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In case people are considering it, please don't buy a gun.

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ItWasMeantToBe19

ItWasMeantToBe19

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
20,440
Some people have been rightfully worried about increasing violence and crime in the United States, but please don't buy a gun in response. A gun isn't going to help you that much in defense (buy a home security system or something instead) and gun suicides are an absolute plague. A lot of liberals (including myself) struggle a lot with depression and normalizing gun ownership among women and liberals could explode the suicide rate. I'm not sure I would be alive now if my parents had a gun and ammo around in their house while I was growing up. There's been some loose talk on Twitter and the blogsphere about how maybe liberals will/should buy more guns and I'm just strongly, strongly opposed. The potential deterrence benefits seem minuscule compared to the suicide risks.
 

Stormy_One_Kenobi

Member
Oct 30, 2017
272
If someone wants to, responsibly, own a gun I see no reason to stop them. There needs to be better background checks to keep some folks from getting them though. But, just owning a gun is not an issue to me. Just make sure that it is properly locked up when not in use.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
60,199
I know of a few dudes that live in gun friendly states and one sadly killed himself during the pandemic due to depression. He shot himself, leaving a wife and three sons :(

The other never got a gun due to his own mental issues plus kids.

I have no issues with responsible gun ownership, including mental health history.
 
Finale Fireworker

Finale Fireworker

Love each other or die trying.
Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,713
United States
ItWasMeantToBe19 said:
A gun isn't going to help you that much in defense (buy a home security system or something instead)
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This isn't to dispute your overall sentiment, but the reason people buy guns for home defense is out of fear they will not be able to defend themselves or their family in the midst of a violent attack. A home security system in this respect would offer no peace of mind.

Although of course you or your kid are not going to kill yourself with an alarm system, accidental or otherwise.
 
Ryuelli

Ryuelli

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,209
One of the biggest reasons I'm planning on moving abroad again sometime in the next 5-10 years is because, especially this past year or two (which just happens to match me moving back to the US, so I'm not sure that's something to do with it or not) I've noticed more and more people on the left buying guns or thinking about getting one. I felt significantly safer in Korea where private ownership of fire arms isn't a thing.

As someone who is staunchly anti-2A, I can't imagine how the March For Our Lives kids (or, adults now) feel seeing the very people that were on their side just a few years ago now saying "Well, no... maybe we do need guns after all". It's clear that this shit is never going to be "solved" in my life time, and it might never be solved ever. It's probably too late for that in America.
 
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TaySan

TaySan

SayTan
Member
Dec 10, 2018
31,469
Tulsa, Oklahoma
My family has a strict no-gun policy in my household so I can't buy one. But I would be lying if I said I didn't have thoughts about picking one up if I was living alone.
 
Joffy

Joffy

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,154
Stormy_One_Kenobi said:
If someone wants to, responsibly, own a gun I see no reason to stop them. There needs to be better background checks to keep some folks from getting them though. But, just owning a gun is not an issue to me. Just make sure that it is properly locked up when not in use.
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As someone not from the States it sort of blows my mind that someone cannot see a reason why just about anyone potentially owning a gun could be a problem.
 

Deleted member 52442

User requested account closure
Banned
Jan 24, 2019
10,774
im a black american

im gonna own a gun. not gonna let the racist crazies storming government buildings with their racist buddies The Entire Police Force be the only ones that can arm themselves
 
Baphomet

Baphomet

Member
Dec 8, 2018
17,012
Stormy_One_Kenobi said:
If someone wants to, responsibly, own a gun I see no reason to stop them. There needs to be better background checks to keep some folks from getting them though. But, just owning a gun is not an issue to me. Just make sure that it is properly locked up when not in use.
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I agree with this but most people are too negligent when it comes to firearms safety, so most people should not own guns and guns laws should be stricter.
 

