a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment
deepflows  ·  3209 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Ask Hubski: Guns. Do You Have One? Do You Want One?

You know, I hate violence. Weapons are strangely fascinating, shooting is fun and I certainly can appreciate a well made knife. But still, I don't like violence.

Unless I'm mistaken, all statistics say that in a society where guns are legal, you're far more likely to be killed by an accident (or kill someone else because of a misunderstanding or an accident) than in societies where they're strictly regulated.

But, you see, I have this very vivid imagination. I can imagine a situation like the one you just lived through happening to me and my family. Which reminds me that, at the end of the day, only the criminals being armed is not exactly an ideal situation, either. I don't see the cops showing up in time in a critical situation, provided calling for help is even an option.

So, yeah, I would like to have a gun. But since having one would pretty much mean getting it illegally, it doesn't seem like much of an option. I believe that if you have a gun, you should practice how to use it, how to take care of it and most importantly, how to handle it safely. It certainly would help to have the kind of infrastructure where you could teach the kids how not to kill themselves in case they find it without risking legal consequences, should they ever tell anyone about it.

If I was in your shoes, though? After that situation? Gun in my hand by sunset sounds about right.