Article Regarding: Guns (an Essay By Stephen King)

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

Feb 28, 2014
12
39
49
I agree with a lot of what he says in the essay. Still, the news media is programmed to bring us stories about gunmen who succeed in killing people. You never hear about those whose lives were saved because someone had a gun and shot the bad guys before the bad guys could shoot them.
You NEVER hear about stories like that...

Me, I think there should be some counterbalance to all the negative spin. I mean, it's not as one-sided as the media portrays it to be. Just look at the sweet little old lady in this songified video, lol. It's a spoof on a real news story, but she was clearly about to sh#@ her pants when a couple of gunmen came in to rob the store.

 

ghost19

"Have I run too far to get home?"
Sep 25, 2011
8,926
56,578
51
Arkansas
Meh, one of those topics I'll never see eye to eye on with Mr. King. It's such a complex topic and so many factors go into where you land on gun control. I feel weird if I don't have my weapon on me, like I forgot to wear shoes or something....ok maybe the shoe comment is not such a great example since I'm from Arkansas...but you get the point...That's a pre-emptive Arkansas joke GNT, don't even bother sir....:)lol
 

ghost19

"Have I run too far to get home?"
Sep 25, 2011
8,926
56,578
51
Arkansas
His three proposals were:
  • Universal background checks
  • Limiting clip and magazine capacity
  • Creating a new assault weapons ban
Which points do you have problems with?
1) I don't have any problem at all with background checks.

2) I have no idea who came up with the limiting magazine capacity idea. If you have any experience with the weapon you are using, you can switch out magazines in about two seconds. Yes, that is two seconds more someone would have to run but that's more of a tactical issue and isn't going to be the deal breaker when some nut job plans a shooting. No matter how many rounds you limit the magazine to, said shooter can still pre-load a crap load of magazines to bring with him/her.

3) Much as everyone seems to bash the 2nd amendment, it's there to make sure we don't strip our citizens of the right to defend themselves. I like being able to call 911 as much as anyone but what if you didn't have time to wait for the police? Intruders aren't going to respond to your pleas of mercy, but they may respond to the racking of a 12-gauge.

Not the en vogue point of view these days I know, but I've been around firearms since before I could walk. Having grown up in a gun culture, my views and opinions are going to be skewed that way. The fact that bombs are illegal doesn't seem to be preventing kids from threatening to blow up their schools nowadays. We've had over 20 bomb threats at area schools here in the last month. Banning something or knowing something is illegal is not always a deterrent.
 

booklover72

very strange person
Jan 12, 2014
731
2,995
51
Dublin
Thanks Jordan. About the essay i would be interested in his view. Ireland, Cest moi is not a normally gun carrying country Our Gardai(police) don't carry guns, but the special branch and the Rapid force do. There is a lot of illegal gun smugging in the country i.e drug gangs, usually there is a murder(s) every day and they will use any type of weapon such as hatchet. I think the Uk police on the beat don't carry guns. The gardai voted not to carry guns - although they are trained. I see them every day putting their lives on the line protecting us from the people who sell drugs(heroin crack etc). i ofter wonder what would happen if two gardai were put in extreme danger i.e a drug dealer with a gun, these people (and i use that term lightly) will kill them and feel no remorse.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Meh, one of those topics I'll never see eye to eye on with Mr. King. It's such a complex topic and so many factors go into where you land on gun control. I feel weird if I don't have my weapon on me, like I forgot to wear shoes or something....ok maybe the shoe comment is not such a great example since I'm from Arkansas...but you get the point...That's a pre-emptive Arkansas joke GNT, don't even bother sir....:)lol
the-spocks-of-arkansas-live-long-and-perspire-best-demotivational-posters.jpg
 
Mar 12, 2010
6,538
29,004
Texas
3) Much as everyone seems to bash the 2nd amendment, it's there to make sure we don't strip our citizens of the right to defend themselves. I like being able to call 911 as much as anyone but what if you didn't have time to wait for the police? Intruders aren't going to respond to your pleas of mercy, but they may respond to the racking of a 12-gauge.

