Posted on 02/02/2005 10:45:23 AM PST by freepatriot32
At first glance, the term "gun nut" would appear to be nothing more than an ad hominem against the more enthusiastic weapon owners of this country. However, as one reads the literature espoused by gun nut organizations, the reasoning behind this term becomes startlingly clear. Gun nuts are called as such because they are incontrovertibly insane.
The gun lobby has adopted the same attitude toward politics as Rush Limbaugh: "Don't confuse me with facts, I've got my mind made up!" Gun nuts are so obsessed with opposing gun control laws that no amount of factual evidence against their position will sway them. Some call this "sticking to your guns." I call it "deliberate stupidity."
The National Rifle Association (NRA) claims that a society that owns guns is a safe society. Throughout the pages of gun magazines are various ads which depict Joe Average wielding a hand cannon, defending his helpless family from a masked intruder who has invaded his home in the dead of night. Ignore for a minute that the probability of encountering a burglar dumb enough to enter your house while you are there is incredibly slim and look at the FBI's study on gun violence. In 1993, of 39,595 firearm-related deaths, only 251 were determined to be justifiable homicide. That is less than 1 percent of all firearm deaths for that year. Furthermore, studies in 1994 found that you are much more likely to be murdered by someone you know, not some masked boogey-man with an eye for your wife's jewelry. Suicides, homicides and accidental deaths far outnumber instances where someone has successfully used a firearm to defend themselves or their loved ones. Either these findings have not reached the NRA, or they are deliberately turning a blind eye to them.
Unrestricted ownership of weapons essentially follows the tenets of the classical theory of criminology. This theory is hardly modern, developing in the late 1700s through the works of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. The core ideas of classical theory are: the decision to commit crime is a rational cost-benefit evaluation and that crime can be prevented through administering certain, severe punishment. Gun nuts believe that if every citizen owned a weapon, potential criminals would be too afraid to commit crimes.
The right wing, not just the gun nuts, has become so enthralled by classical theory that they have completely ignored the mountains of evidence that contradict it. While America fairs better than its developed counterparts around the world in most areas of crime, it tops them all in the category of murder. While you stand a better chance of being robbed in Sydney, Australia than in Los Angeles you are 20 times as likely to be killed in L.A. A rational mugger would prefer to give up and flee should his activity lead to conflict (as murder comes with a much higher cost than mere robbery, while the benefit is relatively minute), but statistics point out that in the U.S., victims that put up a fight are typically killed. This is not rational behavior and all the guns in America haven't changed it.
When the chips are down in the debate on crime, a gun nut will always fall back on the Constitution. Gun nuts love to quote the Second Amendment, or at least they love to quote the second half. In its entirety, the Second Amendment reads, "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This does not, in any way, clarify the issue of personal gun ownership. It is vague, leaving one to wonder whether or not gun ownership rights should be extended to the individual without mandatory enrollment in a "well organized militia." Historically, the Supreme Court has ruled that states have the right to enact gun control laws, as was determined by United States v. Cruikshank in 1876. The NRA has conveniently ignored the first half of the Second Amendment, typically printing only the second half. Former Chief Justice Warren Burger denounced the NRA's editing of the Second Amendment as a "fraud."
Owning an arsenal is not a "way of life," it is a mental disorder. It is an unjustifiable paranoia that leads to thousands of unjustified deaths every year. Let's put this in perspective. Annually, about 17,000 people die of illicit drug use (illegal), 0 people die of marijuana use (also illegal), 20,000 people die of sexual behaviors (not illegal, but frowned upon), while some 29,000 die in a firearm related incident, 1 percent of which result in a "bad guy" eating a lead sandwich.
I'm not suggesting that people stop owning weapons or that the NRA disband and start crusading for rights that don't kill anyone, like smoking pot for example. What I want is an end to the lies that the gun nuts want so badly to believe in. I want them to face the fact that they are much more likely to kill their wife and children than defend them. I want them to realize that the only crime wave in this country is in homicide, a crime inextricably linked with firearms. Perhaps when gun nuts stop living in Charlton Heston's movies they will pursue a safer, more reasonable route to gun ownership and use.
That's the key. People who want to commit crimes w/ a gun probably don't bother to register it. No amount of laws will keep criminals from owning guns and if criminals know that their prey are unlikely to have a gun with them (because it's illegal thanks to liberal meddling), the criminal knows they are at an advantage and will take advantage.
Read the play book:
http://www.lawfulpath.com/ref/brainwsh.shtml
It says:
" Another reason for the alignment of psychopolitical activities with the misalignment of insanity is that insanity, itself, is a despised and disgraced state, and anything connected with it is lightly viewed. Thus, a psychopolitical operator, working in the vicinity of an insane person, can refute and disprove any accusations made against him by demonstrating that the family itself is tainted with mental imbalance. This strategy is surprisingly effective in capitalistic countries where insanity is so thoroughly feared that no one would dream of investigating any circumstances in its vicinity. Psychopolitical propaganda works constantly and must work constantly to increase and build up this aura of mystery surrounding insanity, and must emphasize. the horror and hopelessness of insanity in order to excuse non- therapeutic actions taken against the insane. Particularly in capitalistic countries, an insane person has no rights under law. No person who is insane may hold property. No person who is insane may testify. Thus, we have an excellent road along which we can travel toward our certain goal and destiny."
