You guys and your guns...

[Sean Hayden]

It's dangerous to imagine what we might do if someone breaks into our home?

[Gallstones]

I very much wish that I could have the experience of becoming familiar with nearly every hand held weapon--long and hand.
Gunsmithing too.

I love guns.

I love seeing things get blown up.
I love explosions; implosions.
I love fireworks.

Does that cause anyone to piss their pants.
Say I was standing next to you?

I think the two of us could get into trouble together..especially if we were given access to explosives

Next 4th of July.

[Gallstones]

I think someone talked of the gunfighter fantasy. I agree totally with that.

Gun enthusiasts are living in a world of fantasy. They see themselves as the gunslinger hero, blowing away the bad guys. This fantasy world, which exists only inside their own heads, will influence their feelings, and through emotional logic, influence their conclusions. When someone is so hung up on a fantasy, it is difficult for them to think rationally.

I see this fantasy appearing on a very frequent basis in this discussion. People talk of what they would do if their home was invaded, or if they were given access to explosives, or whatever. This is a fantasy, and a very dangerous one.

Now if the fantasy leads them to a harmless purge of those emotions by target shooting, then fine. If it leads them to keeping a loaded hand gun in their homes, and especially if it leads to them carrying that loaded hand gun in public, it becomes a major problem for society.

I am a gun enthusiast.
I have no gun fantasies other than acquisition.

The fantasy here is your hypothesis of the mindset and motivation and liability of gun enthusiasts.

[Blind groper]

Hypothesis, yes. But based on strong evidence. The evidence is both the actions and spoken words of gun enthusiasts I have met, and the same from you guys in this thread. I am not immune to it, either, and can feel the pull of that fantasy.

[Rum]

Two more shot in Texas.

Edit: sorry, three.

[Gallstones]

I think this applies to some of the the claims being made by the anti-gun group.

Claim #1. The police will save us.

Flaws in Norway Massacre Response Uncovered

In contrast to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado, which led to sweeping changes in police tactics and training in the U.S., the massacre of 77 people in July last year hasn't had a tangible impact on Norway's police force, critics say.

...

Police had already admitted to a series of blunders, including flaws in communication systems and the breakdown of an overloaded boat carrying the anti-terror squad. Norway's only police helicopter was left unused, its crew on vacation.

But the report also questioned the actions of the first officers to arrive on the shore of the lake, saying they received instructions to get an overview of the situation and await the anti-terror unit instead of trying to cross over to Utoya to confront the gunman.

...

Even Breivik, 33, testified during his trial that he expected police to confront him on his way to Utoya or within 15 minutes after firing his first shots on the island.

As it turned out, Breivik drove unhindered to Utoya after setting off the bomb — even though police had the license plate of his getaway car. On Utoya, he called police twice to announce he was ready to give himself up, then kept killing as no officers had arrived to arrest him.*

In the U.S., the Columbine massacre changed the standard police procedure for dealing shooting rampages.

Two officers exchanged fire with one of the teenage gunmen just outside the school door, then stopped — as they had been trained to do — to wait for a specially trained elite police team. During the 45 minutes it took for the elite team to assemble and go in, the gunmen shot 10 of the 13 people they killed that day.*

After the tragedy, police across the country developed "active-shooter" training, calling for the first responding officers to rush toward gunfire to stop the gunman instead of waiting for a SWAT team.

*Highlight mine.

[Gallstones]

Hypothesis, yes. But based on strong evidence. The evidence is both the actions and spoken words of some gun enthusiasts I have met, and the same from some of you guys in this thread. I am not immune to it, either, and can feel the pull of that fantasy.

FTFY

I am not immune to it, either, and can feel the pull of that fantasy.

Perhaps this admission is the most telling aspect of your hypothesis.
It's personal.

[Blind groper]

Perhaps this admission is the most telling aspect of your hypothesis.
It's personal.

