What are legitimate reasons for citizens owning guns?

[bradly1101]

I assume because with gun ownership comes a responsibility to distinguish tyranny from political opposition.

That sounds like safe reasoning. /s You trust everyone to be able to make that distinction? Does our assumed right outweigh the probability of crazies?

 

[mdram]

No, I mean the people who voted other, I’m curious as to their reason, not the reason you included it.

target shooting is not on the list
though you could argue sporting covers it

 

[mdram]

One of the reasons I'm getting a shotgun is precisely because they're big and heavy - not easy for children to pick up, load, and fire, unlike handguns.

dont make them a thing of mystery. allowing kids to learn, once they are of age, helps cut down the 'i wanna play with it' thoughts

let them see what it can do, and how destructive it is. they need to develop a respect for firearms, and not treat them like toys or video game things.

 

[BoomerD]

Because the US Constitution says we can.
/thread.

 

[zinfamous]

painting your house, hammering nails, folding burritos, screwing in flat-head screws.

I'm told guns are just tools and can be used for all sorts of tasks.

 

[rchunter]

All of the above

 

[soundforbjt]

Double post.

 

[soundforbjt]

target shooting is not on the list
though you could argue sporting covers it

That’s what I took sporting to mean.

 

[Paratus]

What motivated me to purchase a gun was a spike in crime in my immediate neighborhood - literally my neighbor across the street (carjacked in the middle of the day by two kids who put a gun in her face as she sat on her porch) and a neighbor about 8 houses down who's home was invaded in the middle of the night while she, mercifully, was out of town.

That type of brazenness shakes me. I have four small children, a wife, and a mother-in-law in this house. If someone comes through that door at 2AM, I've presently got a machete and a hatchet to defend myself and my family with. That's not going to cut it (so to speak).

So there are several things I could do: Get an alarm system, get a dog, get a gun, move, or some combination. Financially, alarms and dogs are recurrently costly. As a practical deterrent in a physical fight, alarms won't do any more immediate help than calling the police would; dogs would though, big ones at least. The shotgun I'm getting is under $200. The security cabinet for it is about $300. That's comparatively inexpensive.

One of the reasons I'm getting a shotgun is precisely because they're big and heavy - not easy for children to pick up, load, and fire, unlike handguns.

Well I’m glad you’ve put some thought into it and I’m sorry it’s a decision you currently need to make.

You'll need to think long and hard about how to minimize the risk of accidents to you and your family while still having access to the gun.

 

[Atreus21]

That sounds like safe reasoning. /s You trust everyone to be able to make that distinction? Does our assumed right outweigh the probability of crazies?

Shrug. I don't think there's a way to make laws if you can't have some faith in your citizens' judgment.

 

[Atreus21]

dont make them a thing of mystery. allowing kids to learn, once they are of age, helps cut down the 'i wanna play with it' thoughts

let them see what it can do, and how destructive it is. they need to develop a respect for firearms, and not treat them like toys or video game things.

Yeah, I'm getting that advice from other gun-owners too. The safest thing to do is defuse their curiosity. That means showing them everything about it.

 

[bradly1101]

I assume because with gun ownership comes a responsibility to distinguish tyranny from political opposition.

Tyranny is defined as: "cruel and oppressive government or rule."

Is it cruel to reduce the number of health insured Americans? Is it cruel to move money from the less advantaged to the rich? Is it cruel to kill so many civilians in our wars (I know we don't "target" them, but we aren't very careful to avoid them).....

Is it oppressive to try to reduce freedom of the press? Weaken the courts? Obstruct justice?.....

I'm really interested in what would cross the line into tyranny for you.

 

[bradly1101]

Shrug. I don't think there's a way to make laws if you can't have some faith in your citizens' judgment.

Hasn't that faith been shattered repeatedly, weekly, daily?

 

[Rifter]

All of the above. Like you OP i live in a really bad part of town. Lots of gang shootings and home invasions and drug use. Being in canada i cant CCW but i sure can defend my home with a firearm. And being in a ground floor apartment with the door to patio and door to unit being in the same room i will have no avenue of escape if i am the victim of a home invasion and i want something more than my dick in my hands if im forced to confront armed intruders.

Ive only even needed to deploy one once, didnt even need to aim or shoot as the thief ran as soon as he saw that i was armed thank god i dont want to shoot anyone unless i have no other option. My cat alerted me to someone on my patio(he always does, he doesnt like people on HIS patio, hes a good alarm) i got up from the couch to investigate thining it was just another cat on the patio, i opened the curtain to see a thief attempting to break the chain holding my BBQ to the wall with a large(36") crowbar(yes my BBQ and propane tank are chained to a wall, this is how bad my area is). He didnt see me immediately so i turned on the patio light, thinking this would scare him off, it had the opposite effect, he was scared and screamed he was going to kill me and held the crowbar over his head as if he was about to break through the glass door. I then decided i needed a weapon to defend myself if hes really going to come into my apartment and attempt to kill me like he said so i ran to my gunsafe and got my 1911, ran back to the patio door, which he had yet to breach and he was back attempting to break the chain on my BBQ as if nothing had happened, probably thought he scared me off and i was calling the cops, which would have given him more than enough time to steal my BBQ and whatever else he had planned(police response time in my city is 7-10 min). I tapped on the glass patio door with the barrel of the 1911 and he looked, realized i was armed, dropped the crowbar and ran. Still got the crowbar its actually a good quality one with good steel.

