono In reply to Shironotenshi [2014-06-29 23:49:03 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, while it's true that guns were designed with the intent to harm and kill, it's all about the purpose behind the use of the object. There is even conflicting thoughts on whether guns were first invented with the intent of being a weapon, or as a tool to obtain food. Before the modern era, guns were used by every man, woman, and child who needed to hunt for food. Guns are much more effective and have a longer lifespan than bows or slings, and have a better probability of bringing down game than traps or nets. Tanks, bombs, chemical weapons, biological weapons, drones, missiles, submarines, cannons, and other such inventions were created and used solely with the intent and effect to harm, maim, and kill. So people look the other way when those things are used to their benefit (aka. Army, Navy, SEALs, Secret Service, CIA, FBI, ATF, etc.) It could be said that bats evolved from sticks, and sticks were first used for either building or hitting things (usually things you want to eat or kill). The same can be said for staffs, bows and arrows, spears, swords, and any other weapon. It was made with a specific effect in mind, but whether it is used in defense of life and property or to take life and property, is completely dependent upon the person using it. Knives, according to archaeology, were created from the need to kill prey, cut up the meat, and skin the fur. So their first purpose was not so innocent.

I just can't stand or understand how some people can take a blanket approach on guns, when it's guns that won America's freedom from Britain, that kept soldiers alive in WWI and WWII (the invention of cannons and missiles all come from the principles behind the gun), kept American soldiers alive in the debacle that was Vietnam, and in every such situation in the history of the world since the invention of the gun. Practically every country on earth has defended its borders, and kept their sovereignty with the power and use of weapons, especially guns.

Americans had no problem when guns killed Osama bin Laden, or when drones and missiles bombed Al Qaeda hideouts. When police officers wound or kill a suspect of a crime, they dismiss it since "they had it coming to them" or some such reasoning. But if a police officer is in a shootout with a suspect and some innocent gets caught in the crossfire, guess who they blame? Do they blame the officer's gun? Do they call for all police to give up their guns because guns are evil? Nope, if they don't blame the criminal, they blame the police officer - the person using the gun, not the gun itself. It's a degree and severity of hypocrisy that is really grating on me. Too many people don't think enough about the individuals that make up the police force in our country, or those in our military. They are just as susceptible to choosing to commit a crime for their personal gain or desire. It's happened many times before, and it will happen again. Someone in a position of power with a gun will choose to abuse that power, and often in the criminal act will use that gun, and people will (rightly) blame the person. Someone who is just a normal citizen who chooses to own a gun against the day when a situation may arise where their life and property, or the lives of their loved ones, is in danger, should not be considered a criminal or madman who just hasn't killed yet. Those gun owners are being targeted and blamed for crimes they haven't committed, they are considered guilty simply for owning a gun, despite our law of "innocent until proven guilty". There have been recent situations where a person who owned a gun has protected their own life and the life of their family with using a gun to shoot an attacker or intruder, and sometimes those suspects die. Then there's always those people who call for the defender to face criminal charges because in the act of protecting and defending, someone was injured or killed. They completely ignore the fact that the offender also had a weapon and was carrying it with the express and sole intent to harm and/or kill, or to unlawfully trespass and steal. There's the example of the recent story of the girl who was walking home, and two armed men grabbed her, put a gun to her head and demanded she lead them to her home. Her parents saw the men directly threatening her life, and they protected their child with the use of guns. One suspect was killed, and another injured. If the parents had not had a way to protect themselves, it's highly probable that the girl, and one or both of her parents would have been killed and their home ransacked. Yet there's some people, possibly some that are relatives of the suspects, that are calling for the parents to face charges, and for every gun owner in that area to hand over their weapons, because guns are evil and only used to kill people and only the government should own them, because the government is our nanny and our incorruptible protector, and will be able to instantly appear when we need them.

Ugh, I didn't intend for this to turn into a rant, but all I ever see on TV is news channels like CNN, HLN, and Fox News. Because for some weird reason, the hotel we were staying at didn't think people would be interested in channels like Animal Planet, History Channel, Nat Geo, or History Channel. And Facebook - if it's not animal pics, silly memes, or pictures with funny, sarcastic, or spiritual quotes, people are sharing stories and links about current social, religious, and economical issues. I sometimes miss being ignorant of the conflict and strife going on in the world.

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Miko-dono In reply to SmallBell [2014-06-06 04:22:13 +0000 UTC]

Thanks. I did a lot of thinking about it for several days, about what I wanted to say. One thing that came to me later was that all of those items are considered a deadly weapon, when used in committing a crime, but they refuse to see that guns are used to protect people as well. What do they think our army and police officers use? What did we use in the Revolution and the World Wars? It sure wasn't smear campaigns, signed petitions, and peaceful protesting. The video about Australia's crime rate was something I just came across while Googling stories, and it's a real eye-opener. That's our future right there, if we don't change it.

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