Deleted member 70788

Jun 2, 2020
9,620
ItWasMeantToBe19 said:
Some people have been rightfully worried about increasing violence and crime in the United States, but please don't buy a gun in response. A gun isn't going to help you that much in defense (buy a home security system or something instead) and gun suicides are an absolute plague. A lot of liberals (including myself) struggle a lot with depression and normalizing gun ownership among women and liberals could explode the suicide rate. I'm not sure I would be alive now if my parents had a gun and ammo around in their house while I was growing up. There's been some loose talk on Twitter and the blogsphere about how maybe liberals will/should buy more guns and I'm just strongly, strongly opposed. The potential deterrence benefits seem minuscule compared to the suicide risks.
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So I'm a gun owner (and left politically) and I actually agree with what you're saying almost entirely. Also, thank you for being willing to be open about your own experiences and being vulnerable. We really do need to get better as a country with our mental health support and normalizing it so people don't feel like they have to hide it and resort to horribly sad things like suicide. Edit: ( I hope I framed this correctly. I just often feel like suicide is a failure of our society to support those who need it most).

Something like firearm purchases shouldn't be an impulse purchase based on fear and if you feel like your mental health isn't in a good place you definitely shouldn't be considering it. I grew up hunting and doing outdoor sports with a gun, I see it as a tool, and a very serious one - but it's not a security blanket or an identity piece for me. I do talk about them a bit more openly here just to provide a perspective from someone who isn't an insane right wing gun owner, but I also respect and agree that America is whack when it comes to guns and the identity surrounding them. Personally I know a great number of outdoor types and conservationist that are very liberal, but still own a gun to hunt and be in the outdoors. It's a very different crowd than LARPers that pose with them in all of their instagram pictures.

And lastly, as some have already mentioned in here, the reality of being a BIPOC person in America does need to be considered when telling people "don't buy guns." Police aren't gonna come help and the reality of a lot of armed white supremacists is very real. I don't blame any of my BIPOC friends for owning guns for safety. It's an unfortunate reality of America as it is currently.
 
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inner-G

inner-G

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
14,473
PNW
Gun ownership is already normal for liberals imo. Maybe depends on where you are from I guess.
 
Goldenroad

Goldenroad

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
9,475
The idea of the "responsible gun owner" is an oxymoron. It's like being a responsible drunk driver, or a responsible wife beater, or a responsible free-baser. Just because you haven't killed yourself or someone else with a yet, doesn't mean that risk isn't there and completely unnecessary/unavoidable.
 
I am a Bird

I am a Bird

Member
Oct 31, 2017
7,240
I'm going to own a gun. But I don't think firearms are something everyone should have. They are incredibly dangerous and should be treated as such.
Alarm Cops can take up to 15 minutes to get to your house and if they decide they don't want to do anything you are out of luck.

though I am far less interested in shooting a burglar then I am shooting wild game for a meal.
Also if you do buy a gun you absolutely must buy a safe to keep it in.
 
Goddo Hando

Goddo Hando

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,723
Chicago
i live on the southside of chicago, and even in the middle of the riots last summer the last thing on my mind was getting a gun.

never ever in a million years would i willingly raise the chances of someone in my household getting injured by a firearm.
 

Sounds

Member
Oct 27, 2017
935
Not owning a gun and maybe still getting help from the police or other authorities when you (or your family) is in danger is a white man's luxury.
 
Emergency & I

Emergency & I

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,634
Guns, never once. I won't go near them and never allow my family to own or touch one.

My brother owns guns and while he's mentally fit and successful, it still scares me.
 
Thrill_house

Thrill_house

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,627
Stormy_One_Kenobi said:
If someone wants to, responsibly, own a gun I see no reason to stop them. There needs to be better background checks to keep some folks from getting them though. But, just owning a gun is not an issue to me. Just make sure that it is properly locked up when not in use.
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Agreed. Also take some kind of safety classes about gun ownership. Don't go buying a firearm and call it a day.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
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Oct 26, 2017
60,199
Goldenroad said:
The idea of the "responsible gun owner" is an oxymoron. It's like being a responsible drunk driver, or a responsible wife beater, or a responsible free-baser. Just because you haven't killed yourself or someone else with a yet, doesn't mean that risk isn't there and completely unnecessary/unavoidable.
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I think you can be a responsible owner.

