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