Trent Ruble's Blog: The Other Way It Is - Posts Tagged "gun-laws"
Guns in America
A couple of weeks ago, while I was visiting my parents, my dad showed me his new gun. I'm generally not interested in guns but, knowing how much he likes them, I looked it over. It was actually a very interesting and quite unusual weapon. I think my dad was shocked to see my fascination. The gun is a .45 caliber revolver with an extra long cylinder making it capable of firing .410 shotgun shells. In other words, it's a hand-held shotgun. Evidently the rifling in the barrel classifies it as a handgun and not a shotgun and, therefore, makes it legal in Indiana and some other American states. It would seem the perfect weapon for home defense.
As I mentioned, I'm somewhat ambivalent when it comes to guns. I don't mind shooting them and I'm actually quite good at it, having qualified as "expert." And, I am well aware of the necessity of carrying a gun at times, especially in my line of work as a police officer. But, I don't like shooting well enough to do it on my own time and I really don't enjoy cleaning the gun when I'm finished. Even more than that, I wouldn't pay $500 for one like my dad did.
I am not ambivalent, however, about my dad's right to keep a gun at his house. "If you make guns illegal," he says, "then only criminals will have guns." While it's true that the United States is one of the most violent industrialized nations, the old saying is still very accurate. If guns were outlawed, the law abiding citizens wanting to protect their families and properties would be the ones unarmed and defenseless. The people murdering, raping, and breaking into homes, or, in other words, the same people who commit crimes with guns now, would be the only people who have guns. Evidence of that is in the fact that most criminals don't have the required permits for the stolen handguns they now have.
The U.S. Constitution correctly provides that there be no hindrance to a sane, sober person wanting to use a gun designed for home defense, personal protection, hunting, or even target practice. That's our right, just as free speech is our right. The government "shall not infringe" upon it.
As I mentioned, I'm somewhat ambivalent when it comes to guns. I don't mind shooting them and I'm actually quite good at it, having qualified as "expert." And, I am well aware of the necessity of carrying a gun at times, especially in my line of work as a police officer. But, I don't like shooting well enough to do it on my own time and I really don't enjoy cleaning the gun when I'm finished. Even more than that, I wouldn't pay $500 for one like my dad did.
I am not ambivalent, however, about my dad's right to keep a gun at his house. "If you make guns illegal," he says, "then only criminals will have guns." While it's true that the United States is one of the most violent industrialized nations, the old saying is still very accurate. If guns were outlawed, the law abiding citizens wanting to protect their families and properties would be the ones unarmed and defenseless. The people murdering, raping, and breaking into homes, or, in other words, the same people who commit crimes with guns now, would be the only people who have guns. Evidence of that is in the fact that most criminals don't have the required permits for the stolen handguns they now have.
The U.S. Constitution correctly provides that there be no hindrance to a sane, sober person wanting to use a gun designed for home defense, personal protection, hunting, or even target practice. That's our right, just as free speech is our right. The government "shall not infringe" upon it.
The Other Way It Is
The stories and opinions of author Trent Ruble.
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