Poll: is he ignorant or does he have a point

[nick_knack]

I don't know of any 16 year olds who I could genuinely trust with a rifle, including myself. Get one if you wish, but be freaking careful. Maybe that will convince them that a gun, if used responsibly, isn't the worst thing in the world.

I would trust me with a rifle! I've had training!

As for the getting of a gun....I don't think it is a good idea when you are 16 and your legal guardians, whom you live with, oppose it. At 16 there isn't much you can do.

P.S. I just remembered that I am 17. So i guess that blanket statement doesn't apply?

 

[F-I-D-O]

shooting isn't normal? i go shooting with some of my friends. and im not full steam ahead not looking at consequences, i know the risks. my maturity shouldn't be judged by age im a lot more responsible than some seniors in high school. one you get to an age do you magically become an adult? no.

If you already go shooting with friends, I assume you loan one from the range or their parents.

Can't you keep doing that until you can legally own one for yourself (as your parents aren't giving consent)? Why do you have to own one now to go shooting, if you can go shooting already?

Most gun ranges have a variety of weapons they loan for a day on the range along with safety gear.
Honestly, if you only want to go recreational shooting occasionally, just rent.

 

[SquirrelPants]

It's pretty much tough shit, OP. There's no reason to complain. If your mother doesn't want one in the house, suck it up, wait two years, and buy one then.

I don't think any civilian should be allowed have a gun unless it's for hunting.

Guns are extremly dangerous regardless of who is holding it and if his mother does not want a gun in her house then tough shit for the OP.

I agree on the latter subject. As for the former, I am quite partial to trap shooting out in the desert, but I do not at all enjoy trudging up a mountain trying to scare some birds into the air to shoot at them with my shotgun. It's the worst kind of physical activity in my opinion.

 

[micky]

shooting isn't normal? i go shooting with some of my friends. and im not full steam ahead not looking at consequences, i know the risks. my maturity shouldn't be judged by age im a lot more responsible than some seniors in high school. one you get to an age do you magically become an adult? no.

If you already go shooting with friends, I assume you loan one from the range or their parents.

Can't you keep doing that until you can legally own one for yourself (as your parents aren't giving consent)? Why do you have to own one now to go shooting, if you can go shooting already?

we dont do it often, barely ever. i dont need one now i would like to have one though

 

[Skratt]

im 16 and i decided to get a rifle because i really like shooting and i told my moms boyfriend and he said he wouldn't live in this house if i got it and that "no good would come from that thing". hes acting like its a horrible omen like when i get it the world will end. am i wrong or is he just ignorant
p.s. my moms with him on it


edit: my dads an ex marine and has trained me to the best of his ability's. only problem he lives in new Hampshire

edit again: i want to get one for target shooting and i can get one with parents consent.

He's not ignorant, guns are very dangerous. Lucky for you, you can wait until you move out. Mom's house, mom's rules. It may not be what you want, but unfortunately, as a parent myself, I can honestly say, one day you'll have to make your own rules. Sometimes it's not what you can prevent, but what you can't live with if you didn't try.

Personally I support guns and gun owners, but I also support those who don't want them around. It doesn't matter that you don't agree with their rules, what matters is that you are man enough to respect them despite your disagreement.

 

[Canid117]

Technically you aren't supposed to own one because of your age. If you just intend to shoot at the range and hunt then you are fine. If you are buying it because "It's like... awesome brah!" Or "I just wanna headshot some noobs like in Halo." then you should jump off a cliff.

 

[TheTim]

He's out of his mind.

and this is wayy off topic, but there are no ex marines. only former marines

 

[TheGreatBearWrestler]

Well I started out with a .22 when I was 8 and I have worked my way up to a automatic firearm permit. I understand that people are concerned about a teenager owning a firearm, and I know that accidents happen. People will just have to learn that not every teen with a gun is a mass murderer.

Also one other thing, in the state of South Carolina (where I live) I person with no criminal history can buy an assualt rifle for around $300-700. So America will have it's right to bear arms for a long time.

I just wish people would understand that guns can be used for fun recreation, and not seen as a machine that is just used to cause death and destruction.

 

[asinann]

Though better a rifle than a handgun. Many seem to believe merely owning a handgun entitles them to carry it. Carrying it means you're far more likely to use it in favor of rational behavior.

This level of ignorance on gun control is why there are so many people in favor of it. People who openly carry a handgun are far less likely to use them than people who hide them or keep them home.

And as for you people thinking that only the government should have guns, one of Hitler's first acts once he got power was to take guns out of the hands of the population, same with Stalin. What happens when the government decides they want to snag what few liberties we have left and needs to be changed (which is the whole reason we have the second amendment, not for hunting)

And anyone that lives in a country that was stupid enough to give up their firearms (I'm looking at you England) or never had them, you need to butt the hell out of any debates on whether or not the US should allow it's citizens to own firearms. You've already spoken, and you're not intelligent enough to debate it, you made the wrong choice caving to the fearmongers in your own countries.

