Posted at a pawn shop I frequent

[Tanis143]

Guns are not mind-altering drugs.

Gun owners aren't likely to break into homes to steal TVs, microwaves, and computers to support their habit, whereas many drug addicts do.

I personally don't care what folks do to themselves (drugwise or whatever), unless their habit causes them to commit acts that affect others.

Just my 2¢...

Oh? According to the left they do. And you completely missed my point. The government should not be able to tell us what we can and can not put into our own bodies. By using the "see, these people did X so we must ban it" you are using the exact same mentality that gun grabbers use and is mocked daily on here. If YOU can use that as a justification for drug laws then the gun grabbers get to us it for their laws. Its as simple as that.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

By that reasoning you're ok with gun control laws because of a few who used them to commit murders, correct? Here is my problem with many of the arguments expressed here: You are ok with drug laws because it falls in line with your own moral laws. You don't do drugs, so it doesn't bother you that they are illegal. That right there is why we have such a hard fight with firearm laws. And before you go there, yes I know firearm ownership is a right while drug use is not, but the fact that you are using the same mentality as the anti-gunners is what bothers me. I don't use any illicit or licit drugs simply for the fact that I have an addictive personality (also why I don't drink that much). However, as long as one's use does not affect others, it should not criminalize the person for partaking in any drug. The government should not be able to dictate what we can and cannot put into our own bodies! If they have that power then they can come around and tell us "Hey, no more meat for anyone!" or "Chocolate is bad for you, so we are going to make it illegal!".

You are trying to hard to support your view. My statement was an explanation of why we have so many laws. I did not say that I like them, just that that is why we end up with them.

Now on your thought about gun control laws, it is quite easy to see why there is so much call for some new effort to stop gun violence. It is on the news every night, in every news market. Politicians get elected by speaking to the majority of the voters. You do the math.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Just goes to show how irrational, reactive, and tyrannical legislatures are.

v

Surely you are joking. We elected these legislatures. They are only responding to what they think the majority of voters want, so they can be reelected.

The voters control the elected, unfortunately, most voters pay little attention and continue to reelect the same ones.

 

[Tanis143]

You are trying to hard to support your view. My statement was an explanation of why we have so many laws. I did not say that I like them, just that that is why we end up with them.

Now on your thought about gun control laws, it is quite easy to see why there is so much call for some new effort to stop gun violence. It is on the news every night, in every news market. Politicians get elected by speaking to the majority of the voters. You do the math.

Darn this internet and its lack of voice inflection! Yes, and marijuana was made illegal due to the refer madness craze of the 60's (pretty much the same thing they are doing now, lots of falsehoods, twisted stats, and downright lies). Wasn't right then and isn't right now.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Well, no body is going to change their minds here. I'm going to go watch the tornados hit western Oklahoma.

 

[kwaynem]

I can’t believe we’re arguing over gun rights and doing something that is illegal

 

[MacFromOK]

Oh? According to the left they do. And you completely missed my point. The government should not be able to tell us what we can and can not put into our own bodies. By using the "see, these people did X so we must ban it" you are using the exact same mentality that gun grabbers use and is mocked daily on here. If YOU can use that as a justification for drug laws then the gun grabbers get to us it for their laws. Its as simple as that.

No, I didn't miss your point.

But it's not anywhere near the same thing.

When a shooter goes nuts, it's not the gun that caused it. When a drug addict goes nuts or robs his neighbors to support his habit, it IS the drugs that caused it.

As you (I think?) mentioned, self-defense is a right. Getting high is not. They're not even in the same category.

 

[Ethan N]

Surely you are joking. We elected these legislatures. They are only responding to what they think the majority of voters want, so they can be reelected.

The voters control the elected, unfortunately, most voters pay little attention and continue to reelect the same ones.

Just goes to show how irrational, reactive, and tyrannical majorities are.

“Measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.” – James Madison

“It is of great importance in a republic, not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers; but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part.” – James Madison

“All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.” – Thomas Jefferson

And, especially pertinent to this conversation…

“That government is best which governs least.” – Henry David Thoreau

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Those are nice thoughts, however, I don't believe that there are many current voters that have read those words. We all want laws that allow what we want, and ban those actions that we don't like.

If you can get enough others to agree with what you want, it is likely that there will be some candidate that will run on that platform.

 

[Ethan N]

Guns are not mind-altering drugs.

Gun owners aren't likely to break into homes to steal TVs, microwaves, and computers to support their habit, whereas many drug addicts do.

I personally don't care what folks do to themselves (drugwise or whatever), unless their habit causes them to commit acts that affect others.

Just my 2¢...

We have laws against burglary and theft. There’s no need to punish all drug users and addicts for possessing drugs because some of them steal due to drugs. Outlawing things because they might lead to crimes is a steep slippery slope.

I think there’s a gun analogy here that’s relevant. It’s not a great analogy, but let’s try it on for size… Guns are some of the items most targeted for theft. In fact, if you left a gun sitting visible in the seat of your car, there’s a pretty good chance someone would break in to steal it. If we ban guns, it would undoubtedly prevent thousands of thefts per year. There’s nothing wrong with owning guns, of course, but since they’re a favorite of thieves, maybe we should ban them anyway.