What is the function of a gun?

[Lizzie Poppet]

105. Okay, that doesn't exactly follow from your actual statement, but fine.

That is to say, your statement was "nope, you can competitively target shoot with other weapons," doesn't address my assertion that my guns are only my own business, a completely different issue. No matter. Let's discuss your latest points.

"Every gun owner is up for scrutiny now..."

I have some big philosophical problems with "collective guilt," but as it happens, I do agree that American gun owners, as a group, need to be more responsible with their firearms. I know too many who fail to properly secure their firearms when not in use. That I know of so many is telling, given that as a quite-far-left person politically, a good-sized portion of my circle of friends don't own guns (although more of us are gun owners than I think many realize, particularly among women like me). Anyone who owns firearms should be taking reasonable steps to secure those weapons, and I support legal mandates to that effect.

"You...appear to believe that your 'sport' is somehow immune from critique because you 'only' target shoot."

Nothing is immune from critique. I loves me some First Amendment. However, only when such critiques have legitimate rigor do I feel any need to pay attention to them. Again, my competitive target shooting threatens no one. Someone may well express disdain for my sport (their perfect right), but that disdain carries no weight for me.

"...you also own guns purposefully to shoot others. That is a public threat..."

I disagree. The term "public threat" implies that the threat applies broadly, to the general public (or at least that with which I have contact). That is absolutely not the case. My defensive handguns are not a realistic threat to anyone not actively attempting to harm me. I am not a criminal, and while I'm not exactly overflowing with empathy, I am overwhelmingly unlikely to commit a spree killing (both statistically and as the result of the rather cold, analytical personality I've been blessed/cursed with).

I have no problem with having my decision to own defensive firearms critiqued...but it depends on the subject of teh critique. I think the public has the right to be concerned about how my weapons are stored, with how safely I handle them,with my competency (should I bring them into public spaces), etc. I support multiple gun regulation reforms along these lines, such as increased competency demonstrations for concealed carry permits, for example. As above concerning my sport, I also have no problem with people expressing disdain for my defensive handguns...but that disdain, when not based on tangible, demonstrable risk probability, is irrelevant to me.