You can't rely on the police in the US, because when they make a mistake, they cover it up. There have been cases of people calling the police when someone breaks into their homes, and then when the police get there, the police shoot the homeowner AFTER the police were told that the homeowner was inside. The only reason anyone knows this is because the homeowner was still on the line with emergency services and the operator heard the gunshots and the police that were in the room discussing how to cover it up. Got it all on tape.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/09/23/Family_Says_911_Tape_Caught_Cops_Planning_Cover-Up_After_Shooting.htm

But let's trust the cops.

 

[Neikun]

Shooting a firearm gives an inexplicable pleasure. Just aiming at inanimate targets. So long as you are properly trained, have a large and secluded space in which no one travels through often,there should be no problem.
Guns don't kill people, lack of firearms training and irresponsibility kill people.

 

[micky]

He's out of his mind.

and this is wayy off topic, but there are no ex marines. only former marines

thanks, ive always thought there was another word for it.

 

[CloakedOne]

I can see why people are wary of guns and all that, but I say there is nothing wrong with it as long as you have instruction with them and training in handling and safety. Guns are to be handled with caution no matter what a person's age. I'd say there's nothing wrong with you owning a gun as long as you treat it like it is: a deadly weapon.

 

[Daipire]

I don't know of any 16 year olds who I could genuinely trust with a rifle, including myself. Get one if you wish, but be freaking careful. Maybe that will convince them that a gun, if used responsibly, isn't the worst thing in the world.

I shot an AK47 when I went to vietnam last year (I was 16 then).

Then again, I'm pretty much upper class, so I'd be fairly unlikely to go on a rampage...

 

[Mr.Pandah]

I own a few firearms myself, and I've never had any accidents with them, nor do I allow people who have not taken some form of a firearm safety course to handle them if any are with me when I had down to the range.

Guns are a big responsibility, they should be handled with the utmost care and attention. I do believe that you should respect house rules, but you already understand that. The problem here lies in the fact that your mother and your possible stepdad/mother's boyfriend are a bit on the other extreme side. I would tell my mother this man has no right to tell me what to do since he isn't my real father / isn't even my stepdad yet, so he should keep his nose out of our business anyway.

But thats just me.

 

[Xojins]

You're 16... if you were my kid I wouldn't trust you with a gun either. Guns seem like fun but I agree with the notion that nothing good could come from owning one.

 

[Im Nightmare]

I have had a gun since I was 13. A 20 gauge shotgun to be exact. I also passed the State Gun Safety Test and I have been hunting ever since. People overreact about guns.

 

[zehydra]

im 16 and i decided to get a rifle because i really like shooting and i told my moms boyfriend and he said he wouldn't live in this house if i got it and that "no good would come from that thing". hes acting like its a horrible omen like when i get it the world will end. am i wrong or is he just ignorant
p.s. my moms with him on it


edit: my dads an ex marine and has trained me to the best of his ability's. only problem he lives in new Hampshire

edit again: i want to get one for target shooting and i can get one with parents consent.

ignorant about what? Honestly, if you really want to shoot a gun for a meaningful reason aside from hunting, go join the army.

thats no fun i dont want to do push-ups just to shoot a gun

well, what are you going to shoot at then?

 

[Superbeast]

we dont do it often, barely ever. i dont need one now i would like to have one though

"I'd like to" sounds a bit childish really. And I don't mean any offence by that.

If I were you, I'd go to the range more often and rent (using the money you would use to buy the rifle at the moment). Show your parents that you are responsible and can handle firearms, and that you have had "official" training, and not just your dad.

Who knows, they may buy you (/allow you to buy) a gun next year when they see you are proficient and sensible. If they don't, you then only have one more year to abide by their rules, then you can look into moving out and so forth.

And anyone that lives in a country that was stupid enough to give up their firearms (I'm looking at you England) or never had them, you need to butt the hell out of any debates on whether or not the US should allow it's citizens to own firearms. You've already spoken, and you're not intelligent enough to debate it, you made the wrong choice caving to the fearmongers in your own countries.

Yes, we're so stupid that we banned different classes of guns after they were used in mass-shootings...and haven't had any since. We also still live in a free country despite ~40 years without firearms, so the Hitler/TYRANNY! argument(s) don't really apply.

You know, people who have experienced a tight gun control system are allowed to comment in the gun control debate - otherwise the debate is going to be extremely one-sided.

Saying we're not intelligent enough to debate it, and that we're stupid, is an extremely ignorant statement.

 

[Adventurer2626]

My best advice, get one when you move out. Or try to find a range that lets you rent them for on-site use or something. While they don't instantly turn you into a unibomber or school shooter, care and training are needed with to prevent you from hurting yourself or others. Also I dislike the shoot first ask questions never policy towards home defense. I'd much prefer a good alarm system, tear gas or something similar and use my martial arts training to disarm them. As opposed to giving the cops a corpse I could wring some much needed cash out of the poor bastard in court instead. Anyways, if you really want it and are willing to do what you need to to take care of it and yourself, then by all means get one when you can without being kicked out of your home.