Reason #148591852852 why the USA is more awesome than your country.

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irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
Hmm... Did I mention Internet forums. Let's check:



No.

You're in the UK. There are no true gun owners in the UK, the law doesn't permit them to exist. So only the people who care enough to jump through hoops to own a whopping 3-shot shotgun and the labyrinth of caveats that come with it represent the UK gun owner. Only the truly committed or paranoid are willing to go through those steps, and given the circumstances it makes sense that the latter outnumber the former.

Barring extensive travel or video-chats, that leaves internet forums. It's an assumption, but an educated one.
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
You're in the UK. There are no true gun owners in the UK, the law doesn't permit them to exist. So only the people who care enough to jump through hoops to own a whopping 3-shot shotgun and the labyrinth of caveats that come with it represent the UK gun owner. Only the truly committed or paranoid are willing to go through those steps, and given the circumstances it makes sense that the latter outnumber the former.

Barring extensive travel or video-chats, that leaves internet forums. It's an assumption, but an educated one.

Hmm Did I mention talking to gun owners in the UK... Let's have a look:

That they can, the amount of gun owners I've spoken to however can't.

No.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
Hmm Did I mention talking to gun owners in the UK... Let's have a look:



No.

Well since my educated guesses seem to be missing left and right, care to elaborate on the source of these interactions that you used as support for your argument? Or are you just here to troll?
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
Well since my educated guesses seem to be missing left and right, care to elaborate on the source of these interactions that you used as support for your argument? Or are you just here to troll?

Yeah I went to a gun show thing in Tennessee last yeah. Twas... Interesting.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
Yeah I went to a gun show thing in Tennessee last yeah. Twas... Interesting.

Ah. Well that actually makes sense then. Gun shows are pretty varied in terms of the percentage of the lunatic fringe that shows up. In parts of Tennessee I can understand how you'd run into a lot of the survivalist/militia nut crowd. Especially the smaller ones where putting up a booth is comparatively cheap. At the larger shows you generally get more dealers, private enthusiasts, competitive shooters and law enforcement which help even things out.

I could also take you into a gun shop in Northern Virginia where I live that has some of the most pleasant, professional easy-going guys around. It's all about location and demographic really.

Keep in mind though most gun owners don't go to gun shows, just like most American Citizens don't vote.
 
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HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
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Ah. Well that actually makes sense then. Gun shows are pretty varied in terms of the percentage of the lunatic fringe that shows up. In parts of Tennessee I can understand how you'd run into a lot of the survivalist/militia nut crowd. Especially the smaller ones where putting up a booth is comparatively cheap. At the larger shows you generally get more dealers, private enthusiasts and law enforcement which help even things out.

I could also take you into a gun shop in Northern Virginia where I live that has some of the most pleasant, professional easy-going guys around. It's all about location and demographic really.

Keep in mind though most gun owners don't go to gun shows, just like most American Citizens don't vote.

Well based on my (granted limited) experience of gun owners in Tennessee, Las Vegas shooting ranges and this forum, you can understand why i see paranoia and gun ownership going hand in had. Couple that with the media showing us "crazy" americans going mental with guns on a regular basis. Here I am.
 

amddude

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
1,711
1
81
Well based on my (granted limited) experience of gun owners in Tennessee, Las Vegas shooting ranges and this forum, you can understand why i see paranoia and gun ownership going hand in had. Couple that with the media showing us "crazy" americans going mental with guns on a regular basis. Here I am.

There are an enormous amount of people, myself included, that carry a gun every day and are 100% normal. I have three small children and if something were to ever happen like we were carjacked, robbed, whatever, there's zero possibility of me fleeing. I have to stand my ground.

When I go to the grocery store I'm not thinking about capping anyone in the produce section, I'm just thinking about my groceries. People from other countries, especially ones that regard firearms as purely destructive in nature, have [understandable] difficulty appreciating that.
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
There are an enormous amount of people, myself included, that carry a gun every day and are 100% normal. I have three small children and if something were to ever happen like we were carjacked, robbed, whatever, there's zero possibility of me fleeing. I have to stand my ground.

When I go to the grocery store I'm not thinking about capping anyone in the produce section, I'm just thinking about my groceries. People from other countries, especially ones that regard firearms as purely destructive in nature, have [understandable] difficulty appreciating that.

This is the paranoia in my opinion, Either that or America is a very dangerous place.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
Well based on my (granted limited) experience of gun owners in Tennessee, Las Vegas shooting ranges and this forum, you can understand why i see paranoia and gun ownership going hand in had. Couple that with the media showing us "crazy" americans going mental with guns on a regular basis. Here I am.

Yes I can unfortunately, although I tend to blame the media for only publicizing the negative shootings and almost never reporting (or otherwise burying) the reports of positive uses of guns (people who have fended off robbers and such).

As for the crazies and survivalists, they make the rest of us look bad and are generally looked down upon. They also unfortunately attract the most attention. :p Just keep in mind they're like the Tea Party. They may walk and talk like they represent everyone, but in reality they're a fringe minority.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
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This is the paranoia in my opinion, Either that or America is a very dangerous place.

Parts of it are. Other parts are safe enough you leave your backpack on the side of the road and it would be there the next day. Our society has different races of different sub-cultures, counter-cultures, languages and ethnicities all living on top of one another. That's produces friction under the best of circumstances, put it in an inner-city and combine it with bad socio-economic levels and you get violence. There are places in Washington DC and other major cities where I wouldn't feel safe at night armed with an Uzi.

It is however worth noting that the most dangerous areas are usually the areas with the strictest gun control. :)
 
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HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
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Yes I can unfortunately, although I tend to blame the media for only publicizing the negative shootings and almost never reporting (or otherwise burying) the reports of positive uses of guns (people who have fended off robbers and such).

