fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3193 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3193 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

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02.

[Da Vinci's Demons]

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03. tb - please check sizes when using tinypic
[Harry Potter, general]

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04.

[Raffles by E.W. Hornung]

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05.

[Avengers: Age of Ultron]

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06.

[Star Trek: The Next Generation]

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07.

[Wreck It Ralph]

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08.

[Steven Universe]

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09.

[David Bowie]

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 009 secrets from Secret Submission Post #456.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The general 'tough' persona common to the more disruptive gun owners? I don't get that either.

A general fascination with them? Challenge. I've got relatives who are champion quick-draw shooters. My neighbour was in biathalon. Almost everyone in my family hunts. I went to the rifle range with my Environmental Education class when I was 14 (we did complete a safety and ethics unit and exam before the trip). I've also taken archery lessons. It's the same thrill as golf, or tennis, or marathons, or martial arts, or chess, or any other non-team sport. They were tools, and back then we devised all sorts of games to make people better hunters. Now they are mostly sporting equipment to the regular person.

It's fair if you don't get that, lots of people don't, but I do hope you can understand that for most gun owners the point isn't killing people, or even animals really. It's just the satisfaction of doing something that you enjoy well.

I'm in favour of much tougher gun control in America, but as I'm Canadian I really don't know enough of the background, history, public opinion, or politics of it to offer any solutions.

America is obsessed with guns and it's way too easy to get one, legally or otherwise. We're suffering as a nation because of it.

Oh, no, yeah, you're right about the attitude of most gun owners. I was indeed talking more about the way some people fetishize guns, the idea that having a gun automatically makes you more "manly" or "tough", that sort of thing. That sort of twisted fascination, that I will never understand.

I don't own any guns and have no desire to-I just find them incredibly intimidating-looking and they're loud and deadly and they just freak me out. But I also respect that people use them for hunting food, or for other legit purposes, and I know there are many who do know how to be responsible with their weaponry, and that I can respect.

Just...on days like today, it's easy to get frustrated with the gun culture in general. Like you said, though, you're from Canada, so the attitude about and culture surrounding guns may well be a little different up your way than it is down here.

AYRT

I have no way of knowing where you're from, and some people might have absolutely no idea that there is a healthy sort of gun culture. Possibly countries where guns are outright banned for civilians, or in a higher-class urban area. I totally get your frustration, and I agree on days like this. I get that way too. I just didn't want to let someone who really *doesn't* have any non-terrible context not get a chance to see the grey in this.

I completely agree with your first paragraph. That sort of attitude is unhealthy, both for the individuals and society as a whole.

In general we're more laid back about it, but there are exceptions. The long-gun registry comes to mind. The West was *furious* about it, as gun owners felt they were being treated like criminals for legally owning weapons that they'd had for years. It was compared to pre-emptively fingerprinting everyone to make people easier to identify from crime scenes.

Generally, though, the main difference is we see having a gun as a choice, rather than a right. From what I gather as an outsider, it seems that there's a decent-sized section of the populace that either owns one out of fear or because having one is seen as the 'manly' thing to do. These people don't seem to understand the responsibilities of gun ownership, and therefor don't pass that knowledge down to their children.

The criminal element, though, is just vile.

I live in the U.S. You raise a good point about the idea of a "healthy gun culture" varying from place to place. And I do appreciate you bringing up the other side, the grey, because you're right, and that should be remembered. Most gun control advocates here in the States do not want to ban guns completely.

Heck, some gun control advocates own guns themselves-and the fact they know how to use them responsibly is part of the reason, if not the whole reason, why they support gun control in the first place. So it is good to have posts like yours, so that we can remember that and remind people who are paranoid about the idea of guns being completely taken away that we know not all gun owners are just "Woohoo, shoot 'em up!" cowboys.

You've hit the nail on the head as to the difference in attitude, though. So long as we in the States view gun ownership as a right, and interpret the Second Amendment as many do, that is going to be a major roadblock to implementing any real change on the issue here. It's not impossible-if we get the right people involved, perhaps someday, FINALLY, we can make some progress.

Until then, though, we have to sort out our attitude about "rights" versus "privileges/choices". And that may take a while, sadly.

And of course, the criminal aspect is another issue unto itself, as there's so many issues that can tie into that part of things, too.

[ SECRET POST #3193 ]

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