Well at least they BOTH made good points! I think the same thing. I don't think I'd shoot someone even in self defence unless there was absolutely no doubt that I would get off free. I don't have a fear of being shot or killed but I do have an absolute DREAD of ever spending time in jail.
When Europeans first came to this country, they were explorers in a totally unknown land. They were a pretty darn hardy breed, and the reason they came here, (Columbus not withstanding), was to conquer the place & establish their permanent settlements here. They not only wanted to have permanent "bases" here, but they also wanted to exploit the resources. They knew there were people already here--Native Americans, and who knows who else--and that they might encounter wildlife that might want to invite them for lunch. That necessitated having weapons.
Even though the Spanish were argueably the 1st Europeans here, it sure didn't take long for other nations to follow, all of them with pretty much the same objectives. The disparate Europeans nations didn't like each other to begin with, and some were outwardly at war, or close to it. This again prompted folks to have weapons at the ready.
As westward expansion began, and the Europeans claimed more lands for themselves that were previously inhabited by natives, the natives objected. (The nerve of those people) They requested the Europeans not to trespass on their lands, and when the white men told them “to take a hike”, the game was on again. Indians attacked, whites retaliated, etc., etc. Bottom line is, the Native Americans never had a chance. They were essentially just above a stone age culture, and the Europeans were quite advanced. They had guns, cannons, horses, advanced tactics, etc.
The people who voluntarily came here were, for the most part, a rough & tumble lot. Really tough, brave folks with a lust for wilderness living and exploring. At that time in history, as well as now, those were the people who were most likely to be armed. For a looong time after that, people who followed them here were in that same mindset. They naturally passed these beliefs and lifestyles along to their children, and so forth down through the generations. This perpetuated an attitude and lifestyle that still persists in some measure.
When the nation gained its independence, one of the provisions in the Constitution was that the people would be allowed to bear arms. (That doesn’t mean wear short-sleeved shirts) After the bitter war with England, people were afraid that they might be re-attacked, or that a new government gone awry, would virtually enslave them as King George had. Having weapons was, at that time, seen as being essential.
Not too long after that, the War of 1812 came along. Since these wars were fought on “our” turf, people needed guns. That same for the Civil War, and, of course, “winning the west.”
The culture of being explorers, adventurers, and totally self-sufficient has been deeply engrained in the American psyche. There are so many guns in America that it has made it one of the most dangerous countries in which to live. Compare the murder and/or gunshot deaths and injuries to other industrial, developed nations, and you might be amazed. The NRA is an EXTREMELY powerful organization and lobbying power, which insist on maintaining the right to own guns according ton the Constitution, which incidentally, was written some 229 years ago. That doesn’t mean we should throw the Constitution out. –JMO- I think we should take a look at some of the provisions and possibly amend those, which no longer apply.
The gun question is a really tough and emotionally charged one among U.S. citizens. It’s like a huge snowball rolling downhill, and nobody is quite sure how to fix it, of even if it does need fixing. But what I said in the above paragraph about statistics should definitely give one pause.
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