Some people should not be allowed to own guns...

[mousegunner]

These are my rules, and carry no weight at all, but fun to express just the same!

1. People who are alcoholics or drug addicts should not own guns.

2. People who have uncontrollable emotions should not own guns.

3. People who abuse their spouse or children should not own guns.

4. People who can't understand how to disassemble, clean and oil, and reassemble guns should not own guns.

5. People who are guilty of violent felonies should not own guns.

6. People who intentionally live off welfare when they could be working should not own guns.

7. People who won't do their bit to uphold the continuing validity of the 2nd amendment should not own guns.

8. People who can't remember the four rules of gun safety should not own guns.

9. People who leave their guns lying around for curious children to experiment with should not own guns.

10. People who want to play "mall ninja" should not own guns.

11. People who are truly mentally ill, and probably going to be destructive to themselves or others should not own guns.

12. People who are just plain stupid should not own guns.

I am not a "gun grabber." Far from it! But there definitely are people who should not own guns. Just my opinion.

[Daniel]

i keep seeing mall ninja. what is the accepted meaning of this term?

[mousegunner]

Just go read this link, and you will know!

http://lonelymachines.org/mall-ninjas/

[Guest ETS_Inc]

The problem is #2 applies to all women. lol

Seriously, though, number 4 is the one with which I have the most problem. I've had numerous students who wouldn't have a clue how to take apart a gun. That doesn't mean they shouldn't have the means to protect themselves. On the contrary, for many of them, it's vitally important that they own one. Not everyone who can't disassemble a gun is a mental midget. Some of them are just elderly, feeble, handicapped, or at some other disadvantage. These are the types of people on which criminals prey. Their owning a gun will probably consist of one little handgun, left loaded in a drawer next to their bed, and occasionally carried outside of their home. For many of them, they'll have a loved one load it for them, and clean it infrequently, if ever. That doesn't mean they're not entitled to self-defense.

I have a slight problem with number 7, as well, I suppose. Yes, as a gun owner and professional in the firearms industry, I'd love to see more people active in the pro-RKBA fight. However, as a realist, I know that that just isn't going to happen. There will always be those who don't feel as passionate about it as some of us do. That's life. It's up to the rest of us to carry the fight, and to try to motivate the uninvolved. In the meantime, if the inpassionate own guns, it puts more numbers on our side, and makes our jobs just a little bit easier. I'd rather they like guns just enough to own them than be anti-gun because they can't have them.

[Mike.357]

Definitely agree with frank on the number 4 thing. No need really to clean a gun that sits unfired for the most part in a nightstand. Now if you shoot regularly you ought to be able to maintain your stuff. Everyone is entitled to self defense.

Mall ninjas do not bother me either, as long as they follow the basic rules. If you are into tacticool stuff that does not mean you shouldn't own guns.

and i agree with Frank on number 7. Basically by owning a gun or guns you are pro RKBA even if you do not actively work towards it.

The list is good food for thought

[Westwindmike]

Ok. Now who decides who should own a gun? Not any of us, I hope.

[Im Neero]

It might me just me, but come on guys, isn't there a little mall ninja in most of us? Did I really need that AR-15 that I bought from Joe at hero gear? Nah, but it sure is fun to shoot and looks pretty neat.

[molonlabetn]

Now I feel like crying... so I guess I'll have a drink.

Where's my drink, woman!? (smack)<SMACK>... all you're good for is keeping those food-stamps coming! And go get my pistol from the toy bin in little Johnny's room, I want to go walk around the mall with it, then stop off to see my parole officer.

[Guest canynracer]

OUCH....just burned myself on the crackpipe...kidding of course...

So what is considered an addict? there are people that had a drug addiction in the past and have gotten help, My cousin hasnt touched drugs in 20yrs...but 20yrs ago he had a major drug problem

What quantifies an "addict"?

as far as an alcoholic..what is that? there are people on this board that have at least one or two beers almost every day, and they have been like that for YEARS... some would consider them an alcoholic...just cause they dont get falling down drunk doesnt mean some wont think they have a problem with alcohol....

