My Response to College Students with Conceal-and-Carry Permits Bringing Guns to School
I've long considered getting a conceal-and-carry permit. Constitutionally, we have the right to bear arms. I'm becoming more and more desirous of exercising that right... these people are some crazy people, and frankly, especially given the recent upsurge in nutjobs deciding to become "An Heroes" by shooting up their school or workplace and killing themselves, I'd feel a hell of a lot better with a Glock or a Deagle where my cold little hands can snag it.
I have MANY reasons for supporting the second amendment. Here they are.
Criminalizing guns doesn't make them go away. It just puts them only in the hands of criminals: people who have no compunction NOT to shoot up a school or an office. A weapon in and of itself is not bad; it's what one plans to do with it.
It's like martial arts. I have friends who are very trained with martial arts: they know ways to cause other human beings harm and injury. Are we going to illegalize that, because there's a possibility that they might snap and use their training to hurt someone? Sure, you're taught and taught about honor and respect, but I've known some of these assholes to not give a shit once they step out of the classroom. Conversely, I've known as many, or more, that are hesistant to get into any kind of confrontation, even a verbal one, because they don't want to risk it escalating because they, themselves, are a weapon, and they don't want to "misfire".
Call me crazy, but I can sit here at my desk and find a way to murder another human being with anything within arm's reach. Simply banning or outlawing weapons doesn't make the world weaponless... it just means they aren't tracked, noted, regulated (and not in the "only cops can have them!" way of regulation most anti-gun bigots tend to aim for), licensed, and inspected.
No, you can't trust people in general to behave themselves, however, I would like to know that the proverbial playing field is equalized. If some nutcase walks into my classroom, my office, or the mall I'm shopping in and starts laying down fire, I would feel a lot better knowing that myself and other people like me can return the favor, putting the offending psycho out of his and our collective miseries.
Fuck the National Rifle Association: I dislike them and don't care for their pushy, self-righteous message. This is not about them.
This is about pure logic. No, strict gun control laws are NOT the answer: if you make it impossible for someone like me to own a gun, that doesn't mean you've made impossible for someone with, say, mafia ties to own one. If the cops are the only ones allowed guns, there's a scary thought: do you seriously trust all police officers to be uncorruptable? I know I don't... in general, anyone with any sort of "absolute power" over one thing or another tends to corrupt quicker than not. Not only that, but I've known a good deal of cops over my lifetime... the end result of this, of course, is that I don't TRUST cops and I'm wary of them. If they are the only people capable of holding the boomsticks, I'm much more frightened of that than I am of some redneck with a conceal and carry sitting next to me in math class.
And besides, [tongue-in-cheek] if no one can carry a weapon, who will be able to defend themselves against the incoming zombie apocalypse? That's what I want to know. When those undead fuckers come after you, you'll be wishing for a nice, happy bullet to put in their head. And because you were a pansy whining mewling yuppie that was afraid of loud noises, gunpowder, and self-defense, you're zombie-bait. [/ha ha only serious]
I have MANY reasons for supporting the second amendment. Here they are.
Criminalizing guns doesn't make them go away. It just puts them only in the hands of criminals: people who have no compunction NOT to shoot up a school or an office. A weapon in and of itself is not bad; it's what one plans to do with it.
It's like martial arts. I have friends who are very trained with martial arts: they know ways to cause other human beings harm and injury. Are we going to illegalize that, because there's a possibility that they might snap and use their training to hurt someone? Sure, you're taught and taught about honor and respect, but I've known some of these assholes to not give a shit once they step out of the classroom. Conversely, I've known as many, or more, that are hesistant to get into any kind of confrontation, even a verbal one, because they don't want to risk it escalating because they, themselves, are a weapon, and they don't want to "misfire".
Call me crazy, but I can sit here at my desk and find a way to murder another human being with anything within arm's reach. Simply banning or outlawing weapons doesn't make the world weaponless... it just means they aren't tracked, noted, regulated (and not in the "only cops can have them!" way of regulation most anti-gun bigots tend to aim for), licensed, and inspected.
No, you can't trust people in general to behave themselves, however, I would like to know that the proverbial playing field is equalized. If some nutcase walks into my classroom, my office, or the mall I'm shopping in and starts laying down fire, I would feel a lot better knowing that myself and other people like me can return the favor, putting the offending psycho out of his and our collective miseries.
Fuck the National Rifle Association: I dislike them and don't care for their pushy, self-righteous message. This is not about them.
This is about pure logic. No, strict gun control laws are NOT the answer: if you make it impossible for someone like me to own a gun, that doesn't mean you've made impossible for someone with, say, mafia ties to own one. If the cops are the only ones allowed guns, there's a scary thought: do you seriously trust all police officers to be uncorruptable? I know I don't... in general, anyone with any sort of "absolute power" over one thing or another tends to corrupt quicker than not. Not only that, but I've known a good deal of cops over my lifetime... the end result of this, of course, is that I don't TRUST cops and I'm wary of them. If they are the only people capable of holding the boomsticks, I'm much more frightened of that than I am of some redneck with a conceal and carry sitting next to me in math class.
And besides, [tongue-in-cheek] if no one can carry a weapon, who will be able to defend themselves against the incoming zombie apocalypse? That's what I want to know. When those undead fuckers come after you, you'll be wishing for a nice, happy bullet to put in their head. And because you were a pansy whining mewling yuppie that was afraid of loud noises, gunpowder, and self-defense, you're zombie-bait. [/ha ha only serious]