Yet another post about guns...

Yes, this is another post about gun control.  It may not be a “hot” issue right now, but that doesn’t seem to keep me out of arguments on the subject. These thoughts came from one such.

I never learn my lesson. Though I know that there is no subject as contentious, as able to land me in hot water or possibly cost me dearly-held friendships, I keep returning to this debate. Probably because it's so very far from being settled.

The Great Gun Control Debate continues, as it has for years, with “gun rights” supporters and “reasonable restriction” supporters using the same old arguments to achieve the same results…nothing changes much.

One such argument (that I am tired of hearing) is this:

“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”

I even agree with that argument, but just so far. Certainly, a gun is but a tool, neither good nor evil in or of itself; but it is a tool capable of being used either for good or evil as directed by the intent of the wielder.

What we have to realize is that, as a tool, the purpose of a gun is to kill. Hunting is killing; self-defense is at least the threat of killing. Any other purpose would be like using a fork or a spoon as a knife; somewhat adequate if you’ve nothing else but inferior to something made for the purpose. Face it: Killing is what a guns do.

It could also be argued, thought it’s not an argument that I would like to make, that killing is itself neither good nor evil; it derives such an attribute from the intent or purpose behind it as well as from its results. Whether or not such an argument is valid, I don’t think I like that much moral ambiguity served up with my philosophy.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with “gun rights” arguments that follow this reasoning…their moral ambiguity.

Until and unless you can convince me that you will know the heart of every person who would carry a gun, and convince me that they will do so without evil intent, I have to believe that reasonable restrictions (such as background checks, waiting periods and certain restrictions on ownership) are necessary.

The Blues Viking
The thoughts expressed here are mine and if you don't like them you can get your own damn blog.