Certainly.
The truth of any assertion is made more powerful if it is personal. If I, as a person who clearly sees the problems of gun enthusiasm, feel the pull of the 'gunfighter fantasy' anyway, I have to conclude that the pull is even stronger in those who have embraced it.

The problem is that large numbers of people who embrace that fantasy are likely to have their behaviour modified in ways that represent a danger to other people. Those who carry loaded hand guns in public are a major danger.

On this forum we even have a person who has adopted the Clint Eastwood gunfighter image as his avatar - a clear sign that the fantasy has become part of him. I am somewhat less sure of Gawdzilla, though. I have a feeling (correct me if I am wrong) that he may have passed through and beyond the fantasy, by being exposed to the nasty reality of fighting and death by gunfire.

[Sean Hayden]

At this point why shouldn't I just ignore your analysis?

It is easy enough after all to imagine that fantasy is not the driving force behind gun ownership. Or at least not the primary reason for ownership in certain situations. This would present no problem to your analysis provided you made room for obvious exceptions, but you don't. It's all fantasy. That combined with no attempt to justify your analysis with facts just leaves me scratching my head.

-meh

[Woodbutcher]

I've fired a lot of guns from cap and ball pistols to machine guns, and never really thought anything of it. It was just messing around. I've also made "handgrenades" out of lamp oil and fertilizer just for the bang of it. And I have tossed dynamite blasting caps with a short fuse to see a whomp. And I have hunted for food. You know which gun I like the best? A sixteen gauge pump shotgun. All you'll ever need, no matter what comes your way. I did not much care for pistols, not really useful for hunting, meant for people.

[Gallstones]

Perhaps this admission is the most telling aspect of your hypothesis.
It's personal.

Certainly.
The truth of any assertion is made more powerful if it is personal. If I, as a person who clearly sees the problems of gun enthusiasm, feel the pull of the 'gunfighter fantasy' anyway, I have to conclude that the pull is even stronger in those who have embraced it.

The problem is that large numbers of people who embrace that fantasy are likely to have their behaviour modified in ways that represent a danger to other people. Those who carry loaded hand guns in public are a major danger.

I don't think you clearly see anything that is really there. I think you are placing it there because it is what you expect to see.

On this forum we even have a person who has adopted the Clint Eastwood gunfighter image as his avatar - a clear sign that the fantasy has become part of him. I am somewhat less sure of Gawdzilla, though. I have a feeling (correct me if I am wrong) that he may have passed through and beyond the fantasy, by being exposed to the nasty reality of fighting and death by gunfire.

The horror! Clint Eastwood---Noooooooooooo!

I think it's cool.
I had an online personality once. People not only thought I was my avatar, I had men and women flirting with me cause I was so handsome. It was not only an interesting--although inadvertent--social experiment, it was a blast while it lasted.

[Blind groper]

I seriously doubt that anyone will flirt with me because of my avatar!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I am somewhat less sure of Gawdzilla, though. I have a feeling (correct me if I am wrong) that he may have passed through and beyond the fantasy, by being exposed to the nasty reality of fighting and death by gunfire.

Any "fantasy" I had about guns was surgically extracted by a retired USMC Gunnery Sergeant. He taught me to shoot when I was 14 and taught me safety and respect for firearms. Four years of shooting with his son made me competent with a long gun and pistol. That stood me in good stead when I went off to the jungle.

In the nearly fifty years since I have never accidentally shot anybody, nor has anyone been injured or killed with one of my pieces unless it was my will that this happened. I've lived with children and senile adults and they were never in danger from my guns. I worship my guns every bit as much as I worship my Dremel.

My wife wants to learn how to shoot and buy a gun of her own. I support her in that and will make sure she's as well trained as humanly possible. I hope that Gunny #1 would give my efforts a 4.0 in that regard.

[Gallstones]

I seriously doubt that anyone will flirt with me because of my avatar!

Another groper?

[Blind groper]

Another groper?

When you get kissed by them lips, hoo boy, do you get kissed!