POLITICS - Gunownership in Alabama

[Bridger158]

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/app ... 8807210314

I live in Alabama, so it doesn't surprise me that overall guns are well accepted, but I cannot understand why 77% of people favor banning the private ownership of fully auto weapons. Even in my short 16 years I have gotten into many debates on that subject. Even a lot of dedicated hunters and gun enthusiasts in general don't mind banning full autos. Pull you head out of your butt people! I am tired of hearing this out of supposed fellow "gun enthusiasts/ nuts".

[J Miller]

Bridger158,

One of the tactics of the anti gunners is divide and conquer. Hunters are not always shooters, shooters are not always hunters.
As a matter of fact shooters and hunters are actually two sides of the same coin. What most hunters, especially snob hunters and the elite shot gunners do not realize is that when one part of the foundation is compromised, for instance the full auto shooters or the 50 BMG shooters, it damages their position too.
Many of these folks just cannot be convinced, as you said they have their heads firmly up their rectums.

All you can do is get the facts down pat, and do your living level best to show the hunters you're talking about how banning one thing affects all of us. At your age most of them won't take you seriously, but get started and in two years you'll have some antis to vote against.

Joe

[meanc]

Bridger,

I was born and raised in Alabama and have no problems with fully-automatic weapons.

I think the problem you're speaking of...

77% of people favor banning the private ownership of fully auto weapons

is really not that big of a deal.

You have to look at all the numbers they presented first and know that Alabama has a Population of over 4.5 million.

Think of it this way.

#1 - 424 people people polled = (less than .01% of Alabama Population)

#2 - 77% of 424 is only 326 that say ban Auto weapons = (less than .007% of Alabama Population)

#3 - 144 of those were more than likely non gun owners, 182 were gun owners.

Either way you look at it, polls are easily deceptive, because they don't tell you the exact questions asked and they really don't tell you in what context they asked it, or what profession each person was employed.


You have to understand, they're not expecting you to read all the numbers, just the percentages.

And that makes things seem a whole lot worse than they really are.

You just have to be smarter than they are and realize that they only print what they want you to read.

I guarantee if they had gotten a 77% approval for auctomatic weapons (which they probably would have if they polled a majority), you wouldn't hear one bit about it.

[FWiedner]

Not every gun owner is a responsible gun owner, and not everyone who can own a gun has the capacity to use it safely. These irresponsible and unsafe gun-owners must be prevented from engaging in irresponsible unsafe-ness.

In their effort to ensure your complete and total safety from cradle to grave, those authorities who know whats best for us all have made a decision to exercise a measure of reasonable regulation in order to protect the public safety.

According to those who know, no honest citizen needs an automatic weapon to hunt ducks or deer. Neither does that citizen need a semi-automatic firearm to defend his life in his own home. Thank goodness for wise men.

I'd think that a subject of your tender years would show some appreciation for the fact that older and wiser heads have put some thought into how you should live your life so that you don't have to.

[Tycer]

People also tend to see the world through their own filters and apply those same filters to everyone else.
If a person feels he or she would be unable to control themselves while in possession of a XXXXX then neither can anyone else. So let's ban XXXXX so we'll all "feel" safer.

Thanks for taking the time to be a thoughtful shooter. Take a new person shooting whenever you can.
You might enjoy listening to Tom Gresham's Gun Talk on the radio of podcast. www.guntalk.com

[Bridger158]

Thanks for the replies, yall. I always enjoy everyone's input.

[AJMD429]

Hunters, collectors, target shooters, and gun owners in general should remember that there is no more 'protection' for the hobby of target shooting, hunting, or gun collecting, than there is for playing golf, bowling, or stamp collecting.

All do fit into the category of 'freedom' and as such shouldn't be restricted much at all, but only in the sense that the 'shooting' sports peripherally involve the 'militia' function do they earn any special Constitutional protection.

AND (here's the EBR part) to the extent that the type of firearms 'particularly suitable' for militia purposes would be those which are the current state-of-the-art in handgun and shoulder-arms as used for military purposes, one can make a VERY serious case for a fully-automatic M-16 (or M-60, or M-2, for that matter) being quite a bit more 'protected' than the venerable and non-threatening wood-stocked .30-30 we levergunners all love.

