Before we get into the firearms debate, let me first say that the current gun control debate, along with many gun makers and gun stores, will be rendered obsolete once 3D milling technology becomes cheap and affordable. By then folks can simply download plans from internet and click to print their own firearms at home:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot1vTf9BcO4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a1SC2vBGM4
Winston wrote:
5. Fifth, I don't see how gun control automatically leads to tyranny. I was in China last year for 6 or 7 months. In China, one cannot buy guns, not even on the black market (as far as I know). Yet I did not see any tyranny there at all. In fact, I felt FREER than in the US. I was free to go wherever I wanted to in China, free to go out and buy whatever I wanted and needed, and free to make friends, talk to strangers and date beautiful girls, without feeling like a creep -- which is a lot more than I can say for the socially isolating lonely USA and its "no talking to strangers unless its for business" social culture. So what freedom did I lack in China that was taken away by China's "no guns allowed" policy? Did I miss something? lol. By the way, the ban on guns in China means that there is no gun violence in China. Isn't that a good thing? Even the criminals there don't manage to get guns in any black markets. Why is that?
Gun law in China:
http://www.sd.xinhuanet.com/qdzfw/2006- ... 359961.htm
By authority of each province, sporting clubs, sporting organizations, hunters, herdsman, and wildlife management may obtain sporting or hunting firearms. Certain tribesman are also permitted traditional muzzle-loading rifles. As of 2007 there were approx. 680,000 registered firearms in China. If you have the money, it's possible to obtain sporting club license or membership, or if you're good enough, join an athletic/Olympic sporting organization. China has a pretty strong Olympic shooting team for both men and women.
There is no reliable estimate on the number of illegal firearms in China. Estimates have ranged from few millions to 40 million. Government sponsored gun amnesty where people can turn in illegal firearms under "no questions asked" rule can collect over 100,000 firearms and over 5 million rounds of ammo in few months.
Winston wrote:
Many people who commit suicide do so with guns. American movies seem to encourage this too, because they always show men putting a gun to their heads or in their mouths and killing themselves. I don't know why American movies love to show suicides by guns, as though it were a glorious way to go that the media encourages. It's really sick. So if you have a gun and one day feel depressed, you may be tempted to end your life with your own gun. Why make suicide easier to do, especially since its morally wrong in most cases? I think without guns, people would be less inclined to stab themselves with a knife. Knife suicides are less likely to succeed, since people sometimes survive them, so they are less efficient as suicide weapons. The point is, I don't think making suicide easy and quick is a good thing. Thus having a gun is a danger even to its owner, after all one never knows when one could become depressed and feel suicidal. Or a demon could possess you and make you feel like killing yourself or others too. You never know. Why take the risk, especially if it's unnecessary?
If anyone reading this is considering suicide, please stop here and call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Knife (or razor blade) suicides have lower rate of success because people don't use the right tools and don't cut correctly. While I do not recommend suicide as a solution to most problems, I do believe that people have a right to die. Ideally we should have assisted and self administered suicide centers where people are given proper counseling against suicide, and when all else fails, they can be given the facilities to die without splattering their brains on the wall.
dreamofarakis wrote:
3. some of the most dangerous countries in the world have bans on guns: Russia, South Africa, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Mexico. Criminals know other people aren't armed so they go abuse with impunity. When you know anyone might have a gun, you will be less likely to think its a good idea to break into someones house or rob them.
Not familiar with South American gun laws, but here's Russia/SA/MX:
* Russians are allowed to purchase smoothbore (shotgun) and rifles for hunting, target shooting, and self defense.
https://www.rt.com/news/206703-russia-g ... f-defense/
* South Africa allows purchase of firearms for self-protection, hunting, sporting, and private collection. It used to take 2 years to buy a gun there, now the process takes 90 days or less:
http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/ ... oW7JPmVOQ4
* Mexico's Constitution has "right to keep arms", per Article 10. Mexican citizens (and legal residents) are allowed to purchase firearms for purpose of home defense, hunting, target shooting, sporting competition, and collection. Handguns are restricted to 380/38/22, rifles no larger than .30 cal, and shotguns in 12/20/410. Penalty for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition can be harsh.