[mousegunner]

My points aren't all perfect....but they made you all think!

I stand by the being able to disassemble, clean and reassemble your firearm. An uncared for firearm is a dangerous firearm. And I'm not really thinking so much of the physical inability as the mental inability. A person who owns a gun needs to be able to understand how it operates to some extent. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance or lack of intelligence to understand leads to accidents.

Oh, and on who gets to decide...I'll volunteer. And I'll only charge $5 per head!

[Smith]

My points aren't all perfect....but they made you all think!

I stand by the being able to disassemble, clean and reassemble your firearm. An uncared for firearm is a dangerous firearm. And I'm not really thinking so much of the physical inability as the mental inability. A person who owns a gun needs to be able to understand how it operates to some extent. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance or lack of intelligence to understand leads to accidents.

Oh, and on who gets to decide...I'll volunteer. And I'll only charge $5 per head!

Yeah but the people who assemble the thing wrong more than likely won't be around anymore anyway. Many of those "don'ts" would eliminate them anyway... eventually.

[et45]

Every person ought to have a right to defend themselves IMHO.

[mousegunner]

Every person ought to have a right to defend themselves IMHO.

I agree with that statement 100%.

[Rightwinger]

Yeah but the people who assemble the thing wrong more than likely won't be around anymore anyway. Many of those "don'ts" would eliminate them anyway... eventually.

Yep, everyone has the right to defend themselves. Some should just use a baseball bat though as its easily cleaned and it never jams due to misuse.

[Guest price g]

Too much hatin'

[mousegunner]

Too much hatin'

Rule #13, people who hate too much shouldn't own guns (I guess it depends on whom they hate and why! If I'd been a Jew in Nazi land in WW2 I would have been full of hate, and a gun would have come in handy.)

[enfield]

People who don't understand or value the 2nd Amendment shouldn't use the 1st Amendment.

[strickj]

many people dont learn to clean gun untill they own a gun.

and an alcoholic is someone who goes to meetings...duh..

[mousegunner]

Here's my flip side...

Fifteen Reasons You

Should Own A Gun

1. Your right to keep and bear arms is

guaranteed in the Constitution and

Bill of Rights of the United States of

America. "Use it or lose it."

2. George Washington said:

"Firearms stand next in importance to

the Constitution itself. They are the

American people's liberty teeth and

keystone under independence..."

3. Bearing arms is the Christian thing

to do. Jesus said: "If you don't have

a sword, sell your cloak and buy

one..." (Luke 22:36 NIV)

4. Enjoying guns is not a strange

weird thing, as some anti-gun people

insist. People have been hunting with

long guns for centuries. Shooting is

an internationally recognized

Olympic sport.

5. People without guns are assaulted

or murdered daily by criminals who

have guns. Having a gun makes you

better able to defend your family.

6. If gun ownership is made illegal,

criminals won't turn in their guns.

Gun control makes easy prey out of

law-abiding citizens.

7. We are grateful for the police

officers of our communities.

However, the police can't come to

help you until AFTER a crime has

been committed. Having a gun may

enable you to stay alive long enough

to call for help from the police.

8. American courts regularly return

violent criminals to the streets to do

their crimes again.

9. Guns in the home are safe, when

gun owners keep guns responsibly.

More children die every year in

swimming pool accidents than in gun

accidents.

10. It is a fact that armed American

men and women prevent two million

crimes every year with their guns.

11. Self-defense is more honorable

and better for society than being a

victim. It is up to YOU to act

responsibly for your own safety, and

the safety of your family.

12. It is a fact that cities which

impose strict gun control create the

highest assault and murder rates in

America.

13. It is a fact that most gun crimes in

America involve gangsters shooting

other gangsters. The average gun

owner never uses his or her gun to

commit a crime.

