BeepOptical illusion
VictorHold up. The US has over 100 guns per 100 people? đł So on average, everyone owns at least one gun?
Close, but the best estimates are there are 470 million guns in US civilian hands. With a population of 338 million, youâre looking at approximately 1.4 guns per person in this crazy land of free-dumb. đ
Jesus Christ.
If it makes you feel better, most gun owners own many guns, so there isnât actually a gun in everyoneâs hands.
Just a lot of them in a few hands⌠Much betterâŚ
Some people are collectors, but a lot of people just have some old guns around.
Also if guns are a hobby or interest of yours, you are likely to own several. Just like people who are into headphones, mechanical keyboards, vintage gaming consoles, bicycles, etc.
Just like people who are into sarin, questionably stored viral samples, bombs, gillotines, etc.
You can call these things âcollectablesâ but their nature doesnât change because you put a friendly term to it. It is psychologically fucked up to stockpile lethal weapons that can only be used for taking life without even having a practical application in mind.
starman2112Iâm going to push back a little bit. For one thing, have you ever gone hunting? Some would say that taking life (specifically deers and rabbits and stuff) is a practical application. For two, sport shooting is a thing. Being good at using a weapon can be rewarding in and of itself, whether youâre talking about guns, bows, slingshots, or throwing knives.
I was about to compare it to telescopes. Most people donât have one, most people who have one only have one, but a few of us have upwards of five
That dude would have been shot so damn quickly in Texas.
Most gun owners have more than one. If youâre a hunter, you might want to shoot different rounds for different game or seasons.
My state bans the use of rifles for deer hunting in most circumstances. In that example, youâd want 12ga for deer hunting, 20ga for duck, and 5.56 would be used for coyotes, boar, or groundhogs. And if you go boar hunting youâll want a sidearm (9mm or .45) because theyâll gore you if they get the chance.
So that totals 4 guns for a single person with decent reasoning. Plus, if you had kids and took them hunting, youâd want at least 1 more of each type.
And for people who live in non-rural areas, you might decide to concealed carry a 9mm for protection. But handguns arenât as ideal for home defense, so you might want a shotgun or 9mm carbine for that task, so thatâd be 2 guns for 1 person.
My jaw figuratively dropped when you suggested putting rifles and side arms in the hands of kids.
Gotta have an age limit on those things.
Iâm saying to hand rifles to toddlers, nor that the kids get unrestricted access to the guns. JFC itâs like youâre deliberately trying to misunderstand.
Where I live itâs normal for teens to go hunting alongside there parents, and when the guns arenât in use they are stored in the family gun safe that only the parents can get into.
These parents also teach their kids gun safety, and with exposure the kids know that the guns arenât toys to be played with. This shares similarities to how many European countriesâ drinking age of 16 removes the novelty and rebellion of drinking, generally preventing them from drinking to excess
I understood what you meant. No misunderstanding there. I do not think teens under 18 should be handling a lethal weapon. Matter fact it should be over 21. My opinion. đ¤ˇââď¸
I do not think teens under 18 should be handling a lethal weapon. Matter fact it should be over 21.
Cars are a lethal weapon, but theyâre allowed to drive on public roads under supervision before theyâre 16, and can drive without on private property. Kids under 18 are allowed access to cooking knives at whatever age, and should be taught how to cook before theyâre adults. Teaching kids safe firearm operation under supervision is useful. Not only that, sharing hobbies with parents help with communication and bonding, giving the kids a better support structure while growing up.
Your black-and-white mindset of infantilizing teens like theyâre completely incapable of handling anything before theyâre 18 is demeaning and ultimately damaging to society as a whole. It leads to adults whoâve never learned skills they need to survive on their own.
I personally think thereâs a distinction to be made between cooking knives, cars, and guns. I understand all that about cars and knives being lethal weapons too, but itâs about how easy it is to make a mistake, and HOW DETRIMENTAL it might be. And itâs about at which age you are capable of fully understanding every aspect of handling each thing, and the risks that come with it.
You could make the same argument about piloting an airplane. Statistically, being in an accident in an airplane is far, far less likely than being in one in a car. But if you are in a plane accident, the chances of it being lethal to everyone involved is far greater than accidents in a car, statistically, surely. Nobody freaking survives a plane crash. Sometimes everyone perishes even it if happens before takeoff. Thatâs why you donât see 18 year old pilots of passenger airplanes, let alone 16 year old pilots.
Knives are much easier to monitor and control by the supervising adult, so kids can learn handling them safely. Making a mistake is rarely lethal with a knife, especially since a lot of kidsâ knives arenât even very sharp.
My country does gun law pretty well, IMO:
Gun ownership in Sweden is regulated by Vapenlagen 1996:67 (literally, The Weapon Law), modified by weapon decree VapenfĂśrordningen 1996:70 and FAP 551-3 / RPSFS 2009:13. The police issue licenses to persons older than 18 years in good standing on the âneed to haveâ basis, which generally implies either hunting or sport shooting. Passing a hunting examination or membership in an approved sport shooting club for six months is required. Sport shooting licenses must be renewed every 5 years, whereas hunting licenses are valid for the lifetime of the holder. License-holders may lend a weapon to a person at least 15 years of age for supervised use.
This is exactly what I feel is appropriate. Youâre not allowed to have a driverâs license until youâre 18 either⌠đ¤ˇââď¸ And not allowed to purchase strong alcohol until 21, just like America. Should alcohol also be allowed to children perhaps? Like I said, itâs not about learning, itâs about being capable of determining risk and making judgement calls, etc.
I didnât say teenagers shouldnât be able to learn. But having their own guns is not an option IMO. They can borrow in very controlled circumstances.
I donât have a black-and-white mindset about it, just like you donât. But itâs good to have rules of thumb because society canât be run on a case-by-case basis. And thatâs what Iâll say about it.