General Discussion

nachosgrande

(66 posts)

129. Because they are toys

Tue Dec 18, 2012, 02:25 PM

Dec 2012

These weapons are toys to these folks. Plain and simple. It's not really about survival or protecting themselves. They buy and play with these things because they find them fun. They're overgrown children with the shiniest, most powerful, baddest new toy on the block. I work with dudes who own multiple assault rifles and they've told me as much. They actually dragged me to the range with them to fire their AR-15s once they discovered I had never as much as held a gun. I'm open-minded so I gave it a shot. Personally, I found it terribly boring and a waste of time.

And these aren't simpletons either. These are highly educated (Ph.D.'s, docs, lawyers, etc.) folks who are in all other aspects completely sane. But they love their guns and they'll never give them up. It's just this ingrained gun culture we have in America. It's puzzling to me, but some of these guys really dig it.

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"There were at least 6 weapons to choose from immediately at hand. The fact that he didn't take [View all] Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 OP

He chose the appropriate tool for his task - no question about that alcibiades_mystery Dec 2012 #1

^^^This^^^! Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #2

It certainly seems to have compensated for his shitty trigger discipline. Jester Messiah Dec 2012 #3

Joe Klein didn't talk about high capacity ammo clips... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #6

a disturbed person, a gun loving mother, any med side effects? his exposure to todays gun games. Sunlei Dec 2012 #159

Which is more intimidating? More macho? RC Dec 2012 #4

No, those two aren't the same thing Recursion Dec 2012 #7

You are missing the point. RC Dec 2012 #17

Someone on NPR's All Things Considered Yesterday talked about the AR-15 Orrex Dec 2012 #23

The people who post gun porn youtube videos aren't the people who shoot up schools and malls Recursion Dec 2012 #25

blow against gun culture may very well makes us safer Exultant Democracy Dec 2012 #53

Tell it, ED! Can I get an "AMEN" on that? Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #61

AMEN!! (-50% for this endorsement coming from Canada, though...) nt GliderGuider Dec 2012 #127

We get them back through attrition. renie408 Dec 2012 #65

Yeah, I mean I do agree with that Recursion Dec 2012 #70

Drunk driving laws have tightened exponentially over the past thirty years. renie408 Dec 2012 #84

If it saves one life, confiscate all of them. tblue Dec 2012 #78

If it saves one life... bobclark86 Dec 2012 #81

Stop penning hackneyed horsepucky and go stroke your penile extension... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #88

I think I love you. renie408 Dec 2012 #100

Well, I mean, enough's enough. Just calling it Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #120

I don't know of coffee killing anyone. creeksneakers2 Dec 2012 #131

Not that this deserves an answer, but lolly Dec 2012 #146

What if saving that one life costs two lives? n/t ComplimentarySwine Dec 2012 #155

It won't. Only NRA gun-humpers have that idiotic notion. Fucking idiots one and all. Care Acutely Dec 2012 #158

If any sort of restriction is passed ComplimentarySwine Dec 2012 #160

Cast your pearls amongst your own swine Care Acutely Dec 2012 #161

I agree with you, but had to smile at one thing you said.... Bettie Dec 2012 #67

You're correct, I did. But both fit, so I'll leave it. RC Dec 2012 #121

I figured they both fit, it just made me giggle a little Bettie Dec 2012 #136

You are correct --gun cultists drool over the more menacing looking gun. Hoyt Dec 2012 #28

Well, no, that's what I'm saying Recursion Dec 2012 #29

No "shooters" prefer the modern grips/stocks because they look/feel more lethal than already lethal Hoyt Dec 2012 #34

*shrug* Maybe it depends on what you grew up with Recursion Dec 2012 #37

Lanza grew up with guns as well. Not criticizing that, but it is what needs to be changed. Hoyt Dec 2012 #50

Not according to reports. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #86

Amen to that last sentence! ReRe Dec 2012 #41

There are several reasons. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #93

Yep, just the old Charles Atlas stuff -- buy this gun and you can stand your ground. Hoyt Dec 2012 #97

"Good reason to restrict them"...precisely, just as plastic, Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #36

This message was self-deleted by its author bighart Dec 2012 #54

That rifle has a 4 round magazine - not a 30 round magazine jpak Dec 2012 #111

He didn't pick the Bushmaster for style. ThoughtCriminal Dec 2012 #137

Yes, people do. The AWB has greater support than a ban on all semi-automatics Recursion Dec 2012 #138