14. Most states issue permits to carry

concealed handguns. Men and

women who get permits take gun

safety classes, and have extensive

criminal background checks. These

people make everyone a little safer,

wherever they may be.

15. The "War on Terror" is likely to be

a long war. People who own guns,

and who are trained to use guns

responsibly, are better able to serve

their country than people who are

ignorant about guns.

Eleven Excuses for

NOT Owning A Gun

1. I'm too busy to take the time to

learn how to handle a gun safely.

2. I believe that all guns are evil, even

in the hands of the police and

soldiers.

3. I would rather let a criminal kill me

or my family than try to stop him with

a gun.

4. I believe it was wrong for America's

founding fathers to use guns to

overthrow the rule of the British. We

should have stayed a colony.

5. I believe it was wrong for American

soldiers to use guns to rescue

innocent men and women from the

Nazi death camps.

6. I believe that I will never need a

gun to defend myself or my family,

because the police will be constantly

watching over me to make sure that I

will never be in danger.

7. I trust our courts to keep violent

criminals off the streets. It's not

possible that I will ever be attacked by

a criminal.

8. If our government decides to make

all gun owners register every gun they

have, and then decides to confiscate

all privately owned guns, I still don't

think we have anything to worry

about. I know other countries have

become dictatorships, but that could

never happen in America.

9. I don't know much about the

Constitution and the Bill of Rights,

and I don't have any desire to learn

more. I've heard that the 2nd

Amendment guarantees the right of

Americans to keep and bear arms, but

I really don't care.

10. Quite a few criminals have used

guns, therefore the government

should take guns away from all the

good people who don't commit

crimes.

11. I don't care if my children will

grow up in a free America. Things are

pretty good for ME right now, and

that's all I care about.

THINK ABOUT THIS...

Owning a gun for self-defense

is like having fire insurance or health

insurance. You don't really think your

house will burn down, but it might.

You don't really think you will have a

catastrophic car accident, and huge

hospital bills, but you might. You

hope you will never need your

insurance, but you have it just in

case. The same goes for having a

gun for self-defense. It is better to

have it and not need it, than to need it,

and not have it.

It is also important to own a

gun simply to preserve your rights as

an American citizen. With the advent

of international Islamic extremist

terrorism, we are living in a new

world, different from any we have

experienced before.

It is not difficult to imagine

that the President, or Congress, in a

well-meaning attempt to prevent

another "9-11," would take steps that

would nullify the Bill of Rights almost

overnight.

In the interests of "national

safety," many Americans would

unthinkingly accept the curtailment of

their civil liberties. This might mark

the end of the free America we have

known for over 200 years. It has

happened in other countries. It would

be naive and short-sighted to believe

that "it could never happen here."

We have also seen the

disturbing sight of well-meaning

public officials actually confiscating

the firearms of law-abiding citizens in

the aftermath of hurricane Katrina,

with gangs roaming the

streets…exactly the time when the

citizens need their self-defense

weapons the most! These officials

are well-meaning, but foolish,

dangerous, and in violation of the

Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The only way to retain our

Constitutional rights is to USE them.

By owning guns, American men and

women are taking concrete action in

support of their rights and freedoms,

and preserving those rights and

freedoms for future generations.

It's just a small step, but it's

very important. Don't you think you

owe it to yourself, to your family, to

your community and to America's

future generations, to own a gun?

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

Wow, I'm glad you aren't the one deciding! I still have to have help disassembling, cleaning and reassembling. According to your rules, I shouldn't own a gun.

[strickj]

im mechanical inclined so i do it once and i know how to from now-on with out looking at the manual,but there is a lot of people that are not that way!

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

The mall ninja link is GREAT!!!! I almost feel sorry for people that are that warped.

[strickj]

mall ninjas:

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3538

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

I scored 26%. Heck I didn't even know what some of that stuff was so I skipped 'em.

[mousegunner]

TnDixieGirl, I'd make exceptions for people who belong to the tngunowners forum. Such people clearly exhibit higher intelligence.