Bob Costas just did an anti-gun editorial during half time of Sunday Night Football

[Eleanors38]

367. I don't agree with your characterization of "anticipating the need..." as "extreme."

Our country does have a more violent culture than many (but certainly not all) cultures. It is wise -- given those conditions -- to anticipate a violent attack and plan accordingly. The lessening of that "culture of violence" needs to be addressed, not reasonable actions to protect oneself from violence.

I really don't expect my house to burn down; like "most people I will never be in a situation" requiring smoke detectors and insurance. But I have those anyway, it is a wise precaution. The same applies to being attacked in my own home, and on the street. I would be foolish to ignore either of these threats, as remote as the odds are, esp. if someone is bent on overcoming non-lethal pre-cautions -- the chief purpose of home invasions. It is not paranoia nor miss-spent monies to take precautions. I sleep better knowing I have a powerful revolver at the immediate ready should thug(s) decide to break down the door of a 64 yr. old man.

I certainly don't emulate the firearms "habits" of T.V. drama. You are correct in seeing how television violence doesn't exist that way in our world. I tire of it, frankly. Especially when in one (1) week you can see more FULL-AUTO weapons firing at people than in any ten (10) years of real civilian life; I mean, from Sparta, Mississippi to Walker, Texas Ranger! Absurd. But how many folks advocating for gun-control delineate between that kind of gun-play and real life? Most still can't (or won't) recognize the diff. between semi-auto arms and full-auto arms. I think the writers of these dramas neither advocate nor reflect that hyped-up culture. They are making stuff that sells. Frankly, the better dramas feature only crime aftermaths, and very little of the crime-in-action.

One of these days, if I can hammer together some research, I will propose that the image of gun-owners needs an overhaul, esp. since the culture wars over guns has played out over the last 30 years. Such a campaign may help (as it already has) lessen the consequences of a heavily-armed civilian society -- hunting deaths, childhood accidents-by-guns, fewer "accidents" by gun in general. And such a campaign may foster a different cultural outlook, with DOs and DON'TS widely promulgated in more creative and pervasive manners than an Eddie Eagle lecture.

For Democrats and progressives, on another note, it is sad that in this forum we have four groups: Two dealing with essentially prohibitionist policy debates; one with an important but nearly always reactive topic concerning civil liberties, and another which is little more than a niche topic for real crime sleuths. Where are the days of sound policy choices? Government programs which might actually work? Of defining what our real problems are?

In many ways, LBJ was ahead of his time, but even on DU we are falling back in time.