I have a few in my family.

I think the issue arise when people don't get adequate training in usage and safety. Also training needs to be continual as skills atrophy when not used.

Moreover, other defensive skills and tactics need as much focus. Home security, deescalation, etc. You need a system.

TaySan said:
Crime is rampant here and everyone here has guns already. :( How I'm going to defend myself if I get robbed at gunpoint?
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Where's here?

Also, if you're robbed at gunpoint the last thing you want to do is take out your gun and escalate.
 
Scottoest

Scottoest

Member
Feb 4, 2020
11,362
As long as you've got proper controls - background checks, certifications, requirements for secure storage - I've got no problem with it. And I say that as someone who never plans to own one myself.

America's gun problem is a result of factors way beyond this, and it's why countries that have sane gun control policies don't have the same problems.
 
Soda

Soda

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Oct 26, 2017
8,879
Dunedin, New Zealand
My understanding is that there is little evidence to suggest that owning a gun increases your safety or lowers your risk during home burglaries, but on the contrary, a gun in a home will increase the risk of accidental injury or death (or intentional suicide).

Personally, I support people owning guns, but under the circumstances that: 1. they're used for recreation (appropriate/licensed hunting of animals or going to a shooting range), 2. are properly stored (locked, partially disassembled, and not stored with ammo/ammo locked elsewhere), and 3. are not at all intended to be used for home defense.
 
TacomaSCDisaster

TacomaSCDisaster

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Oct 28, 2017
1,969
I don't agree.

I'm lefter than most liberals so people might write me off here because of that but America isn't gonna get safer any time soon. Right wing terrorism is only gonna get worse. POC absolutely need to arm up as the police are just as likely to kill them as the person they called the cops on in the first place. As capitalism continues to crumble it will only become less safe and self defense will become more important.

If anything more people on the left need more guns because the right owning most of the firepower as they only get more radical is a terrifying prospect.
 
sensui-tomo

sensui-tomo

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Oct 25, 2017
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Shouldn't this be more of a "please get some therapy or help " kind of thread if we're going into the deep end of assuming someone that would buy a gun would off themselves? Like if you're that depressed, please for the love of god(or whatever) talk to someone and if you can't find someone locally, try here because I'm sure you'll find someone to listen to you.
And buying a gun should never be a "eh I guess I'll do that today" kind of thing.
 
Lord Fanny

Lord Fanny

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Apr 25, 2020
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In an ideal world, I would 100% agree. But we aren't living in an ideal world, unfortunately, especially if you're living in certain parts of America.
 

AimLow

Member
Dec 10, 2017
969
Stormy_One_Kenobi said:
If someone wants to, responsibly, own a gun I see no reason to stop them. There needs to be better background checks to keep some folks from getting them though. But, just owning a gun is not an issue to me. Just make sure that it is properly locked up when not in use.
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^ ^
This is my opinion as well. Contrary to popular belief, there are responsible gun owners. And millions of people who own guns have never killed themselves or others.
 
Renna Hazel

Renna Hazel

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Oct 27, 2017
11,592
Disagree. Crazy white people shouldn't be the only ones with weapons, especially when they're threatening violence against the rest of us.
 

Deleted member 86891

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Nov 27, 2020
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disagree. the Black Panthers were instrumental in the civil rights era, and they kept police in check in black communities by carrying guns themselves and supervising the police. and it worked.

edit: obviously don't buy one if you have mental health issues, and learn proper safety with it. but I believe minorities especially should be armed to some degree, because otherwise it's only going to be psycho conservatives.
 
OP
OP
ItWasMeantToBe19

ItWasMeantToBe19

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
20,440
aGuyInaBearSuit said:
I don't agree.

