• ZeroCoolOP
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    7 months ago

    Bigfoot, Mothman and the Responsible Gun Owner are my favorite mythological creatures of American folklore.

    • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      I actually am a responsible gun owner. I keep my guns locked up when I’m not going to the range, and I store the ammo separately. When I clean my guns, I always check the chamber to verify it is empty. I have been shooting guns since I was about 8, and I’ve never had a negligent discharge and never will with how anal I am about gun safety.

      The only reason I don’t carry is that I don’t have the money for it right now, and I don’t feel I am a good enough shot. I am only confident at 20 to 25 feet.

      • Zorg@lemmings.world
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        7 months ago

        Well that’s good, but even if we are generous and say half the ~80 million gun owners in the US, are as responsible with their weapons as you are; that leaves a fuckton of gun wielders who are not responsible.
        I am not outright anti-gun, but it makes no sense to me it took two tests and several weeks of waiting, to get a driver’s license; and if I want to do e.g. more than basic electrical or plumbing changes in my home, I should get a permit and there will be an inspection. Yet I could waltz into a store, buy guns like I was a personal army, and at worst I would have to wait a couple days to pick them up. As far as I know, there are 0 requirements or inspections for if you have a gun safe; let alone any form of test or licensing of if you are just barely competent and safe weilding them.

        • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          I completely agree with you on everything you said. I would say that out of every gun owner I have ever met, I would say less than 10% of them have the emotional temperament to own a gun, let alone the ability or the knowledge to keep it safely locked up.

          There should 100% be tests, and you should need to have a license to even own a gun, and almost no one needs to own one. It truly is absolutely ridiculous how easy it is to buy one in the usa. I don’t understand why anyone is against gun control other than them owning stock in gun companies ir the nra ir not giving a shit about other people.

          And can I just say I don’t get why people are so quick to downvote my other comment for what seems like no reason at all.

          • Cosmonauticus@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            Because every gun owner thinks they’re a responsible gun owner. Everyone is until they do something stupid and to act like you aren’t capable of making a mistake is naive. The problem is your mistake has deadly consequences. You can make the same argument for cars except driving isn’t a hobby in the US its a need. Like you said no one needs to own a gun.

            • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              I said almost no one needs one. There are still people who do need firearms. I’m not in that category anymore.

              I fully recognize I can and do make dumb mistakes in my life, which is why I am so anal about gun safety. I make a show of me checking the chamber or cylinder. I make it known to anyone in the house that I am removing a gun from its case and unlocking it. I ask others to double-check the guns for me to ensure they are unloaded, and even then, they are never pointed in the direction of someone. Lack of respect for the dangers of firearms leads to negligence and negligence kills.

      • Liz@midwest.social
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        7 months ago

        Provides evidence for responsible gun ownership

        Lemmy: Time to downvote this person for neutralizing one of my arguments.

    • _NoName_@lemmy.ml
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      7 months ago

      There’s definitely self-selection happening. A paranoid individual is more likely to feel the need to buy a gun. A person who wants control over others is more likely to feel that same need. A person with malicious or suicidal intent is more likely to feel that same need.

      Meanwhile, it’s entirely a coin-toss on whether a sane, responsible individual actually feels like they can/should own a firearm. I think as we get into worse civil unrest, we will inevitably see more individuals feel that they have no choice but to arm themselves, but for the time being it’s going to the less savory folks rushing to buy.