Winston wrote:
Momopi,
What is it with you and hunting? Don't you feel guilty about killing unarmed animals? How would you feel if you were a deer or rabbit, and you were doing your thing out in nature, and suddenly a bullet hit you and ended your life painfully? Would you like that? If not, why would they? Animals do feel pain you know, it's well documented by science. And any pet owner will tell you that animals have emotions too.
<snip>
Also, isn't it unfair to hunt animals? Why don't you try to kill them with your bare hands? That would be more of a fair fight. I saw a T shirt once in Oregon that said "Fair is fair. Arm the animals." and then it showed angry animals holding guns and rifles. Great one. I bought that T shirt.
I do not currently hold a valid CA hunting license, and have not hunted for some years. But no, I don't feel guilty about hunting, dressing, cooking, and eating my dinner. Hypothetically, if scientists were to prove that plants have feelings and can feel pain, I don't expect vegetarians to starve themselves out of guilt. Most vegetarians never consider the absence of wildlife on farms with perfectly laid out rows of lettuce. They never see rabbits poisoned by diphacinone.
You can dispatch rabbits and fish by hand quickly, breaking the rabbit's neck or whacking the fish in the head with a stick. However this is not feasible with a 350 lb wild pig. Wild animals will generally not allow you to get close enough to be caught by hand, which is why our ancestors invented hunting weapons.
Winston wrote:I have some basic questions about guns that I don't understand. Anyone care to enlighten me?
1. Why is it that when you pick up a real gun, it's very heavy in your hand, almost as heavy as a brick? The metal in the gun is very heavy indeed. But in movies and TV shows, people run with guns and move around with them as though they were weightless objects or very light. How can that be? Also, if you carried a handgun, and it was heavy as a brick, wouldn't that make walking around difficult? Wouldn't it make your body lean on the side? So then how do people carry handguns and conceal them as if they were weightless or light objects?
2. How come at shooting ranges for target practice, and in indoor shooting training areas at police academy, and in outdoor shooting practice for the US marines, the person shooting has to wear an ear muff to protect their ears from the loud sounds of the gunfire. But when people are in a gunfight or shootout, they don't need ear muffs. And soldiers on the battlefield don't wear ear muffs either. How come?
1. The weight of a handgun depends on the material and ammo (when loaded). A Ruger GP100 357 magnum steel framed 6" barrel revolver weights 45 oz without ammo, versus Ruger LCRX 38 special polymer and aluminum revolver with 2" barrel weights only 13.5 oz without ammo. The weight of the ammo will add up too. Revolvers typically only holds 5-6 rounds, versus semi auto handguns can hold 8-17 rounds (limited to 10 in CA). The advantage of heavier handguns is that the weight will offset the recoil. But for concealed carry purpose people tend to choose smaller/lightweight models.
A standard 8-inch by 2 1/4-inch by 4-inch red clay brick weighs about 5 pounds (80 oz). The S&W 44 magnum revolver carried by Clint Eastwood (Dirty Harry) weights 45 oz.
2. At the shooting range there are many other people shooting in the same confined area, each person is likely to shoot 50-100 rounds or more in a practice session. It's advisable to wear hearing and eye protection because of the prolonged exposure.
The military did not always have luxury of hearing protection in combat, because they can't afford to lose situational awareness. This lead to hearing damage and hearing loss. Recently they have developed "smart earplugs" that are adjustable to only dampen loud noises while permitting normal conversation:
https://www.army.mil/article/122669/Sol ... protection
dreamofarakis wrote:
Enjoy the second amendment while we have it in America because it's not going to last much longer.
<snip>
if you win the lottery then you will need a gun. If that happens you will wish you had one. You will be dead after that it wont matter.
1. It's unlikely that the second amendment is going anywhere in our lifetime. To do so require 38 States (3/4) to vote on it.
What is more likely is the Supreme Court issue rulings that affect 2A, while anti-2A states and pro-2A states continue to go in opposite directions in the near future.
2. If you win the lotto, instead of staying in a location where you're known and might be robbed, wouldn't it be better to move somewhere that you can enjoy being anonymous?