I'm lefter than most liberals so people might write me off here because of that but America isn't gonna get safer any time soon. Right wing terrorism is only gonna get worse. POC absolutely need to arm up as the police are just as likely to kill them as the person they called the cops on in the first place. As capitalism continues to crumble it will only become less safe and self defense will become more important.

If anything more people on the left need more guns because the right owning most of the firepower as they only get more radical is a terrifying prospect.
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Deaths from terrorism and police shootings are absolutely horrible and it's right to be scared and outraged by them.

Those deaths are in the hundreds compared to tens of thousands of gun suicides per year.

And I'm not sure how a gun would help protect you from most crimes or policing victimizations. Shooting a cop will leave you dead or in prison forever, it's going to be very hard to accurately shoot criminals in many crimes, especially during terror attacks when there's so much confusion and fear around.
 
BlueTsunami

BlueTsunami

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Oct 29, 2017
8,512
I took a course and was on the path to getting one but the responsibility in having one turned me off ultimately. I truly don't understand what has a person so fearful that they must have it outside of trauma.
 
sensui-tomo

sensui-tomo

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TaySan said:
Crime is rampant here and everyone here has guns already. :( How I'm going to defend myself if I get robbed at gunpoint?
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If you pull a gun out when you're being robbed at gunpoint, you will most likely die if you pull it out..... they have the gun out already, you think they're gonna give you time to whip yours out ?
 
TacomaSCDisaster

TacomaSCDisaster

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,969
I'll also add that there are guns in my house but I don't have immediate access to them as I am someone who suffers from anxiety, depression and occasional suicidal ideation. My roommate keeps them and knows the safe combo but I don't. It gives me the feeling of security both from myself and external threats.

I'm not saying "just give a gun to everyone in the world and let them figure it out." Obviously people need to analyze their own situations and make decisions based on that, but pushing people away from gun ownership at a time where violent white supremacy and right wing terrorism are back in mainstream thought and the state becomes more overtly authoritarian seems like a bad strategic move IMO.
 
AaronMT

AaronMT

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,553
Toronto
As a Canadian it just seems to asinine and how batshit insane your gun culture is. 'Solving' problems with guns. I'll never understand it.
 
molnizzle

molnizzle

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
17,695
Lord Fanny said:
In an ideal world, I would 100% agree. But we aren't living in an ideal world, unfortunately, especially if you're living in certain parts of America.
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Yep.

Gun ownership should require training and regular license renewal just like we have for motor vehicles. But you can't put Pandora back in the box. We already live in a country with more guns than people. That will never change.
 
smileyforall220

smileyforall220

Banned
Mar 3, 2019
1,831
You can own a gun responsibly and safely as long as you are in a good state of mind and follow all the recomendations. Go to your gun classes, invest in a gun safe and keep it locked up at all times with only you knowing where the keys are. If your mental health is in a bad way, dont buy a gun, but plenty of liberals have no issue with them, especially used for hunting or for marksmanship which is a sport in itself just like archery. All minorities should have access to them as well since our current police force sure isn't going to do anything for you.
 

Deleted member 33533

Banned
Nov 17, 2017
12,864
Kegels said:
im a black american

im gonna own a gun. not gonna let the racist crazies storming government buildings with their racist buddies The Entire Police Force be the only ones that can arm themselves
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Personally, because I'm black, I don't want to own a gun. Cops will shoot us for holding cell phones. No way I want to be in a situation where I have to tell a cop I have a gun.

TaySan said:
Crime is rampant here and everyone here has guns already. :( How I'm going to defend myself if I get robbed at gunpoint?
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If you are being robbed at gunpoint, it's already too late to use your gun. At that point, it just might make the situation worse.
 
Lord Fanny

Lord Fanny

Banned
Apr 25, 2020
25,953
BlueTsunami said:
I took a course and was on the path to getting one but the responsibility in having one turned me off ultimately. I truly don't understand what has a person so fearful that they must have it outside of trauma.
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Regardless of where you fall on this argument, if you literally cannot understand why someone would be fearful on what's happening and want to have some form of protection, you are living in one helluva bubble
 
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