As for the crazies and survivalists, they make the rest of us look bad and are generally looked down upon. They also unfortunately attract the most attention. :p Just keep in mind they're like the Tea Party. They may walk and talk like they represent everyone, but in reality they're a fringe minority.

Well this is an argument I don't want to get into, but For me there are no positive uses of guns (except during war time possibly)

Also i've been meaning to say you know your signature says "Neckbard" in it, no one has ever called me that...?
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
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Well this is an argument I don't want to get into, but For me there are no positive uses of guns (except during war time possibly)

Also i've been meaning to say you know your signature says "Neckbard" in it, no one has ever called me that...?

Yeah we've been here before. Personally I see a gun putting a criminal (armed or not) out of action (whether by deterrence or lethal use) as a good thing and the person who does so as a hero. I like the idea of a society that partially policies itself, but neither of us are going to get anywhere with each other on this so I'll table it.

And I thought your original SN was Neckbard and Neckbeard was an adopted misspelling. Whatever. Fixed.
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
Yeah we've been here before. Personally I see a gun putting a criminal (armed or not) out of action (whether by deterrence or lethal use) as a good thing and the person who does so as a hero. I like the idea of a society that partially policies itself, but neither of us are going to get anywhere with each other on this so I'll table it.

And I thought your original SN was Neckbard and Neckbeard was an adopted misspelling. Whatever. Fixed.

alas no, I was neckarb
 

amddude

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
1,711
1
81
This is the paranoia in my opinion, Either that or America is a very dangerous place.

All I can think is that it's a cultural thing. I've told you this in other threads before but I really don't think you'd find it that uncomfortable over here. If you're in a state other than NJ, NY, MA, CA (more or less) there's people all over the place carrying guns. But yet, there's no shootouts. haha
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,534
911
126
I answered his question with actual experiences, and I know other people who can do the same with far worse stories than me. Care to comment on our paranoia?

I lived in Los Angeles during the riots after the Rodney King verdict. I drove through areas that were being actively looted after seeing that truck driver dragged out of his truck and hit in the head with a brick...it was a fucking war zone. I am a gun owner and I had a gun in my lap but NOTHING I've seen in my daily life since has even come close to warrant carrying a firearm around with me at all times. NOTHING!!!

You are so fucking paranoid it's not even fucking funny.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
I lived in Los Angeles during the riots after the Rodney King verdict. I drove through areas that were being actively looted after seeing that truck driver dragged out of his truck and hit in the head with a brick...it was a fucking war zone. I am a gun owner and I had a gun in my lap but NOTHING I've seen in my daily life since has even come close to warrant carrying a firearm around with me at all times. NOTHING!!!

You are so fucking paranoid it's not even fucking funny.

Hahaha yes, I'm paranoid after deterring a mugging by pretending to be armed. I'm paranoid after getting a death glare from a hispanic gangbanger looking for a way into my car. I'm paranoid after getting a glare from a guy beating his kid against his car in broad daylight. My friend must be paranoid after watching his neighbor's house get robbed in front of his face.

And that jogger I read about who shot a would-be mugger, I guess he was paranoid too. There are self defense stories by lawfully carrying civilians all over the place. In public areas no less.

One example of many: http://blogs.sacbee.com/crime/archives/2011/02/would-be-robber.html

Bad shit happens when you least expect it to.

When I pocket carry my Sig P238 I forget I have it on me. It's of no more notice to me than my wallet aside from where I have to navigate the useless labyrinth of carry laws. Paranoid my ass.

In any case there is no reason for you to deny me, specifically, the right to carry a firearm. Other than the fact that it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling for some reason.
 
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HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
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I'm paranoid after getting a death glare from a hispanic gangbanger looking for a way into my car. I'm paranoid after getting a glare from a guy beating his kid against his car in broad daylight.

I'm sorry, but thinking you are getting death glares from people is the very definition of paranoia.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
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I'm sorry, but thinking you are getting death glares from people is the very definition of paranoia.

I'm not thinking anything. I wish I could imitate it for you over the internet, I'm not talking a sidelong glance or even stare. The glare I received from this guy was wide-eyed and constant. There was no one else around me he could have possibly been looking at. He was also wearing a distinctive ear-ring, which I later confirmed with the local PD as the sign of a hispanic gang.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
I'm sorry, but thinking you are getting death glares from people is the very definition of paranoia.

You have to know how to give it to recognize the stink eye. You see it in an animal face to face before you kill it.
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
I'm not thinking anything. I wish I could imitate it for you over the internet, I'm not talking a sidelong glance or even stare. The glare I received from this guy was wide-eyed and constant. There was no one else around me he could have possibly been looking at. He was also wearing a distinctive ear-ring, which I later confirmed with the local PD as the sign of a hispanic gang.

OK I cba to argue.

You have to know how to give it to recognize the stink eye. You see it in an animal face to face before you kill it.

Stop killing things.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
You have to know how to give it to recognize the stink eye. You see it in an animal face to face before you kill it.

It wasn't stink-eye. Would have all but dismissed it if it was. Closest thing I can find on the internet (which isn't saying much) is this kid:

SuperStock_1828R-25617.jpg


Only without the pursed lips and on a young (late teens to mid-20s) hispanic guy with a gang sign. On this kid it's cute and funny. In the afore-mentioned context it was a lot more serious.

For the record, I'm just using the pic to make a point about how distinct the look was, that is, I wasn't misinterpreting another look. Do not take this pic as an accurate representation of the look. It's similar to the glare I got in the same way a chimp resembles an adult human. It's the best (very) rough approximation I can find. Nothing more.
 
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