Possible Insight Into Why Americans Want to Carry Guns

[Connemara]

Gord:

Wow, great list of very detailed info.

Aside from my brand new flare gun, I currently own no firearms. And I know that's legal here in the Great White North (actually getting dusting today in T-dot) because I just bought it at a chandlery.

But if I wanted to carry anything else. I'd sure think twice after reading that list.

Connemara

[Jentine]

Let us be realistic as to the reason to arm ones self (arms may merely be the good sense to stay out of certain places). It is to keep what we hold sacred. The whole problem is that the "HAVES" have and the "HAVE NOTS" want. The "HAVE NOTS" don't want to work for what they don't have, they just want it. The easiest way to get it is to steal it.
If the "HAVE NOTS" had more appreciation for their own self worth, if they respected and like themselves, they would behave in the same manner as the "Haves" and not resort to illicit means to get it.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Jentine

The "HAVE NOTS" don't want to work for what they don't have, they just want it. The easiest way to get it is to steal it.

********. How is a guy working in Asia getting $15/day US ever going to save enough $$$ to buy a Beneteau.

It's not a matter of lazy or not, some people would work harder than maybe you ever had, yet can hardly put food on the table, then you lob into town on your flash harry boat and to them you are the richest man on earth, and maybe won't miss a bit of stuff.

Not saying it's this way in all case's or that it's right, but in a lot of places this would be the reality of the situation.

Dave

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by cat man do

********. How is a guy working in Asia getting $15/day US ever going to save enough $$$ to buy a Beneteau.

It's not a matter of lazy or not, some people would work harder than maybe you ever had, yet can hardly put food on the table, then you lob into town on your flash harry boat and to them you are the richest man on earth, and maybe won't miss a bit of stuff.

Not saying it's this way in all case's or that it's right, but in a lot of places this would be the reality of the situation.

Dave

Beat me to it.

And I would just add that when you are off your home turf, if someone really wants what you have - then a gun won't be the big help that many folk think. It's just one more thing to steal. Why? mainly cos' their is usually no cavalry coming over the hill, after dialling 911.

And BTW I have known folk down in Asia who are working hard and raising a family on HALF the USD15 a day, and with no certainty of that income. ...............and not all of them of would steal your grandmother and sell her on E-bay

[Lynx]

I have talked to and lived with a lot of Non-USA people and it is interesting to talk to them about guns and the right to own/carry. One question that I always ask is what whould happen in your country if they made it legal to carry a gun. Most responses is that everybody would kill each other. I say "GOOD!"

Some of them are shocked if you pull out a pocket knife.

More people are killed in an auto not wearing a seatbelt than by a gun.

I have been around guns all my life and there is a proper way to handle them. I have not gotton a permit to carry concieled(sp) gun because you cannot pull it unless you are less than 3 feet away in Texas. To easy to kill a person without a gun at that range. If someone wants to assult you, they can use whatever, a gun is not nessary.

I do not carry one on my boat because I do not need it.

[Hazel123]

Did you know that it is 100 times more dangerous to have a pool in the backyard than it is to have a loaded gun in the home? There are many interesting statistics that show that the "fear" of guns is relatively irrational.

On the other hand, as an American, I can say that the number one reason to have an armed citizenry, is to remind the politicians/government that their power is derived from the people. If they forget that fact, we have the ability to resolve the issue with force (God forbid). Watch the movie "Hotel Rwanda". This is a true story that shows that it isn't guns that kill people, it is machetes. There would be a lot of people alive there now if their right to own a gun had not been taken away by their government.

As far as having a gun on a boat, I am all for it. It is just another tool in the toolbox. You NEVER know when you might REALLY need it!

[Inthewind]

http://www.wtv-zone.com/Mary/BEARARMS.HTML

In America, we have a 2nd amendment right to keep and bear arms, I fear for the future of America if this right is taken away. The criminal's will still have guns and unarmed citizens will be defenseless and crime will increase. For those that are against guns, that's fine and it's your right to feel that way. In America the right to own guns is our constitutional right and I choose to own guns for more than one reason. I enjoy shooting guns and collecting them and like the fact that I have the option to defend myself from criminal's wanting to do harm to me, my family or crew members if need be. I have a concealed weapons permit so it is legal for me to carry in USA and I do keep a gun on my boat in a safe concealed manner. I hope I am never faced with circumstances where deadly force is required. I am happy that I still have the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

[mudnut]

What really stikes me as funny is that even though countries like America are Yonks older than say,Ausralia,New Zealand.And lets not forget that our countries had guns also(For subdueing the "Natives" in a PEACEFULL manor) Is that we "Didn't" persue the need to carry as an everyday requirement of safety towards modern times,"A gun".I'm glad we were not influenced towards this trend.Maybe as time goes on and people are pressured to this extream by social ecconomics, or ,whatever causes one to live in the fear of being acosted with a gun ,we also, might end up like Americans.Carry ya guns if you need to.But the guns are not the problem.The problem lays in the "SOCIETY" in which the guns are needed.Regardless of the country.Mudnut.

[Lodesman]

Mudnut,

It wasn't "social economics", it was the American Revolution that sparked the need. Most colonists were oppressed to some degree, some more than others; some warred over it and some just refer to their former overlords as Poms(sp?).

[Idiens]

There is an arms race issue though. The more yachts fight back, the heavier the armament of the pirates. In the US, that spiral is well in progress, with the cops being out-gunned by the crooks. Other countries mostly avoid it.

"Honey - I'm just going down the Mall."

"Ok, but remember to pack your concealed nuke - never know who you'll meet down there!"

[mudnut]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Mudnut,

It wasn't "social economics", it was the American Revolution that sparked the need. Most colonists were oppressed to some degree, some more than others; some warred over it and some just refer to their former overlords as Poms(sp?).

In respect,I did say "Or whatever"If anybody is oppressed"It is the fault of the society in which they live." Even monkey's can look after themselves as a GROUP or a COLLECTIVE.So are you saying that the"American revolution" caused it all.Obviously there was a fault in the "Revolution's Idealism"Because after the revolution the problem remained,or,sparked the need as you say.And,society is to blame for it anywhere in the world.Basicly for letting it happen.Mudnut.

[mudnut]

I also forgot to mention that IF our society was peachy keen,we would also still have problems.But maybe not as bad as people getting shot at malls or suicide bombers in the middle east.Mudnut.

[Alan Wheeler]

OK guy's. This has been an interesting thread. And I praise the responsibility of those that have posted in it. But the time has come that this thread should now be closed. We have many threads on guns here and the same two sides of the argument are repeated over and over. There will never be a right and wrong answer to this because it is subject to the societies in which we live in. Some countries have one view, other countries have the opposite view.
Plus we have come to the conclusion that this subject is no longer aiding the subject of Boating and if left running, may end up becoming a Grenade with resulting shrapnel flying in all directions. So it will now be closed.
Thanks for all your participation.