Firearms are Pandora’s Box. Now that it has been opened there is no going back. I’m an avid shooter. I compete in action pistol and rifle competitions, I love long-range precision rifles, and enjoy hunting hogs and varmints. In fact shooting is my favorite past time in the world. I even make money instructing firearms. I would give all that up if we could really make guns go away. The reality is we can’t.
On a global level, dictators and governments will always make guns (aka small arms). The American Government is by far the largest buyer and supplier of guns in the world. If we outlawed all guns by private persons there would still be military weapons, and the bad guys would get those by doing what criminals do, break the law.
Now there are videos popping up all over about people making guns in their back yards and garages. The genie is out of the bottle and not going back. Check out this blog’s pictures about gunsmithing in the third world if you don’t believe me. You can also check out this LiveLeak video on a home-made gun.
On a national level it’s been tried in England and Australia and doesn’t seem to be working. On a local level weapons will just come in from the surrounding areas. Chicago and Washington DC have been gun free zones for decades (until the last couple years when court cases are changing that) and they are some of the most crime ridden, and dangerous cities in America.
In the end, criminals will still be criminals and get guns to do bad things. If we outlaw all guns it takes guns away from law-abiding people like you and me that will never use a firearm for an illegal purpose.
This is why I talk about them. We have to deal with guns one way or another in our lives. If you choose not to own a gun, that is fine. But you should still know what to do if you find one or if one is used against you. For those of you that chose to own a gun, I want you to be one of the most responsible owners out there.
Stay Safe,
Ben
Well said, Ben. I’ve used the Pandora’s Box analogy myself. History tells us that bad guys will always be there…and will prevail if good men do nothing.
Thanks again for helping us protect ourselves.
Jonathan, Thanks for reading and the kind words. I kind of stumbled upon it when I took someone new shooting. It seems like a good way to understand that guns will always be with us. If there is something you would like to read about, let me know.