this post was submitted on 19 Apr 2024
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[–] Simon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 36 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (5 children)

I mean, you brought it on yourself. If you live in the U.S owning a gun should be controversial. Ya'll have proven incapable of using them responsibly.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 37 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Here's the real problem. Guns are basically dangerous tools, and should be treated as such. Instead, they have a cult of personality. I've got no problem with people owning knives and hammers, but if some dude has a bunch of pro-knife, and pro-hammer stickers on his car, joins the knife and hammer Association of America, regularly shows up to angrily protest restrictions on where you can carry knives and hammers, walks around with a concealed knife and hammer at the mall because a box or nail could be around any corner... I might start to think that nut job should not be allowed to have a knife or a hammer.

[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Did you write this? It's a perfect analogy.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago

I did physically type it out. I doubt the idea is original, I'm sure I've heard similar sentiments elsewhere, but at this time I cannot attribute it to a particular source.

[–] daltotron@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

if some dude has a bunch of pro-knife, and pro-hammer stickers on his car, joins the knife and hammer Association of America, regularly shows up to angrily protest restrictions on where you can carry knives and hammers, walks around with a concealed knife and hammer at the mall because a box or nail could be around any corner

That sounds like a really cool person compared to a pro-gun nutter honestly. I'd think that guy is probably an expert satirist

[–] jve@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

Guns are basically dangerous tools

Tools for what job, again?

The problem with the “guns are tools” categorization is that the only job they’re for is killing ~~people~~, or threatening to do so. Unless you’re talking shooting at the range, in which case that’s really more of a toy than a tool.

The reasons those protests don’t happen for tools is because they generally serve some other primary function which is useful, and that they’re not nearly as likely to be used accidentally.

[–] daltotron@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

Tools for what job, again?

Intimidation and posturing, mostly, which is why they're attractive to macho fools. Doesn't mean they're not useful for that job, though

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Uses for a firearm that don't involve killing people.

Hunting, defense from predators, fire starting, signaling, paper weight, preventing your checked bags from getting lost or tampered...

[–] Simon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Never had any of my hunter friends (and there's a lot of them) hunt with a handgun. Is that even legal?

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 0 points 6 months ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handgun_hunting

TL;Dr yes, the enthusiasts say it takes more skill, which is true, so fair enough, though I'd argue it's more likely to just make you miss a killshot and lead to unnecessary suffering.

Just get closer with a rifle if that's your thing.

[–] jve@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Fair enough re: hunting.

You really ran out of steam after defense from predators though.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flare_gun

https://youtu.be/KfqtYfaILHw?si=j7x4TyHmk6kMj5cd

There is a good video of Les Stroud showing how to start a fire with a gun, having trouble finding it.

Those were 6 uses off the top of my head.

If you really want to stretch uses, you can use a gun as a hammer, you can use it to pinch your finger, and in dire situations it can be a dowry.

[–] zbyte64@awful.systems 2 points 6 months ago

I got my boy scout badge when I used a gun to start the camping fire. True story.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

You think our gun problem is bad?

Wait till you see our cruise missile and killer drone problem.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

No, no, look, if we let our gun culture get even more out of control, it'll loop back and become responsible again.

[–] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

100% this - if we had the gun violence Switzerland saw (who has a comparable number of firearms per person as the US) I would be pro gun too.

Instead we've got a lethal cocktail of incompetence, entitlement and mental illness where gun owners and firearms industry simps see dead children as the 'price of freedom'.

It's fucked.