What is the purpose of assault weapons?

[SeattleUte]

Nothing really gets my adrenaline going like a good hunt.

In my elementary school we had a day off for the deer hunt. I was pretty much the only child in my class that did not wear camouflage to school on the day before the hunt. I did not identify culturally with others on this issue.

Why can't hunting be substituted with a good game of paintball or laser tag? Is it not quite the same if you don't draw blood? Or is it the fresh meat that can't be replaced?

Do they hunt dear with machine guns now? Bambie needs a remake.

[pellegrino]

I think this is true, which is why I wonder if there is a middle ground. Maybe there just isn't. By the way, since we are talking about live wire issues, I think what you are describing there is not far off from what you would see if the conservative right got its wish and was able to ban abortions.

I'm curious, what do you have in mind when you say change the gun culture or change the culture of violence. I hear a lot of people saying that but I'm genuinely unsure of what they mean or what steps they are talking about there.

EDIT: By the way, speaking of loaded language "anti-gun crowd" is pretty loaded. The "pro-gun" crowd also contributes to the mutual misunderstanding by talking in terms of bans on all guns, when virtually no one is arguing for that.

I agree wholeheartedly about the similarity with the abortion issue. These wedge issues are precisely that, they drive a wedge between people and do little to resolve the underlying causes of the problem, only seeking to outlaw actions/objects directly related to the problems.

I don't know exactly how we can effectively going about changing culture. I'm not in marketing, psychology or in mass media so I don't know how to sell change to people, but there are plenty of people who do that for a living and I'm confident that appropriate messages could be developed and disseminated that would find broad support. In theory I would favor massive ad campaigns that focused on the right to bear arms as a responsibility that is not to be taken lightly, that human life is important and that guns actually have a place in responsibly protecting it. I think up until now all that has been done is to either vilify guns, or glorify them as the ultimate equalizer and problem solver. Both approaches are off. People need to learn that guns not only have a place in society but that they need to be treated with respect and responsibility.

p.s. the post was written in haste and I failed to find a suitable term for those who favor gun control to the extreme. I welcome suggestions, but I do think there is a portion (which is at times vocal, at least in the crowds I run with) of the gun control lobby that would like to outlaw private ownership outright, but they approach it like one would when faced with eating an elephant, one bite at a time.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Sadly, I own no weapons. I just hate government encroachment at any level at any time. My default position is to be "agin" it until I am really convinced it is neccesary and beneficial. In the aftermath of this horrific event it seems to me that lack of gun control is not the root of the problem nor should it be what dominates the political landscape. However, it is clearly an agenda item.

First I learn you have never shot a deer and now this. Do me a favor, will you? If you drive a Subaru with a "Kerry Edwards" bumper sticker on the back, can you please just STFU and keep it to yourself? Por favor? There is only so much disillusionment this old heart can take.

[Goatnapper'96]

First I learn you have never shot a deer and now this. Do me a favor, will you? If you drive a Subaru with a "Kerry Edwards" bumper sticker on the back, can you please just STFU and keep it to yourself? Por favor? There is only some much disillusionment this old heart can take.

I don't quite get the whole gun culture thing. I fired really big weapons in the military and it was fun. However, we have to prioritize what we do in our lives and there are many fun things that don't get my attention. Trust me, I am a true hardcore rightwinger I just don't personally own any weapons and don't quite understand the joy some get out of firing weapons. But I still don't want their rights, and mine and yours, curtailed and that is not a segue/build upon common beliefs into some line of thinking aimed at curtailing their rights.

[PaloAltoCougar]

First I learn you have never shot a deer and now this. Do me a favor, will you? If you drive a Subaru with a "Kerry Edwards" bumper sticker on the back, can you please just STFU and keep it to yourself? Por favor? There is only some much disillusionment this old heart can take.

Wait until you learn that his excellent wife has never acquired products from the fine people at the Dow Corning. This board is essentially a tissue of lies.

[Goatnapper'96]

Wait until you learn that his excellent wife has never acquired products from the fine people at the Dow Corning. This board is essentially a tissue of lies.

She has never even pierced her ears!

[Goatnapper'96]

Nothing really gets my adrenaline going like a good hunt.

