|
The example of the automobile is actually a good one. You say that we need automobiles and they provide us with a benefit. Well, we actually do not need automobiles. They are nothing more than a luxury, a convenience.
If the actual reason for supporting a ban on guns is to protect the populace as a whole, then why not spend that money on developing a better mass transit system to remove entirely the need for automobiles? You will save many more lives by following this course of action.
I want to touch upon a few subjects and the counter arguments I have heard.
Self Defense - I have seen it mentioned that in these circumstances all gun ownership creates is a situation where there are two guns and more than likely a dead person. Did you also know that most criminals who are armed automatically attempt to kill their victim if spotted and there is the possibility of being caught? Seems to me the chances are just as good for someone dying whether there are two guns in the situation or one. I prefer to at least have the chance to be the one left alive. The other person made the choice of possibly dying when he/she made the decision to enter my home unlawfully.
When it comes to non-lethal protection, others have already presented good points. However, I have a much simpler point. When you enter my home without my knowledge, you are doing so of your own accord. If I did not invite you to be there, you do not belong there, period. It is not my responsibility to make sure I do not permanently injure or kill someone who has entered my home without my permission.
Sports - If you partake in a sport that uses guns, you should be allowed to own them. In most cases, people who use guns for sporting reasons are some of the safest and knowledgeable owners of guns. In all the people I have met at various ranges, it isn’t the sportsman who is improperly using their arms, it is the common guy or girl who thinks it is either cool to own a gun, or the person who is living in fear and thinks owning gun will give them peace of mind.
If you want to protect people from the harmful effects guns can have, educated them. Don’t remove my right to arm myself because you are afraid of what may happen. Education could solve almost all situations where gun abuse occurs.
If you insist on spending governmental monies to protect the people, refer back to my example of automobiles. They are not necessities; they are luxuries. Use the money to improve the mass transit system and you will have a positive two-fold effect, less auto related deaths each year and cleaner air for everyone to breath.
|