It's not the "Military Look" that people want to ban ThoughtCriminal Dec 2012 #143

I'm the one saying he picked it because of how it fires Recursion Dec 2012 #144

Yeah, sorry ThoughtCriminal Dec 2012 #145

Sort of like an old VW Bug with a Porsche engine DBoon Dec 2012 #151

Just yesterday, some freak was bragging about blowing away pesky Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #9

Reminds me of... ReRe Dec 2012 #44

It was frogs, and yes, these freaks are all somewhere on Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #66

Connecticut bans assault-style guns, and the rifle was legal in connecticut Recursion Dec 2012 #5

Go make love to your metal maiden... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #10

I don't own a gun; I live in DC Recursion Dec 2012 #12

Legal prohibition reduces murders all over the world. Chorophyll Dec 2012 #14

Look at the flag in my avatar Recursion Dec 2012 #26

OK. I looked it up AlexSatan Dec 2012 #30

Then go salivate over your gun catalogues... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #16

How many gun owners do you actually know? Recursion Dec 2012 #27

One of my brothers is a long-time, committed hunter of big game... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #31

Well, if he's a hunter he's unusual among gun owners Recursion Dec 2012 #33

Bet that 'rattle-snake rifle' didn't look or function anything like an AR15 or it's imitations. Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #40

Actually the rifle I had was a semi-automatic .223 Recursion Dec 2012 #45

The last time my brother or I carried a gun was when Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #55

So your brother who loathes firearms is only a little RW libertarian? snooper2 Dec 2012 #38

No, the hunter-gun guy... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #42

You wrote "which brother is the more RW libertarian?" snooper2 Dec 2012 #52

True enough, they're both on the RW libertarian end of the scale. Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #60

YOu are aware that in DC, you can own a gun, right? Raine1967 Dec 2012 #118

Well, in theory I could have always had a long gun Recursion Dec 2012 #139

This message was self-deleted by its author Chorophyll Dec 2012 #13

Quite right: CT should have far tougher restrictions than it currently does alcibiades_mystery Dec 2012 #19

Thank you for being a voice of reason. Chorophyll Dec 2012 #21

It's not that assault weapons bans are watered down, it's that they're just silly Recursion Dec 2012 #24

Uhhh, good luck. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #39

I'd love for it to be much more difficult to get handguns Recursion Dec 2012 #43

"Boosting their egos"? Really? You think that not wanting to see murdered kids is about ego? Ikonoklast Dec 2012 #87

Yes. Going after military-styled rifles is just an ego-trip. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #107

Ban one type of high-capacity firearm, and if there is another type available, that type will take Ikonoklast Dec 2012 #112

Do you know what weapon was used in US largest mass shooting? HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #122

Post removed Post removed Dec 2012 #64

You do know CT has an assault weapons ban, right? And that the Bushmaster was legal under it? Recursion Dec 2012 #68

Post removed Post removed Dec 2012 #76

So you agree that we need stronger gun control laws. progressoid Dec 2012 #94

I think licensing and registration is a great idea Recursion Dec 2012 #96

Thanks for teaching us a new word, progressoid! Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #123

There does seem to be a lot of needless pot stirring lately. n/t progressoid Dec 2012 #135

The shooting was just 38 miles from where they MAKE assault rifles. slampoet Dec 2012 #77

And? Recursion Dec 2012 #85

To understand the gun- banners... HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #125

One of these Lilma Dec 2012 #8

Gun-crazed "enthusiasts" are NOT like normal human beings... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #18

It's so sickening to me that these guns are around. Chorophyll Dec 2012 #11

Me too, Chlorphyll. They're obscene, grotesque Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #15

And I'm sorry that a couple of people had to choose this thread Chorophyll Dec 2012 #20

I can't stand to look at the things either, but I think Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #22

Seriously! ReRe Dec 2012 #74

that's what's totally insane about this situation Euphoria Dec 2012 #47

We seem to have reached a tipping point of equating "assault weapon" with "semi-automatic" Recursion Dec 2012 #56

What you said, Euphoria...! And welcome to DU, too! Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #71

Thank you, Surya Gayatri. Glad to be here :) Euphoria Dec 2012 #148

Not directed at you specifically, but the bulk of the thread. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #57

