OT/Political: Gun Control Laws

[chunkyfrog]

So Well, of course!
HE is the one who was asked to be on the panel--just him.
Sorry to miss the quote stuff, but he has his own conscience--even if he does not share yours.

[prodigyplace]

And maybe you've been in the U.S. a long time...

I love and always have loved (most of) the U.S... I hate watching you implode though... if I didn't care I wouldn't be here.

In my personal opinion, i do not agree with everything happening, but there are some positive things.
The mainstream press and opposition parties obviously have extreme agendas that do not have the country's benefit as primary.
On the "undocumented" (actually, mainly illegal) immigration issues, the opposition party sees these people as votes. The last president, early on, took an oath to uphold the laws and then promptly worked to give benefits to those illegal immigrants breaking the law. That has turned those lawbreakers into Democratic votes, IMHO.

I entered the US legally and then, later became a naturalized citizen. It *can* be done.

[JayDee]

I would like to see mandatory gun safety classes and a license required to purchase a gun. Most hunters I know have had many years of experience and respect for a firearm. The same cannot be said for the general public.

Gun safety and marksmanship used to be taught in high-schools - at least where I grew up. Those elective classes went extinct in the 70's. Perhaps we should consider bringing them back?

-JD

[prodigyplace]

I would like to see mandatory gun safety classes and a license required to purchase a gun. Most hunters I know have had many years of experience and respect for a firearm. The same cannot be said for the general public.

Gun safety and marksmanship used to be taught in high-schools - at least where I grew up. Those elective classes went extinct in the 70's. Perhaps we should consider bringing them back?

-JD

Interestingly, in Canadian cities during that time there were no such classes in high school.

[Barbee]

I would like to see mandatory gun safety classes and a license required to purchase a gun. Most hunters I know have had many years of experience and respect for a firearm. The same cannot be said for the general public.

Gun safety and marksmanship used to be taught in high-schools - at least where I grew up. Those elective classes went extinct in the 70's. Perhaps we should consider bringing them back?

-JD

I could get on board with that. And perhaps hunting clubs could teach gun safety classes for adults?
All I know for certain is there are people buying guns now that have no idea how to load/unload or shoot them. When my hubby and daughter took their CC class, about 45% of the people in the class had never shot a gun. That seems like a serious flaw in the system to me.

[Duck]

Hi, I can only go by your avatar pic,

What the heck does that mean?

Sheriff

It's plain and simple - Julie is a racist. I've seen her demonstrate it before.

[Goofproof]

I'd like to pick up on one point that JD made more than once. He talks about the 'lazy' approach. It's easier to blame an inanimate object like a gun and suggest that they should be banned, than it is to look at what causes violent acts in the first place. 'Ban guns' is an easy bandwagon to jump on. It puts the blame completely on the firearm and the person holding it. It's concrete, tangible and visible. It doesn't look at the hidden things such as the homicidal persona of the shooter (I'm talking mass shootings here) and how that was only discovered after the event despite numerous warning signs that were ignored. Tackling all those mental health issues would be a financial nightmare wouldn't it? Easier to ban guns?

Except that's never going to happen in the US. Even if every law abiding citizen handed in their all firearms it is estimated that there are still enough illegal firearms to provide more than one for every US citizen.

But who needs firearms anyway. Fertilizer is cheap and quick perusal of the internet can tell you how to make a great car bomb with it. Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols did just that.

"Or Did They", More likely it was your Government Jim

[Slartybartfast]

I used to mentally look askance at folks when they invoked conspiracy theories. But ever since the FBI fake dossier and fast and furious gun-running scandals,** I no longer dismiss those explanations out of hand.

**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATF_gunwalking_scandal

[Julie]

DUCK - You are an idiot! Did you not read what I said in that note? About how I was concerned he might be used as a token Black for the right? If I DID misunderstand the initial premise altogether, then I'm an idiot and everything else I said was based on the wrong idea, but where you get the idea I'm a racist? And you've seen that before? Where please - you show me that! You're either a fool, just plain ignorant, and know nothing at all about me whatsoever. And if I were to tell you some of it you'd understand just how completely backward and upsidedown you are! Idiot! Or maybe you're a troll trying to get a fight going here for all the wrong reasons... but you sure are going about it the worst way.