"Unrestricted ownership of weapons essentially follows the tenets of the classical theory of criminology."
I suppose the real life proof of Washington DC, as well as other gun restricting societies, would be proof that this freedom grabbing nut is fact based in his assertions. I suppose I've seen the same circular logic used many times right here on FR, so I shouldn't be shocked.
There.
Next door to my house live the "Reyes Brothers." A group of thug siblings who consider themselves a gang of sorts. They provide for their meager existence buy stealing and dealing small amounts of weed. The braindead bitches who have moved in with them pop out kid after kid for the welfare benifits.
Some tools of mine came out missing from my shed one night. Sitting at my dinner table later I saw one of them enter his house and through the open door I breifly saw one of my power tools. Later that night, I went into that house, jumped up on the bed where one of the was sleeping and sat on his chest. I pressed my M1911 to one of his eyes. I told him that if I wanted my sh!t back where they found it by the time I came home from work the next day and if ANYTHING at all ever came up missing at my house again, I would be back. I would not care if it was they who stole it or not, I would go after them.
Not only did they take all of my stuff back, they now guard my house when I am not there. The last thing they want is for anything to come up missing.
Robert Schiering, I don't really keep guns for burglars, the pups are enough for that.
I keep them for you and your kind.
No mention that most of the rest were caused by criminals which used guns during the commission of a crime.
No, no, no, no, no. Have I said that enough? Almost 2/3 of annual firearm-related deaths in the US are suicides. Most of the remaining 1/3 are as you said.
You can also mention the fact that for every attacker that is shot dead, 95 of them are simply scared away by the sight of a gun in his victim's hand.
A little ammunition for your misguided argument.
He makes no sense, but then, neither did you.
I've been thinking the same thing!
I just can't read this.....
Gun nuts are called as such because they are incontrovertibly insane.
I am insane. Insane for actually READING this tripe. "Don't confuse me with facts,
Actually I know the facts very well. In 1993, of 39,595 firearm-related deaths, only 251 were determined to be justifiable homicide. That is less than 1 percent of all firearm deaths for that year.
Deliberate deception. 1993 was the worst year of muders ever. They didn't use 2000 or later. Also, they lumped in suicides here as well, not just murders.
Suicides, homicides and accidental deaths far outnumber instances where someone has successfully used a firearm to defend themselves or their loved ones.
BS. Even the Anti-gun Police Foundation had a study at 1.5 million. I believe the FBI had one at 180,000 minimum. Gary Kleck had 2.5 million. Also, suicides are unrelated.
Gun nuts believe that if every citizen owned a weapon, potential criminals would be too afraid to commit crimes.
It's freedom nut, son. Get that right. Also, ever hear of Washington DC? Glasgow? Chicago?
While America fairs better than its developed While you stand a better chance of being robbed in Sydney, Australia than in Los Angeles you are 20 times as likely to be killed in L.A.
And you're 5 times more likely to be killed in Glasgow, than Austin Texas. And Washington DC is number one!!!!
but statistics point out that in the U.S., victims that put up a fight are typically killed. This is not rational behavior and all the guns in America haven't changed it.
WHAT STATISTICS?
determined by United States v. Cruikshank in 1876. The NRA has conveniently ignored the first half of the Second Amendment, typically printing only the second half.
You didn't even mention what US v Cruikshank said......wonder why. :)
Former Chief Justice Warren Burger denounced the NRA's editing of the Second Amendment as a "fraud."
One assclown judge. So what.
What I want is an end to the lies that the gun nuts want so badly to believe in. I want them to face the fact that they are much more likely to kill their wife and children than defend them.
I face that fact that you are an ignoramus.
I want them to realize that the only crime wave in this country is in homicide, a crime inextricably linked with firearms.
Again, go to Glasgow Scotland. Perhaps when gun nuts stop living in Charlton Heston's movies they will pursue a safer, more reasonable route to gun ownership and use.
My county has a LOT of guns, and had NO murders last year. Harford Connecticutt can't say the same......
LoL did you get a pic of his face when he opened his eyes? I love it zero cost security guards for your house hehehe
And it's OUR side that supposedly ignores the facts. LOL!
Some of these idiot pukes just...don't...get...it.
We don't need an excuse. We have a God given right to keep and bear arms. Government, as laid out in The Constitution, has no right to take our arms. None.
"...shall not be infringed" is very clear, I think
Actually most of the rest were caused by suicide. Which, if you don't have some religious objection to, can also be argued as "justifiable homicide".
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