Well, as one of those gun banners laundry_queen Dec 2012 #91

Those are all sensible ideas. nt HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #113

One starting point on gun laws, SCVDem Dec 2012 #32

Excellent point...and start by bringing the 2nd Amendment into the 21st Century!. Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #49

Guns B Stieg Dec 2012 #35

Word! +1,000! Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #46

Bingo! nt laundry_queen Dec 2012 #92

Not a gun person here so forgive my lack of knowledge bighart Dec 2012 #48

Sorry, bighart, I'm no expert. Best address this question Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #51

About 2kg, as fitted. AtheistCrusader Dec 2012 #59

The second one is moderately safer Recursion Dec 2012 #62

What about rate of fire, bighart Dec 2012 #89

I'd have to look at the actual bolt to know for sure, but nothing you can see would affect... Recursion Dec 2012 #90

So from a practical and functional standpoint bighart Dec 2012 #95

Right. As a political matter we were capable of banning the black ones back in 94 Recursion Dec 2012 #98

Did a quick search bighart Dec 2012 #102

I haven't bought a firearm in over a decade, but that sounds right Recursion Dec 2012 #103

Knowledge is power bighart Dec 2012 #104

Style. Both function the same. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #117

Semi-automatics are the weapon of choice for those intent on mayham. Kaleva Dec 2012 #58

Thank you for that helpful information and for taking proactive steps. yardwork Dec 2012 #69

Well, an understanding would be helpful if you're writing a law Recursion Dec 2012 #101

Your post is a good example of the kind of distraction and intimidation I'm talking about. yardwork Dec 2012 #106

No, sorry. Specifics are not distractions Recursion Dec 2012 #108

Yep. lolly Dec 2012 #147

Agreed! That's why I'm so adamantly against the assault weapons ban Recursion Dec 2012 #156

It is standard gungeoneer argumentation. Warren Stupidity Dec 2012 #150

Dude, I've been talking about banning semi-automatic weapons with detachable magazines Recursion Dec 2012 #157

Same goes for gun porn: "I can't talk in detail about it, but I know it when I see it." Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #124

You're welcome! Kaleva Dec 2012 #132

Please post his response if you receive one. I will be interested to hear what he says. yardwork Dec 2012 #140

I'll do that and let you know where I posted it. Kaleva Dec 2012 #142

Word! MAYHEM! plus Murder, Massacre, etc. Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #126

A person shall be put to death quickly if convicted of a crime while in possession of a firearm. MrYikes Dec 2012 #63

Can't agree with the DP, but prison without parole, yes! Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #73

How absurd. Your ridiculous threat means nothing to a man intent on suicide, as most rampage Dems to Win Dec 2012 #152

This is an interesting point. yardwork Dec 2012 #72

I believe it's at the heart of the "assault weapons" debate. Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #80

Yes. And reducing the opportunity reduces the risk. yardwork Dec 2012 #105

Then concentrate on handguns Recursion Dec 2012 #109

Also used in most suicides, which are most gun deaths. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #130

That's it in a nutshell... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #119

I didn't realize handguns could also have high round clips JPZenger Dec 2012 #75

The VA tech shooter used them Recursion Dec 2012 #79

Mass-marketing this lethal crap to the deranged gun humpers is Wal-Mart's retail wet-dream... Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #83

With more and more folks walking around with a handgun strapped to their bodies, they need to be Hoyt Dec 2012 #99

Shotguns are probably WORSE than "assault rifles", and just as military sir pball Dec 2012 #82

Agreed PD Turk Dec 2012 #110

Yes. Germany complained greatly HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #114

Shotguns are extremely dangerous bongbong Dec 2012 #116

You got it. RC Dec 2012 #141

Fine, take a thorough inventory of the nasty netherworld of lethal firepower Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #133

We've been discussing this tragedy in Australia bixente Dec 2012 #115

And that's the question underlying the whole debate: Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #128

Because they are toys nachosgrande Dec 2012 #129

Fascinating look behind the veil of the vapid but vicious Surya Gayatri Dec 2012 #134

If you browse through the many gun discussions here you will learn Warren Stupidity Dec 2012 #149

WTH, were they all just laying out on the coffee table for him to look over kestrel91316 Dec 2012 #153

Probably not on the coffee table, but ManiacJoe Dec 2012 #154