Guns: No Redeeming Social Value, eh?

[naamagatus]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "naamagatus" 
<naama_gat at h...>
> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > The difference is, that all these other things have functions 
that 
> > are positive in our lives. Guns don't. As Amanda so 
> > succinctly said, their only function is to kill things. 
> >
> > ...edited... 
> > 
> 


> 
> No other function than killing, eh?
> 
> So, you aren't aware that there are gun sports that are part of the
> Olympics? 
> 
> You aren't aware that a majority of non-military ammo fired is 
>fired a pieces of paper, tin cans, tree stumps, and other not living 
>targets? 
> 
> You aren't aware of the extent to which competative shooting takes
> place in every part of the United States? (every part of the modern
> world for that matter)
> 
> You aren't aware of the pre-teen, and teen shooting competitions 
>that take place all the time?
> 
> You aren't aware of the life long postive relationships built 
>between fathers and sons who engage in outdoor activities together; 
>including gun sports? 
> 
> You aren't aware that a majority of hunters rarely have the
> opportunity to shoot their guns in the field? (Hunting, like 
fishing, is mostly a social event.)
> 
> You aren't aware of people who collect guns for their historical
> significants? 
> 
> You aren't aware of people who admire guns because, while the are
> reletively simple, they are at the same time, sophisticated pieces 
>of engineering? 
> 


Well, it was Amanda (a gun owner) who said that about guns only 
purpose being killing. As to the sports activities you enumerate: a) 
I specifically excluded hunting rifles in my post and b) how does 
what you say explain or justify the fact that so many other types of 
guns and rifles are legal in the USA? Do fathers and sons bond over 
Oozies? Or are Oozie ranges also included in the Olympics? 

As for the admiration of guns as works of engineering. Well, I have 
little to say about that. I'm not at all technically minded. But, I 
suppose that nuclear bombs might be extremely fascinating pieces of 
engineering for people who understand their mechanism. The gas 
chambers used in the death camps were probably also quite efficient, 
smooth working mechanisms. Does that add a positive value to them?


Naama