big life; small space

Eh, I'm less inclined to be freaked out about it. That our government has taken various steps to prepare for such potentialities is not a new thing, nor that they are involving the clergy. And as far as how they are involving the clergy, I find it interesting that a lot of the fuss is because of the idea that these Clergy Response Teams will be trying to get people to give up their guns. Um, if these are the kind of people who are going to be listening to these clergy in the first place, I'm not feeling very protective of their Second Amendment rights. Of course I'm not in the most benevolent mood right now.

But really by and large the kind of people that would be influenced by this would probably lean that way without a whole lot of intervention to begin with.

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While I agree with your points by and large, I am still deeply disturbed at the implications. Not to mention it makes me want to own guns.

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I am largely in favor of more people who are not scary right-wing types owning guns.

I remember when I was younger and had read quite a bit of post-apocalyptic fiction and realizing that a large percentage of those who survived would in fact be the crazy survivalist types. I feel it's a good caution when scaled down as well.

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I think the Rwingers will be some of the first to go. They'll all be up in arms over no fuel for their SUV's that they'll kill themselves and leave us bright folk to enjoy our local branch of Darwinian culture wars

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Yay! I have found one of my own. I find it often difficult to find people who are left of center that believe it might be o.k. to have yourself a gun.
And it probably is my take on post-apocalyptic fiction that contributed to my right leaning belief that guns are o.k. That and the fact that I grew up with them.

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Don't take me the wrong way. I don't currently own a handgun. I did grow up with them, but I feel VERY few people are understanding of the ramifications of what it is to take a human or even an animal life. I've been hunting two times and couldn't pull the trigger.

I do however feel that anyone who is willing to jump through a realistic hoop or two should be allowed to carry a weapon. After a lot of reading on the subject I am confident in statistics that crime drops in even the worst areas when legitimate wielders are present. But it is a matter of more than a stupid conceal/carry class to determine if someone should or should not be allowed to have a side-arm.

Anywho, weapon or no i'll still put a world of hurt with my own little hands on the meth-head, etc that ever threatens me or mine to any significant degree.

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I think you will find that most of the people who grew up around guns were schooled pretty thoroughly on the consequences of using them. But by "grew up around guns" I mean households where rifles were pretty common for hunting and the like. As our population becomes more urban that becomes less common and we have people who get most of their ideas about firearms from action movies. To me it's not that surprising that most accidents involving kids and firearms involve urban homes. The adults in the home don't get it, so how can they teach their kids?

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I agree on the whole urban aspect. I was actually speaking with a local gunshop owner here in Minneapolis and he told me about a whole slew of odd ordinances that actually prevent him from selling any guns from his shop because it is in the city limits. So, he can take a deposit, but all sales must be completed at gun shows. I don't see how the city thinks that is any safer. I'd rather know where the merchant is and be able to send in officers to spot check, rather than hope the ATF has enough peeps to watch sales at a gun to make sure all the background checks are done.

He also mentioned during our chat that he actually had to remind people more than once during sessions that you cannot shoot someone in the back even if they just got done harming/robbing/etc you because at that point they are fleeing and don't present an immediate threat.

I can't believe people who would have to be 'reminded' of that.

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Oh boy. This goes under the category of "Not really funny, but yeah, it kind of is". At least in connection with your comment.

A few years back we had an incident where a pastor at a somewhat rural church shot and killed two men who had apparently been robbing the church. The evidence clearly showed that he had shot them in the back, but he was still acquitted.

Yup, I live in Alaska all right.

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I'm not necessarily taking it the wrong way. I myself could not shoot game and I do actually know what it is to take an animal life, at least as close as you can be without doing it yourself. I was there when the deer died, I was there when the chickens died, the pigs and all the rest.

I however am not talking about the meth-heads, etc... Feeling like I'd take them on with out a weapon as well. I am talking about being armed against my government or the absolute chaos in the streets. Not so much your just random acts of violence.

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I think it would depend on the situation with the government. I don't feel any removal of rights that I've seen recently has been appropriate...most notably lack of counsel at Gitmo or the whole wiretapping bit.

Mostly likely I would let them have a gun or two, but hide the rest. I don't think anyone should have to give up the right to defend themselves regardless of government propaganda

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All of this is completely theoretical of course, because I don't own even a single gun. I just keep thinking I might.:)

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I grew up around guns myself. I had a friend in high school who was greatly amused by the fact that I was such a liberal who was so comfortable with guns. At one point he had a t-shirt printed up for me that said "Militant Peacemonger" (I had a temper too).

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