My INALIENABLE Rights TRUMP Your SECOND Amendment Rights.

[IdaBriggs]

253. I think I'm going to do a little more, cali.

Its partly a rant, but it is also a bit of a declaration of war.

I'm angry that the people who "love" guns haven't been stepping up and taking care of business. Nothing that has been said in this thread hasn't been said multiple times - both by the "neener neener" crowd, and the "it stops here" crowd.

The "it stops here" crowd doesn't know what to do; we feel helpless, and victimized. I'm not a good victim. I'm kind of a fighter. I don't need a gun for the kind of fighting I plan on doing - if I can figure out what needs doing (which I'm starting to get a little more clear on, but not completely yet).

At one level, since I'm not "into" guns, I've kind of just ignored the problem, shaking my head at the tragedies, and rolling my eyes because I know at least three people who have histories of mental illness where they actually spent some time in a hospital setting for their issues - and they have CCW permits.

I won't have a gun in my house because I don't trust myself (I have a quick temper, and a vivid imagination - lol! - "didn't I tell you to put the toilet seat down?" blam! blam! blam!). My dad was a hunter; he left his guns to my brothers (who, as far as I know, probably haven't used them since he passed); he was also involved with law enforcement, and I know they can be used as tools.

But like all things that can be deadly (cars, chemicals, wild animals), I believe they need to be treated with respect. They aren't. They are plot points for our entertainments. And the people who should care the most - the "enthusiasts" - don't seem to want to ... take responsibility? Acknowledge there is a problem in the relationship? Pick an analogy; there are dozens.

Somebody made a post last week "its the video games" - I think partly it is. That, and the television shows, and the movies, and the attitudes --

"Guns are cool. Guns are toys. Guns will make people FEAR YOU and RESPECT YOU and BE POLITE."

Let me tell you, put a gun in my face, and POLITE is the last thing I'm going to be. Lol!

I am my brother's keeper to a certain point. When this thread is done (and I'm almost there myself), I will file it. There are some good ideas here, along with the requisite "neener neener" stuff. My "other" project is coming along splendidly (pm me if you want details), and if I can do one impossible thing, then I don't understand why I can't do another.

Tools and Toys. That's all they really are, isn't it?