| There are many arguments for and against gun | | | | we should be looking at. This is where we should be |
| control in this country and with so many misusing | | | | attacking the problem because as I've stated before, |
| firearms it's not hard to understand the position of | | | | even if we were to ban every single non-living object |
| those in favor of more control or banning and those | | | | in the world, those with the ability to harm, maim, or |
| who wish to see the owning of guns remain a choice | | | | even kill would still have feet and fists. As a society |
| that individuals make and not the government. I | | | | we should attempt to determine what motivates a |
| generally consider myself a fairly liberal person and | | | | person to commit such heinous acts and find ways |
| while I believe there are always stronger ways to | | | | of stopping this. I'm also a realist however and am |
| keep guns out of the hands of people who would | | | | well aware that there will likely never be a way to |
| use them improperly and to do other harm, I also | | | | completely or even largely eradicate this type of |
| believe that removing guns from society all together | | | | behavior but we have a responsibility to try. |
| will only force immoral individuals to find another | | | | Recently I have had neighbors frown on me for |
| weapon with which to threaten us with. | | | | allowing my teenage son to shoot pellet rifles in our |
| In addition to traditional firearms, there has been a lot | | | | back yard. Comments such as "how can you allow a |
| of attention of other types of non lethal guns such | | | | child to shoot a gun" and "that's irresponsible" |
| as pellet guns. As a long time collector and admirer of | | | | reverberate throughout my front yard on a nearly |
| pellet rifles and air soft guns I find it unfortunate that | | | | daily basis. Sadly the majority of these people hold |
| there are individuals who make use of blank guns and | | | | this position only because of what they see on the |
| other type of bb and pellet guns to threaten and | | | | news or read in the paper. When it comes to guns, |
| even harm innocent people. Some of these guns look | | | | even air soft guns, it's a case of a few bad apples |
| like actual firearms and in some cases are designed | | | | ruining the barrel. I grew up shooting pellet guns with |
| be an exact replica of their more deadly cousins. I | | | | my dad and I like once did with me, have instilled |
| think it unfair to lay blame on these guns or any type | | | | responsibility and safety in my son before anything |
| of gun, lethal in force or not because it's not the gun | | | | else. I grew up shooting and have not one time ever |
| that hurt anyone, it's the person who pulled the | | | | thought of using any of my guns for anything but |
| trigger. Though any type of gun can be dangerous in | | | | target practice in my back yard or out in the |
| the hands of irresponsible, angry, or immature | | | | mountains. I'm a well adjusted adult and I believe my |
| persons, to remove firearms and even pellet guns is | | | | son will one day be as well. |
| akin to placing a band-aid on top of a gaping wound. | | | | The bottom line with any type of gun is this. There |
| It solves nothing and those who used guns to do | | | | are those of us who enjoy collecting and shooting |
| harm in the past will only find a new weapon of | | | | for recreation. We are responsible, level headed |
| choice to use against innocents. | | | | people who know right from wrong and would never |
| It is all too common a practice these days for people | | | | harm anyone or anything using any type of weapon. |
| to look for and find a scapegoat and/or a quick | | | | There are also those who will attempt to harm |
| solution. We as human beings should look at the | | | | others out of frustration, immaturity, fear, revenge, |
| tragedies caused by those with guns and realize that | | | | etc. Sadly these people will find a way to do harm |
| this is a human problem and not lay blame on an | | | | whether guns of any type exist or not. We can |
| inanimate object. There are many physiological | | | | reduce the number of injuries though through |
| factors that contribute to a person being able to | | | | education and responsibility and playing it safe can |
| harm another human being and those are the things | | | | make shooting a lot of fun. |