That is so true! I live in a rural area. It would be senseless to call 911 as it would take the law at least 30 minutes to respond.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
1) I don't have any problem at all with background checks.

2) I have no idea who came up with the limiting magazine capacity idea. If you have any experience with the weapon you are using, you can switch out magazines in about two seconds. Yes, that is two seconds more someone would have to run but that's more of a tactical issue and isn't going to be the deal breaker when some nut job plans a shooting. No matter how many rounds you limit the magazine to, said shooter can still pre-load a crap load of magazines to bring with him/her.

3) Much as everyone seems to bash the 2nd amendment, it's there to make sure we don't strip our citizens of the right to defend themselves. I like being able to call 911 as much as anyone but what if you didn't have time to wait for the police? Intruders aren't going to respond to your pleas of mercy, but they may respond to the racking of a 12-gauge.

Not the en vogue point of view these days I know, but I've been around firearms since before I could walk. Having grown up in a gun culture, my views and opinions are going to be skewed that way. The fact that bombs are illegal doesn't seem to be preventing kids from threatening to blow up their schools nowadays. We've had over 20 bomb threats at area schools here in the last month. Banning something or knowing something is illegal is not always a deterrent.

Those points are also true of me, and are exactly the reason why I hate the idea of people who have no idea what they're doing having free access to firearms. They're toys to so many people--that part really scares me. A gun is a tool, no better nor worse than any other, but misuse or use by someone who is untrained is way more frightening than most.
 

ghost19

"Have I run too far to get home?"
Sep 25, 2011
8,926
56,578
51
Arkansas
Those points are also true of me, and are exactly the reason why I hate the idea of people who have no idea what they're doing having free access to firearms. They're toys to so many people--that part really scares me. A gun is a tool, no better nor worse than any other, but misuse or use by someone who is untrained is way more frightening than most.
Absolutely true. A firearm in the hands of someone who has no experience, or even worse, doesn't want any experience, just wants to look cool, is so dangerous. There is nothing like watching some idiot hold his handgun sideways while he tries to look like Neo from The Matrix.....
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Absolutely true. A firearm in the hands of someone who has no experience, or even worse, doesn't want any experience, just wants to look cool, is so dangerous. There is nothing like watching some idiot hold his handgun sideways while he tries to look like Neo from The Matrix.....
...I've pissed off many an inmate, who boasts about being shot...I simply reply, "Really, shot that many times huh? Obviously not by anybody who knew what they were doing"....
 

EMTP513

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2012
503
1,923
I have a problem with banning anything, because just about every book I've ever read and really liked has been banned. For that matter, why have all the books I like been banned but semi- or fully machine-fire rifles aren't even being considered for it? When's the last time a book killed someone from a distance?

The NRA's legal advisors came right out and threatened our doctors with "taking action" against them if they tell their patients about gun safety. Claiming it violates the Second Amendment to warn a person about the dangers of firearms.
Four of the doctors released information about that very topic a day after they received the threat. They weren't having any of the NRA's nonsense and no wonder; we see people who are drunk and playing with a gun who shot themselves in the hand, people who died from accidental gunshots and gunshots from altercations that turned deadly.

My brother is a hunter and has owned firearms almost his whole life, which explains why I think some people are very capable of owning a weapon. If you go by how he's been responsible it would be easy to believe it. But working in Emergency Medicine has proven to me that OTHER people CAN'T handle the responsibility.

Beyond being a victim of a gunshot myself, my views on this issue arise from what I see every week working in Emergency Medicine.
I liked the essay because it made me be able to put the issue into a better focus. Doing my work would make it too easy to become unfocused about the issue. Both my brother and the essay allows me to see both sides. I still see more of the stupid or silly things people do with guns, but I have hope that some people are interested in being a responsible gun owner.