Imagine a world without guns! good read

Babble

http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml

Sparks

Decent enough points to be made, but I wish that people talking about the benefits of firearms for self-defence wouldn't trot out this one all the time:

A gun-free world would be much more dangerous for women, and much safer for brutes and tyrants.

Thing is, and Ireland's a prime example of it, the image of rape as being an attack by a stranger on a woman in a dark parking lot somewhere is very rarely accurate. By far the largest portion of rapes are committed by someone close to the woman involved - a friend, a husband, a family member. Unless you go about armed and ready to shoot your friends and family, firearms aren't much use in preventing rape So saying they'd be a solution isn't just disingenous - it risks the dismissal of the problem should firearms be made available for self-defence purposes (which they're not in Ireland, nor are they ever likely to be except in exceptional circumstances).

And I think it's an example of the disconnect between the pro- and anti-RKBA camps as well, in that what the anti-RKBA camp really want is not so much to ban guns, as to live in a world where the desire of some people to use firearms to kill or maim other people doesn't exist - a desire that's frankly, understandable by even the most ardent RKBA advocate. Which would suggest that there's the possibility of common ground, somewhere out there...

Clare gunner

Good article that says it how it is.

Babble

Sparks wrote:

Decent enough points to be made, but I wish that people talking about the benefits of firearms for self-defence wouldn't trot out this one all the time:

I agree that is too bad that most of the interesting pro gun documents come out of the US and often focus on the Importance of Self Defense. Defense is important because the police are not here to guard individuals thats up to us at the end of the day.
But I'd like to see more articles on how much fun shooting is and how it teaches great responsibility to young people.

Clare gunner

I agree that is too bad that most of the interesting pro gun documents come out of the US and often focus on the Importance of Self Defense. Defense is important because the police are not here to guard individuals thats up to us at the end of the day.

Thats because they are written with the second amendment view of things.The RKBA is of foremost importance to them rather than the sporting aspect of shooting,as they belive[rightly IMO] that without the second amendment the sporting issue becomes an academic issue.
As they say "The second amendment isnt about duck hunting".
As for the police thing,true they are NOT required to protect any individual,yet they refuse most times to allow[especially in Ireland] the citizen the rights and more importantly the means to do so.