 

[1sikbITCH]

Off the cuff without reading anyone's reasoning or anything my first response is that all of those reasons are valid as an American citizen living in America. Right or wrong, guns are part of our psyche, a huge part of our economy, and a dog whistle for the White Nation. Trying to ban guns is a waste of time. Focus on regulation. back to work cya

 

[BurnItDwn]

Defence ... yes
Hunting/Sporting ... yes
Collecting ... yes

Check against government tyranny ... ehh, maybe it was the intent, but these days, you need a lawyer for that

 

[mdram]

Focus on regulation. back to work cya

got plenty of that, if they would just enforce whats on the books

 

[Jaskalas]

I think the second amendment should be honored with bolt action rifles. Large and bulky items that cannot easily be concealed and have limited capacity to slaughter a crowd of people. A man trying to gun down a church with one is more likely to miss his one shot and get mauled by the men nearest to him. It's possible a person dies from that shot, but far better than losing the entire room.

So I say... to everyone and their dog have your guns, but we're keeping their function as close to the writing of the second amendment as possible. The modern day bolt action will suffice. Some restrictions re violent offenders and the mentally ill would still apply.

If a person wants a REAL weapon (handgun or assault rifle), they'll need to be a member of the military, law enforcement, or other profession fully trained in safety and combat. Then we'd still have restrictions for crime, mental health, etc. Probably require reasons for ownership as well, and not just hunting, collection, or 2A.

Based on my views, all the check boxes should be marked, but you'd really need to hear me out to understand why.

 

[IronWing]

Check against government tyranny ... ehh, maybe it was the intent, but these days, you need a lawyer for that

Yep. If you love your country, thank a soldier. If you love your freedoms, thank a lawyer.

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Not sure how to take the free handgun lessons sign in the back..

https://www.voanews.com/a/texas-gun-range-offers-free-training-to-lgbt-people/3399929.html
This is just one of several gun ranges that offers free training to LGBT people after the Pulse nightclub terrorism.
"
HOUSTON —
Cheryl Burgin is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who knows how to handle firearms and feels the need to have one now as a lesbian living with her wife in Humble, Texas.

“There is a target that has been painted on people’s backs now if they are part of the LGBT community,” Burgin told VOA.

Since the attack on gays and others at the Pulse night club in Orlando, Florida, on June 12 that left 49 people dead, LGBT people around the country have felt something similar could happen to them or the people they love.

In states such as Texas that allow the open carry of firearms for people who obtain a concealed handgun license, many LGBT people now consider wearing a holstered gun or carrying a weapon in a purse or bag as a deterrent to crime as well as senseless attacks.

Gun range lessons

Burgin drove for more than a half-hour to reach the Shiloh Gun and Archery Range in north Houston to take advantage of a special offer to self-identified LGBT people for free lessons needed to obtain a concealed handgun license."

Don't believe the crap that pro-gun people are haters, bigots or racists.

 

[mdram]

lgbt gun rights group www.pinkpistols.org

 

[Younigue]

I chose "other" because the "hunting" option included "sporting" with it.

And then I only support it for hunting if proven there is a need in order to feed your family and even then I still think the guns (equipped with a tracking device) should have to be checked out for the day and returned. After rigorous training and a thorough background check that includes legal, military (if applicable) and mental records

Can't think of another reason (and this one doesn't even really count) any "citizen" should own a gun.

 

[bradly1101]

https://www.voanews.com/a/texas-gun-range-offers-free-training-to-lgbt-people/3399929.html
This is just one of several gun ranges that offers free training to LGBT people after the Pulse nightclub terrorism.
"
HOUSTON —
Cheryl Burgin is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who knows how to handle firearms and feels the need to have one now as a lesbian living with her wife in Humble, Texas.

“There is a target that has been painted on people’s backs now if they are part of the LGBT community,” Burgin told VOA.

Since the attack on gays and others at the Pulse night club in Orlando, Florida, on June 12 that left 49 people dead, LGBT people around the country have felt something similar could happen to them or the people they love.

In states such as Texas that allow the open carry of firearms for people who obtain a concealed handgun license, many LGBT people now consider wearing a holstered gun or carrying a weapon in a purse or bag as a deterrent to crime as well as senseless attacks.

Gun range lessons

Burgin drove for more than a half-hour to reach the Shiloh Gun and Archery Range in north Houston to take advantage of a special offer to self-identified LGBT people for free lessons needed to obtain a concealed handgun license."

Don't believe the crap that pro-gun people are haters, bigots or racists.

That picture was way before Pulse. I wonder if they make you prove you are gay. How would one do that?

 

[Atreus21]

Hasn't that faith been shattered repeatedly, weekly, daily?

Mine hasn't.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I chose "other" because the "hunting" option included "sporting" with it.

And then I only support it for hunting if proven there is a need in order to feed your family and even then I still think the guns (equipped with a tracking device) should have to be checked out for the day and returned. After rigorous training and a thorough background check that includes legal, military (if applicable) and mental records

Can't think of another reason (and this one doesn't even really count) any "citizen" should own a gun.

Anybody who needs a gun for subsistence hunting likely will be living very far away from any city (where there will not be fast er easy access to such training yrograms, and likely they will learn at a VERY young age from their parent(s) or uncle or grandpa or some other family member in their household on how to hunt over the course of their childhood. I would expect any 10 year old who lives in a subsistence hunting household to know more about gun safety and marksmanship than most instructors or trainers.

Honestly, I would expect that just about every "farm boy" and "farm girl" could safely handle most firearms as they would likely learn at a young age to protect their livestock from predators with a shotgun or a rifle.