You know something Pabst? When I was thinking about buying my first handgun, my friend (happened to be my roommate at the time) told me that I had to be an insane fucking irresponsible fucked up moron to own a gun. To which I replied "Well when I have that gun, you won't be talking to me like that!" Which was true He kept his mouth shut about it the minute I got the thing. (A manly .357 revolver...bought it in the local drug store in Aspen, Colorado when you could buy a box of Band-Aids, a bottle of aspirin, and a 44 Magnum with no ID if you wanted). Ah, Quaaludes, pistols, cocaine and beer. What fun it was to be a hippy cowboy in the 70s. Hunter Thompson was my idea of a compassionate conservative then. Did you know he ran for sheriff of Pitkin (Aspen) county on the Freak Power ticket just a few years before I showed up? (He lost...too bad, maybe he could have ended up in the Oval Office and we'd all have our guns and drugs now). Imagine this guy being in charge. How would the Supreme Court look after eight years of Dr. Thompson's appointees? Putney Swope goes to Washington. Peace, and good shooting, RS
I'm surprised no one has brought up the "legitimate hunting and sporting uses" argument, much beloved by weenie moderates who want to be on both sides of this issue. Bush 41 showed his lack of intellectual rigor by taking this road. The fact is the Second Amendment has nothing to do with hunting or target shooting. The preface makes clear the purpose of the right is to protect the security of the country, not shoot squirrels. Accordingly, the right to keep and bear arms must be broad enough to include weapons useful for military purposes, such as the much-feared liberal bogeyman, the "assault rifle."
Yes, but it's practical application has evolved. Incidentally, how many of you have had to pull out a handgun in the course of self defense?
A better question might be... "how many of you have had the *need* to pull out a handgun in the course of self defense". The subtle difference is there are more times that one could have the *need* to pull it than there are times one is currently *allowed* to actually have and pull it. JB
Okay, how many handgun owners here have been forced to whip it out in threatening situations? No sophmoric replies, please.
I was truckjacked by two armed gunmen. In all honesty it would not have mattered if I'd been armed. They totally had the jump on me.(I was parked while eating a Polish Sausage). However twice I have faked being armed and avoided muggings. Once a few years back a guy approached my GF and me on a dark deserted street in the wee hours and as his hand went into his jacket I opened my breifcase and said "I'll blow your fucking head off." Pure impulse, and REALLY stupid on my part. Fortunately he considered the odds and took my bluff.