The above is looking at it merely from a semantic, utilitarian, and logical point of view.

Now, inputting the knowledge of gunowners (heck - they ask the AAA about highway regulations, don't they!), I would assert that since all the small arms are fundamentally similar, that yes, indeed, that lever action gun DOES deserve the 'protection' of the Second Amendment, as it makes a VERY useful 'militia' weapon (to some degree more useful than the M-60, as it requires less critical ammunition and maintenance, and less 'infrastructure' which is precisely the thing a standing army has, but a citizen militia does not).

That doesn't mean I am against civilian ownership of the full-autos, but it does mean that whereas I feel the full-autos are the exemplary 'protected' firearms because they are contemporary, and militarily proven, I'd insist that guns other than the EBR's should be included as well.

Anyway, our 'hobby' is the deserving tagalong to the REAL 'militia' guns, not the other way around, like it or not.

As far as 'crew-served' weapons, tanks, 'copters, etc. - I think those are things which can and should be kept in the small town armories, accessable by the more trained individuals in a community, and ONLY by community consensus, but I wouldn't categorize any regular firearm in that class, full auto or not.

[El Chivo]

Also, Alabama probably has two or three cities with coffee bars and hip stores and a Kinko's where liberals can be found, this is probably where the journalists and pollsters already hang out. If they ask 326 people there they'll want to ban everything gun-related.

The other thing is, pollsters specialize in leading questions, most people are easygoing and want to please.

[505stevec]

My belief is that many gun owners age 25-45 were indoctrinated in public schools about; the environment, high crime rate, bad health care, one world thinking i.e. "it takes a village". I have talked to soooooo many gun owners that are going to vote for Obama. They trully believe his non-sence. I hate when good people wish to remain ignorant and cannot fathom that the government is not there to provide anything for you. They are there to watch out for our world wide interests and to me that is about it. All these 1960s to todays children really believe the drivel they teach about environment because their parents dont have the time nor the inclenation to learn the truth and teach them. All the rights we enjoy today will be propagandized into history. And the sad thing is we will look like fanatics and our childrens children will not even know the truth. I just watched Holocaust the other night. Real great movie! it was something to see how the government divided and conquered.

[Sixgun]

Bridger,
Thanks for being a young man with his head screwed on right THAT is a rare commodity today.
Here in Pa., full autos are legal and as my best friend owns Targetmaster, in addition to class 2 firearms, he also is Class 3. I am around these guns quite a bit and have played with the best of 'em on his shooting range. BAR's, Thompsons, M-16's, HK's, M-2's on and on. But.................this stuff is not my bag, I play with the old Winchesters and Colts but........... these class 3 weapons are excellent investments (the best! ), hold a nostalgic appeal like any other old gun, are fun to shoot (and fondle ), and by Lord, our RIGHT, just like its the right for these stinkin' liberals to have a Corvette or some other stupid fast car that does 180 mph. Its what FREEDOM is all about--------doing what you want to do, when you want to do it.

The only machine guns that citizenas can own must be made before 1985 (I think '85) That means there is a limited amount and no more can be made for the civilian trade. Its not as if the "regular dude" who punches a clock can run out and buy one. (most start around 5g's)

Since 1934, when the NFA was enacted on full auto guns, there has not been ONE reported crime with a legally registered machine gun.

Thanks big time for the support--------------Sixgun

[Hillbilly]

I dont "need" a (favorite full auto here) but............

Most of the people who oppose auto weapons seem to forget that an guy who spends $7 grand on .50 cal or whatever...plus pays the taxes is not the guy who robbed 7-11 or jacked the car.

Our sound bite society is ignorant. And that extends to "shotgun sports" and "target" guys.

I dont need a M2 ... but once we draw one line...then another and another... well, after a while you draw a box.

I see my place as one that promotes safe ownership... and all aspects of gun ownership. We loose one segment of the sport it's too easy to loose the rest.
Jeff