Why did I do such a 180 on guns?

[Deep13]

73. The theater shooting made me skeptical...

...and the grade school shooting was the last straw. I could not help noticing that a real rash of mass shootings happened after the AWB expired. Granted Columbine happened earlier as did the DC sniper case.

As far as the gun lobby goes, I knew they were lying when they demonized the UN small arms trafficking treaty. I realized then that they really do represent gun makers and not NRA members. Plus, I was disgusted by their association with Ted Nugent, Sarah Palin, and Oliver North. They could have taken the lead following the CT shooting and defined the issues and laid out a plan of sensible action while still protecting the interests of their members. Instead we got "good guy with a gun." Jesus, really?

Unfortunately, however sound the logic seems, the evidence does not support the position that an armed society is safer from crime than an unarmed one. I still think that a person ought to consider being armed if he or she is in real danger of criminal assault--not everyone can fight off or run from an attacker or move out of a high crime area--but as a general proposition, unarmed societies are less likely to view violence as a solution to problems. As far as good guys with guns go, AFAIK, none of the mass shooters had records so their was no way to know they were "bad guys." Besides, Ft. Hood was a fucking army base full of armed soldiers! The shooting injuring Rep. Gifford and a killing a judge had Secret Service present.

It's the reaction time that prevents the NRA logic from being a reflection of reality. The "good guy with a gun" will either be target #1 or else will not have time to react before the bad guy can empty a 30-round magazine into a crowd.

Now, unlike the OP, I enjoy shooting as a hobby. I've shot a lot of paper targets. I don't hunt or carry concealed and have never had to threaten anyone, much less shoot anyone, alhamduallah. But those stick on paper targets that change color when shot--they're living on borrowed time. I'm a little concerned that new restrictions might cut into my hobby, but it is only a concern, not an obsession. If it happens--shrug--I'm sure I'll live.