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Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#100701: Sep 15th 2015 at 6:00:14 AM

Remember, it's Texas. I wouldn't be surprised if the state constitution outright bans creating gun-free zones on public territory.

Which, if it applies to zoos, probably also applies to schools... assuming there are still public schools in Texas.

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#100702: Sep 15th 2015 at 6:04:55 AM

You're forgetting that people have a sacred right to be able to carry a fully loaded Kalashnikov slung over their shoulder wherever they damn well please.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#100703: Sep 15th 2015 at 6:23:57 AM

The only reason to carry a gun at the zoo is if somebody else carries a gun to the zoo and goes crazy with it.
Or if you just carry habitually and happen to be going to the zoo?

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#100704: Sep 15th 2015 at 6:34:39 AM

I saw a surprisingly good article recently on Cracked about bad arguments for gun ownership. One of those was the old "if everyone had a gun, we'd all be safer" saw. Because the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a ton of good guys with guns, who are poorly trained, can't tell each other apart from the bad guys, and turn "that black guy might be armed" into a mass-murder scene because of their excessive enthusiasm.

edited 15th Sep '15 6:37:23 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
BonsaiForest Since: Jan, 2001
#100707: Sep 15th 2015 at 6:53:40 AM

Rather than lethal weaponry, I'd rather guns that fire something that can disable a person but not kill them be more common somehow. Though that could be very tricky - for example, maybe a Taser would electrocute somebody who's wet, thus creating a lethal situation rather than preventing one.

Still, it would at least solve the "good guys fucked up" problem.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#100708: Sep 15th 2015 at 6:55:30 AM

I think we need a general investment in non-lethal area-suppression weaponry.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#100709: Sep 15th 2015 at 6:59:39 AM

[up]You mean even more?

This law isn't about "gunna carry muh AK/AR with me on the zoo" it is for CC and OC carriers not breaking any laws without knowing or having to leave their guns somewhere else without their oversight.

Also that Cracked column was horrible straw manning.

Inter arma enim silent leges
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#100710: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:11:11 AM

Or they could just not carry guns like normal people. It's not a strawman when it's the truth. While I used to be fairly tolerant of pro-gun arguments, they have become increasingly strident and hollow over the past few years as it becomes clear that having firearms in private hands only increases the danger to the general public.

edited 15th Sep '15 7:15:57 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#100711: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:11:38 AM

Yes, Medinoc, most of the schools in Texas are still public. I understand that was probably sarcasm, but it was very very poor sarcasm. And no, we don't have a no carry clause in the constitution.

We do have all "no gun" signs coming down on school grounds come sometime around January. I can't remember if this applies to just colleges or any and all school grounds, which in this case includes a convention center I often work at. Which is right next door to a high school.

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#100712: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:14:25 AM

[up][up]That. Having a bunch of people with guns around does not make me feel safe. It makes me look at every single one of them and think "Are you about to start shooting?"

Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#100714: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:26:50 AM

Also that Cracked column was horrible straw manning.

It's not staw man, because the arguments attacked there actually are arguments that gun owners use. It's just that Luke in his signature foam-mouthed holier-than-thou manner manages to sound just as stupid and rabid as these arguments are. No easy task.

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#100715: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:30:16 AM

Or they could just not carry guns like normal people.
"like normal people"? Really, man? I'm not denying that gun violence is a problem that needs to be addressed, but people who get concealed carry licenses and obey the relevant laws are the ones who are doing it right. Going after permitted concealed carriers is about as relevant to solving the issue of gun violence as going after random schmucks with a savings account is to relevant to effective regulation of Wall Street.

Nevermind the fact that you just dismissed an entire group of people as not worthy of your consideration because they don't fit your definition of "normal".

It makes me look at every single one of them and think "Are you about to start shooting?"
That says more about you than anything else. Do you look at everyone bigger than you and worry about whether they're about to kick your ass for no reason?

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#100716: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:34:02 AM

People can't help being bigger than me but they can definitely help having a gun. If someone chooses to have one on them it makes me question their motives. They wouldn't have it around if they didn't think there was a possibility they would start firing. Even if they'd only shoot at the bad guy there's no guarantee they won't hit me by accident.

BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#100717: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:48:51 AM

people have a sacred right to be able to carry a fully loaded Kalashnikov slung over their shoulder wherever they damn well please.
I realize you're being sarcastic here, but that really is what a number of gun-rights proponents believe.
"like normal people"? Really, man?
Well, technically, he's right - "normal" is defined by what the majority do, and the majority even among Americans is not to walk around everywhere with a loaded firearm. That said, I mostly agree with your point, but even there the standards for concealed carry permits vary wildly and are even more sensitive to political bullshit than regular gun purchases.note 

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
SciFiSlasher from Absolutely none of your business. Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#100718: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:50:17 AM

[up][up] That's still jumping to conclusions. If you see someone who was Sikh and they had one of their knives on them, would you suddenly think, "oh shit, I'm gonna get gutted"?

edited 15th Sep '15 7:51:45 AM by SciFiSlasher

"Somehow the hated have to walk a tightrope, while those who hate do not."
Karkadinn Karkadinn from New Orleans, Louisiana Since: Jul, 2009
Karkadinn
#100719: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:50:24 AM

I feel like the statement needs nuance. It's 'normal' to have a gun if you're going on a hunting trip or you're doing something that gives you a reasonable expectation that you might need to shoot something that isn't a random human being. It's not normal to go into a coffee shop with one on open display, though, and we shouldn't pretend that people aren't being dicks by doing it just because it's not illegal.

Part of being a responsible gun owner is recognizing that people shouldn't know you have a gun in everyday situations where you should have no pressing reason to want to use one. How would you feel if people walked around with axes strapped to their backs with nary a tree to cut down for miles around?

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#100720: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:54:44 AM

"If I vote for trump then am I a white supremacist?" -trump supporter
YES. In deed, if not in thought.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#100721: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:55:08 AM

[up][up][up]I thought Sikhs were supposed to carry swords. I'm pretty sure that's not allowed in America. To get back to your point I actually would be less concerned if they were clearly Sikh. It would indicate they did that for religious reasons. Now if a person that didn't look Sikh walked into a store with a bladed weapon my reaction would be the same to seeing a gun.

edited 15th Sep '15 7:55:18 AM by Kostya

BonsaiForest Since: Jan, 2001
#100722: Sep 15th 2015 at 7:55:12 AM

A billboard in Kim Davis's hometown points out the hypocrisy of people who claim they're following the Bible by preventing gay marriage.

Of course, I can see Bible-thumpers ignoring that and finding a way to justify their anti-gay waste of time.

One of the things I've come to notice is that people will do the thing they want to first, then justify if later. And their justification doesn't even need to make sense. It only needs to exist. If one doesn't work, pull another out of your ass. If you run out of good justifications, invent a bad one.

AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#100723: Sep 15th 2015 at 8:00:30 AM

@ Karkadinn Aside the lone star state and a few others like Arizona, CC among gun carriers is the norm but there are states where getting the CC license is harder than getting the OC, the AK/AR slung on their shoulders are a very fucking tiny minority but they get the most exposition.

When gun owners see the idiots saying "Da secund amidment allous me to carrie muh ay aur and muh ay kay in dat restourant" are usually yelling "stop making us look like idiots".

I carry at least one knife and a switchblade with me all the time because I can't get a license where I live yet only my close friends know about that, yet I got close of having to use them. There are probably several people with guns nearby but you'd never know because they aren't dipshit attention whores.

edited 15th Sep '15 8:00:58 AM by AngelusNox

Inter arma enim silent leges
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#100724: Sep 15th 2015 at 8:01:58 AM

I'm not talking about CC. I don't see those guns although I'd still prefer if they weren't around. I'm more concerned with people walking into Target with a giant rifle slung on their back.

DrDougsh Since: Jan, 2001
#100725: Sep 15th 2015 at 8:03:47 AM

[up][up][up] It's called Confirmation Bias.

edited 15th Sep '15 8:04:08 AM by DrDougsh


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