[jnk...]

Don't be fooled by all the various identities of The Artist Formerly Known As Ro(o)ster.

[Midwest_non_sleeper]

To keep this on track to the original discussion -

OP, If it were me, I would politely decline to be on the panel anymore and then explain why. Panels aren't supposed to be echo chambers where confirmation bias gets stronger, they're meant to be open discussions with people that may hold different opinions. The fact that they're "assigning" you an opinion to hold would be a dealbreaker for me. I have my opinions, as does everyone else, and everyone is free to speak about whatever they wish, but no one is going to put words in my mouth or tell me that I can't discuss something in a rational manner. You clearly do not agree with what they want you to represent. To ask someone to represent something they're not for the sake of an audience is intellectually dishonest, and frankly, the audience will probably see right through you anyway. It's hard to pretend to hold beliefs that you don't actually subscribe to and simultaneously come off as convincing.

Sorry, but I didn't sign on the dotted line twice (once Military and once again for law enforcement) for someone to use ambush tactics on me for a panel discussion that's supposed to accurately represent a range of opinions. I'd roll out of there as quickly as I could. I refuse to be a mouthpiece for anyone but myself.

Just my two cents, but it may be worth less to some.

[Julie]

Thank you JNK... shoulda caught that... Duck, Rooster, what'll be next, Starling? But it still makes me sick to see what he wrote and yes, I should pretend not to care, not to give any attention to it, but it's pretty hard.

[Wulfman...]

Hello peeps! I can't believe how long I have been using CPAP. This forum helped me greatly. I hope everyone is doing well.

I need some help with something, and I hope it doesn't cause back and forth ad hominem attacks. A couple of weeks ago, I volunteered to be on a panel discussion in first week of August. Just now, I got a call telling me I was expected to play the role of someone who thinks we (USA) should have more restrictive gun control laws. Surprise! They didn't tell me that when I volunteered.

This will be a tough role for me to play, since I own pistols and hunting rifles and shotguns. I also have a CC permit.

Can you give me some ideas for additional restrictions on the sellers and buyers of guns? This would need to be ideas that do not keep people from buying guns for legitimate purposes.

Pugsy, If this gets out of control, please feel free to delete the thread.

Thanks all!

As others may have said, I think you're being set up or used in this situation. Sounds like an ambush to me.
I'd get out of that in a heartbeat. You may have volunteered originally, but if they kept information from you, that's a different set of circumstances. Don't fall for it!


Den

.

[Slartybartfast]

Julie,

I think maybe what you missed is that making any reference to the melanin content of anyone's skin, or the way they speak is, by some people, called microaggression. https://nationalpost.com/news/world/on- ... aggression

Doing such provides a political adversary with a handy tool for beating you with; it's a pretext for labeling you such-and-such. I'm really sick and tired of all the name-calling. When someone can't respond intelligently to the substance of an argument, they attack the messenger.

And, for the record, I disagree with your position. However, at least in the U.S., you have every right to express it.

[Goofproof]

To keep this on track to the original discussion -

OP, If it were me, I would politely decline to be on the panel anymore and then explain why. Panels aren't supposed to be echo chambers where confirmation bias gets stronger, they're meant to be open discussions with people that may hold different opinions. The fact that they're "assigning" you an opinion to hold would be a dealbreaker for me. I have my opinions, as does everyone else, and everyone is free to speak about whatever they wish, but no one is going to put words in my mouth or tell me that I can't discuss something in a rational manner. You clearly do not agree with what they want you to represent. To ask someone to represent something they're not for the sake of an audience is intellectually dishonest, and frankly, the audience will probably see right through you anyway. It's hard to pretend to hold beliefs that you don't actually subscribe to and simultaneously come off as convincing.

Sorry, but I didn't sign on the dotted line twice (once Military and once again for law enforcement) for someone to use ambush tactics on me for a panel discussion that's supposed to accurately represent a range of opinions. I'd roll out of there as quickly as I could. I refuse to be a mouthpiece for anyone but myself.

Just my two cents, but it may be worth less to some.

Don't have a full two cents, but declining would only allow them to go to the next stooge on their "List" to falsely load their agenda! That's not something I'd go with, I'd tend to sign on, then, go from what I really thought. Jim