Quote:
Originally Posted by MithShrike
I don't like the encroachment on the second amendment but it doesn't effect me really. I've never been a gun guy.
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Matt, no intention to pick on you here, your post just did the best job summing up some of the other opinions along the same vein in this thread. I'll prolly say "you" from time to time in the post, but I'm addressing everyone.
most of you have probably seen this poem before. It was written after the Nazi rise to power and their purging of certain groups.
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When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
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(this is a ramble, forgive me)
We live in an instant use society. Entire epic stories are told in a 2 hour movie. Solutions to social problems are generally accepted only if they will produce results instantly, or within a year. The American people as a whole do not think long term. We always think about the here and now, but not about how things will affect us in the future.
Why don't more Americans pay attention to their health, eat right, excercise more, etc? Certainly some of the problems can be attributed to limited time, money, etc.... BUT the fundamental issue to ask is WHY is there limited time and money? you had time to play that xbox or watch Dancing with the Stars... but not the gym, and not the 20 extra minutes it would have taken to prepare something for dinner that isnt "instant". CLEARLY in many cases, the issue is not time, but our prioritization of it. HEALTH is not a priority for most people because health is a LONG TERM goal, and people do not think about that. Its not important. I don't have diabetus NOW, so I'll continue to cram my face. We far prefere to choose an instant pleasure now and just dont think about the future consequences (why should I, it is not affecting me now)
What the hell does that have to do with gun control? get your ass back on target! ok ok...
The slow and steady erosion of our rights does not happen quickly. It happens very slowly, very methodically. It always seems reasonable to abolish the most extreme thing of a group of items. It is something most people will agree on. So they talk about banning whatever class of weapons that are at the top of the LEGAL food chain at the moment.... and once those are banned and forgotten about, they'll go after the next biggest gun, and so forth.
I'm not fighting for my right to keep and carry a bolt action rifle NOW. I'm fighting for my right to keep and carry a bolt action rifle in 20 years. There's plenty of other guns they'll outlaw first, before turning their eyes on a bolt action.... but it will happen. Dont believe me? for all you history buffs, do a little research on the history of other countries that have been down that read and report the statistics back to us
(PLEASE NOTE, that is not meant as a dig at the earlier folks talking history.. I love history)
Every time that someone says "well, I'm not in that group of people" and does nothing, they are harming themselvesin the long run. because when the witchunt is done with me, they'll come for something YOU love.
OR you'll just be more likely to get mugged on the street or in your own house... because when they're done taking my guns away, the criminals will now know that EVERY house or person on the street is safe to rob, instead of the current game of russian roulette they play everytime they choose to commit a crime.
You may not like guns yourself, and thats ok. If you don't like em, I dont want you to have them! Really.. thats what RESPONSIBLE gun ownership is all about. BUT please recognize that my willingness to own, train with, and use a gun DOES make significant contributions to YOUR safety, and in so recognizing that fact, please support those people for doing their part.
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We support the troops because they keep us safe, but most of us are not soliders. We support the police because they keep us safe, but most of us are not officers. Why then do we not support the many gun owners in this nation that keep us safe, even if many of us do not ourselves own guns?
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