Republicans Gun Obsession Is A Mental Disease - Face It - Let's Talk About It

[DanieRains]

We need to start talking about the real problem for once.

Democrats own guns, but they don't need to wave them in people's faces, and play soldier all the time.

It Is A Mental Disease (Gun Obsession)

Now let's start talking about the problem, the "need" to own guns.

If you "need" a gun, then you "need" counseling, unless you live in bear country.

If you "carry" you are far more likely to shoot yourself, or an innocent than a "bad guy".

That's just a fact.

Time to have the talk.

[hack89]

1. Millions of Democrats own guns.

And while you are correct that few of us need guns, the beauty of civil liberties is that you don’t have to demonstrate a need - simply saying “I want to” is sufficient.

I have owned guns for 40 years and have never harmed a living thing. I am not the problem.

[DanieRains]

2. Same Here I Am A Gun Owner

But I am not obsessed with them / gun ownership. I just like target shooting, and hunting from time to time.

I am talking about the folks who feel powerless unless they have an armory, or a dozen AR-15's.

Plus everyone who wants a gun should have to wait 30 days to acquire one.

A cooling off period.

I am talking about addressing the obsession part, and the fear of being undefended when unarmed.

When I used to carry full time (working at a gas station in a tough place) my gun was what I thought about much of the time. I realize it really wasn't all that healthy, preparing for battle all the time. Is is loaded. Is is cocked. Is the safety on. How many rounds etc....

This subject goes deep.

Thoughts appreciated.

[hack89]

3. Have you looked hard at who is actually doing most of the killing?

I am not convinced legal gun ownership is the real problem. Gun violence is highly concentrated geographically - most of America has very low levels of violent crime and gun violence.

[Caliman73]

21. The topic does, in fact, go deep.

There is definitely something about firearms that creates this "culture", and while liberals who own firearms tend to have more nuance and understanding of the complexities, there can be a similarity with regards to the "love" of firearms. I have not been a particular fan of "gun culture" regardless of the politics. Certainly, I would prefer to be around liberals who own firearms rather than conservatives, but I have not found delving into the culture very satisfying.

The 30 day purchase would work for the first purchase but once you have a firearm you have it. I was listening to Randi Rhodes this afternoon and there was a discussion about Massachusetts' and Connecticut's licensing regime. I would not mind something like that. California has a "one in 30 days" limit on handguns which is neither here nor there. Not sure if it has really affected the firearms crime rate much.

I also, do not think that many GOP politicians are necessarily "obsessed" with firearms. I would imagine that they would likely prefer the rabble not be armed. I would bet very heavily that they would not mind finding some way to limit non-White people from owning firearms, the way Reagan "leapt into action in California, with the NRA's blessing, when laws were enacted to try to stop the Black Panthers from packing.

Republicans see this as an opportunity. It is something that motivates their base. All they have are "culture war" things like guns, cancel culture, and xenophobia. Republicans offer absolutely nothing in terms of policy that actually helps the average American so they play on grievance, fear, and the "isms" like racism and sexism.

I prefer a root cause mitigation solution to violence, but I do think that some sensible measures to limit access to firearms by unstable people, as well as a serious discussion about the culture and glorification of violence are part of the discussion.

[Hoyt]

4. Fact is, if Democratic gunners wouldn't stand in the way of gun laws, laws would have

been enacted now.

We have people right here on DU who are fine with gun laws as they stand now, public toting for just about anyone, supported George Zimmerman, etc. When pushed, their last rationale is -- if we go after gunz, we'll lose elections.

I was told by one yesterday, that Biden is powerless to do anything and would just announce that the Boulder shooting was an awful tragedy. Well, Biden stood up and said it's time for stronger gun laws.

[hack89]

5. Did you mean to say Democratic Senators?

Because they are the ones that killed gun control post Sandy Hook. And they will be the ones that kill it now.

Gun control or control of the Senate- those are your choices.

[Hoyt]

6. I mean gun owners like you and other Gungeoneers. We've been through this crud before, Hack.

There you go with that BS about losing elections.

[hack89]

8. Are you denying Harry Reid killed the AWB post Sandy Hook?

I am not stopping anything. All my reps and Senators support gun control including the AWB. I just know it will not pass the Senate.

[Hoyt]

9. Hack, like most, you'll say anything to protect your gunz.

[hack89]

11. And you, like always, can't answer a straight question. Nt

[DanieRains]

7. Universal Background Checks On 100% Of Gun Sales Would Be A Political Winner

Since 90% of America supports it.

The math works for me.

[hack89]

10. That it would

The problem is that congressional Democrats won’t stop there but will pile on all their pet gun control laws.

[Hoyt]

12. Good. Beats gunners' pet arguments to protect their weapons, while people die.

[hack89]

13. And we have a repeat of what happened post Sandy Hook

But you don’t really about that, do you?

[AndyS]

16. I'm sorry but this is not a legitimate compariaon.

First it's not either/or. It's not a binary choice.

Second, a private citizen without licensing cannot sell alcohol to another private citizen.

Third Absinthe was banned in many countries, including the US, for 100 years until REGULATIONS could be established and enforced on the toxic compounds found in it.

Nobody, not even me, wants to ban all guns. I want to regulate them to reduce the lethality of what any untrained civilian can buy on the street.

[AndyS]

18. If I misunderstand the point of your post I apologize.

However, owning a gun does not make one a killer and having a glass of wine does not make one drunk.

Like alcohol, guns should be regulated. To a large degree both are, just one more than the other.

In any event, as I pointed out, there are legitimate reasons to completely ban some type of thing without banning the entire thing.

I understand that you may have a strong opinion on alcohol. Cool, you're prerogative. My point is that banning some things can have a legitimate, legal and effective beneficial purpose.

Again if I misunderstood your first response. My bad.

[Kingofalldems]

19. That's what MAGAt Senator Kennedy was arguing just today.

[11 Bravo]

23. Perhaps you could start a thread about alcohol (rather than try to hijack this one).

[50 Shades Of Blue]

15. K & R!

[Initech]

22. I was behind a truck today that had some pretty alarming bumper stickers.

Sticker 1: "Coexist" spelled out in shotguns
Sticker 2: Fight crime - shoot back
Sticker 3: If you don't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them
Sticker 4: You can't coexist with people who want to kill you.

Also there was a Buy American sticker , a Blue Lives Matter flag (obviously they don't care about Blue Lives either), and stickers of half-naked women holding guns.

Yeah that is certifiably insane.