I just posted an essay I wrote on gun control on another sight, I thought I'd put it here to get some more feedback. It's long.
Here is everything I have to say about the gun issue wrapped into one essay. After this I"™m backing out of the thread unless I"™m directly asked a question.
I won"™t be citing any statistics or anecdotal evidence, as these tactics have been used to death by people on both sides of the issue. My argument is purely philosophical, if that is not your cup of tea, feel free to ignore me. Also, if you don"™t like to read a lot of words, this isn"™t the post for you.
First, a little personal background: I"™ve lived in the rural state of Vermont since I was two and started accompanying my father on hunting trips when I was 4. I received my first rifle at 8, and was hunting alone in the woods at age 10. It follows that I have had access to firearms my entire life, as did most of the people I know. Rarely were these firearms secured in any way shape or form. It"™s quite common, even now, for firearms to be stashed under beds, in corners, and in pickup trucks. In spite of this, I never had a dangerous encounter with a firearm, and never knew anyone, even second hand, who was accidentally or intentionally shot. I viewed, and still view guns in the same way I do a lawnmower, or chainsaw. A lawnmower is a tool that cuts grass, a firearm is a tool that puts meat in the freezer. This is actually more important than you would think, even in this age of pre-packaged food. To a low income family, a fresh killed deer is a gift from god.
Since I was so comfortable with firearms, I was actually a little bit shocked when I started to become aware of politics and learned that gun control was an issue. I used to get in heated, angry debates with people that were very similar to those on this forum. Statistics and anecdotes ultimately degenerating into name calling. The basic points and counterpoints have been hashed and rehashed ad-nauseum. Finally I realized that I can"™t change anybody"™s mind or even come up with a truly good universal pro-gun argument. I can"™t make a case for the right of Bob Smith in Cleveland, Ohio to own a gun I can only make a case for my personal right to bear arms. To keep this post at a somewhat reasonable length, here are my personal justifications for owning guns.
1. Fresh meat. While the nature of modern civilizations and the dizzying amount of money it takes to live in it force me to spend most of my waking hours in an office chair, hunting is still a sacred activity to me. Shooting a few game birds, combining them with veggies from the garden and turning it all into soup makes me feel independent of a very synthetic system that rewards people who sit all day more than those who build things. I did not go down to Burger King for my dinner, I hiked through the woods, stalked my game, killed it, cleaned it, and ate it. This process is incredibly liberating. It makes one feel, if only for a few hours, that they are not at the mercy of their job and their debt load.
Anti hunting and anti gun people usually try to point out the immorality of hunting and especially hunting with firearms. Most of the game that people hunt is prey, plain and simple. That is their niche. Lot"™s of things are going to try to eat grouse, rabbits and deer. It does not matter to those animals if they are eaten by hawks, coyotes, or people. One set of animals tries not to be eaten, while the other set tries to eat. It"™s a very simple and brilliant system. Also, all natural hunters use their tools to hunt. A nonhuman hunter has keen eyesight, incredible olfactory organs, acute hearing, claws, teeth, and powerful jaws. Game animals have everything except the claws and teeth. Humans have comparatively poor sensory organs. We make up for that with our ability to make and use tools. Anyone who has actually hunted knows that this unique ability improves your chances only slightly.
2. Recreation. Taking a firearm to the range and becoming proficient with it takes skill, focus and discipline. For me it"™s almost meditative. Shooting can also be a great social activity. All the people I"™ve met at ranges were the nicest, friendliest people I"™ve come across.
3. Self defense. This is the real hot button issue. Unfortunately, there are things out there that intend people harm and sometimes, especially in rural locations, help will be out of reach and you have to take care of yourself. This statement often conjures up images of some paranoid gun nut with wide eyes huddled in the corner while stroking a loaded gun. This couldn"™t be further from the truth. When I go hiking, I make a practice of bringing my revolver. Why? Am I paranoid of people? The answer is no. Nuisance animals do exist and rabies is periodically a problem. Sometimes bears do attack people. It"™s not common, but it does happen. The only thing that keeps a large predatory animal from eating you is the fact that you"™re not the most convenient food source at the time. One could argue that a hiker should use pepper spray to fend off an attacking animal. The only problem is that animal will live to become a threat for another person. If I pepper spray a rabid fox, that rabid fox will run away and I"™ll be fine, but what about the next hiker to come down the trail? Shooting said animal ends the problem instantly.
As far as defense against human attackers is concerned, I can"™t honestly speak on that having never been in a situation where someone has threatened my life. I think I would use the first available firearm to defend myself, but there is no way I can know for sure without being in that situation. I truly hope I"™m never in that situation. I never want to be in a position where I feel I have to aim a firearm at another human being. But as a gun owner, I know I have to think about when I feel such action is justified. For instance, I consider home invasion to justify shooting the perp regardless of whether they are armed or unarmed. Having someone violate the sanctity of your home, is in my opinion, almost as bad as rape. Other scenarios where I would feel justified in using a firearm are being confronted by a group of people who intend me harm, or happening upon a violent crime in process. I would not shoot someone if they only posed a threat to my material property. For instance, if I looked out my window and saw someone breaking into my car, I wouldn"™t shoot them unless they became a threat to my physical well being. As unlikely as any of the above situations are, I do rest a little easier knowing I have a gun in reach. I do not feel this makes me paranoid, but practical. I know many will disagree, but I know my emotions, and I"™m not exactly in a constant state of panic about criminals doing me harm. I honestly worry more about the failure rate of birth control.
That"™s basically all my thoughts and opinions on gun control. I"™m done now, I promise.
Good essay, the problem is that considering most institutions of learning (especially higher education) tend to be very liberal and anti hunting/firearms. Hopefully they grade on the merit of the essay and not their own prejudice toward the topic. I actually got into a heated arguement with a professor of mine regarding my right to shoot an intruder in my house. He actually said, "what about the rights of the intruder, what if you hurt him and he cannot support his family?" I replied that if he was robbing me, I was probably already supporting his family via welfare and that if he died then I would get a tax break. I wonder why he never asked my opinion after that. Keep up the good work.
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My essay on gun control