In my elementary school we had a day off for the deer hunt. I was pretty much the only child in my class that did not wear camouflage to school on the day before the hunt. I did not identify culturally with others on this issue.

What is the purpose of camouflage in hunting again? Is it so the animals won't see you before you kill them?

Why can't hunting be substituted with a good game of paintball or laser tag? Is it not quite the same if you don't draw blood? Or is it the fresh meat that can't be replaced? I like a good burger. I'd like to think the cows are treated humanely.

Hunting includes a lot more than just the actual shooting of the animal. It is really exhausting the amount of time and effort many of these folks put into their deer hunt. It is not a weekend affair but often includes many hours of scouting the herds and figuring out the locations for the kill.

And yes, DOC, they wear camouflage to prevent themselves from being detected. Also many of those camouflage clothes are more robust for movement in environments that would shred less robust clothes.

But that is ok when everyone else went hunting, you probably had Levin and the other cool kids in the chess club.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Hunting includes a lot more than just the actual shooting of the animal. It is really exhausting the amount of time and effort many of these folks put into their deer hunt. It is not a weekend affair but often includes many hours of scouting the herds and figuring out the locations for the kill.

And yes, DOC, they wear camouflage to prevent themselves from being detected. Also many of those camouflage clothes are more robust for movement in environments that would shred less robust clothes.

But that is ok when everyone else went hunting, you probably had Levin and the other cool kids in the chess club.

See what I mean? This all rings hollow now. Like a virgin lecturing on sexual techniques and positions.

Do your Idaho neighbors know the truth about you? God forbid.

[Goatnapper'96]

See what I mean? This all rings hollow now. Like a virgin lecturing on sexual techniques and positions.

Do your Idaho neighbors know the truth about you? God forbid.

I did not belong to the Chess Club so what is the issue?

[Goatnapper'96]

See what I mean? This all rings hollow now. Like a virgin lecturing on sexual techniques and positions.

Do your Idaho neighbors know the truth about you? God forbid.

Do you think students should listen to the wanker business professors at the BYU?

[Jeff Lebowski]

I did not belong to the Chess Club so what is the issue?

Don't worry, amigo. You secret will be safe with me.

[calicoug]

Exactly. The police have them and no one else. And I'll bet the density of the police on post is less than what you will find off-post. That makes it a gun free zone, just like any school is.

In other words, there are guns in your "gun free zone" and you can't estimate if it is more or less than what you find among police in any given city.

[calicoug]

I agree wholeheartedly about the similarity with the abortion issue. These wedge issues are precisely that, they drive a wedge between people and do little to resolve the underlying causes of the problem, only seeking to outlaw actions/objects directly related to the problems.

I don't know exactly how we can effectively going about changing culture. I'm not in marketing, psychology or in mass media so I don't know how to sell change to people, but there are plenty of people who do that for a living and I'm confident that appropriate messages could be developed and disseminated that would find broad support. In theory I would favor massive ad campaigns that focused on the right to bear arms as a responsibility that is not to be taken lightly, that human life is important and that guns actually have a place in responsibly protecting it. I think up until now all that has been done is to either vilify guns, or glorify them as the ultimate equalizer and problem solver. Both approaches are off. People need to learn that guns not only have a place in society but that they need to be treated with respect and responsibility.

p.s. the post was written in haste and I failed to find a suitable term for those who favor gun control to the extreme. I welcome suggestions, but I do think there is a portion (which is at times vocal, at least in the crowds I run with) of the gun control lobby that would like to outlaw private ownership outright, but they approach it like one would when faced with eating an elephant, one bite at a time.

Are you really suggesting it is "loaded language" to talk about a mass shooting at an elementary school when discussing gun control? Are we supposed to consider gun control as if there are no mass shootings?

[clackamascoug]

Do you think students should listen to the wanker business professors at the BYU?

Did you mean BYU Provo?

[Goatnapper'96]

Did you mean BYU Provo?

Any BYU will do as long as there are business professors trying to set their business up in Fantasyland!

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlVDGmjz7eM"]Rodney Dangerfield's First Economics Class - YouTube[/nomedia]