General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The only purpose of "assault" weapons is to kill people. [View all]billh58
(6,635 posts)is NOT a fucking right to own any weapon of choice, nor to carry it any fucking where you want. I was in the military as well -- Vietnam -- and I saw many of my friends "pay the ultimate price." You do not have a lock on patriotism, and you certainly do not speak for all veterans. Using the 2nd amendment as an excuse to allow the unchecked proliferation of lethal weapons places you squarely in the camp of the neoconservative, right-wing, Republican fucking NRA.
America does NOT have 200 fucking years of history of civilians owning assault weapons. No rational American is asking for a repeal of the 2nd Amendment, or wants to take away your precious gun. What we want is sane and reasonable regulation of who gets to own a fucking gun, and to make gun owners responsible and accountable for the fucking things.
Before you preach to other combat vets about patriotism, examine whether or not "20 children" plus the 30,000 fellow Americans (roughly 85 per day, every day) who die each year are worth the price of unfettered gun ownership. That is three times (in just one year) the number of total American combat deaths in Iraq AND Afghanistan in 10 fucking years of war.
The chances of an American being killed by a gun on any given day is several times more than any other developed country in the WORLD. Is that really what we risked our lives and fought for? Not me, and not what my friends died for either. You may think that patriotism means allowing every asshat who wants a gun to have one, but then again thinking like that is what allowed the fucking NRA to help kill more Americans in one year than the Taliban has in 10 years.
To answer your question about whether or not the lives of 20 precious, innocent children is a "reason to destroy 200 years of American history," the answer is not only yes, but hell yes! We have "destroyed" American history by outlawing slavery and supporting the civil rights of ALL Americans. We have "destroyed" American history by allowing gay people to love each other openly. We have "destroyed" American history in many ways which have been a part of this country growing up and at least attempting to cure its own ills.
Now go wrap yourself in your flag and think really hard about why the rest of us chose to serve our country, AND our fellow citizens. You may just find that your thinking is in a distinct minority of American military vets.