First, let me say I appreciate the polite and (mostly) non-name calling discussion about this. It is rather refreshing.
The discussion about choice/preference vs. need is one I can only answer with: "Why is it YOUR business if I WANT one?" Seriously, just because you don't understand why I might want something like that doesn't mean I shouldn't have one if I am legally able to purchase one and have the resources. You might not want it, but if I do, what business is it of yours if I go buy one? I am not a criminal, nor do I intend to ever commit a crime with it. It is an inanimate object that requires human interaction in order to function, so whatever it "may" or "may not" do depends entirely on me. Just like a motorcycle, Ferrari, or Lear jet. If I am irresponsible and do something stupid, there are laws to punish me. Someone could die, but if I am spending that much on a single rifle, I doubt I am leaving it on the coffee table for some kid to pick up.
I prefer to keep it polite and debate this rationally. We make progress that way.
It's not just MY business, it's
all of our business. We coexist here. We're occupying the same space. We're interacting in the same locations together. These weapons are obviously a threat to many people because of their capability. And, again, I ask you, as an average citizen "WHY do you need such a weapon?" Considering the damage it can do and the potential harm it can present to me and everyone else, if it gets into the wrong hands, I think you are obligated to explain WHY you WANT one. We already know and agree that they are not needed.
Comparing vehicles you might want to weapons you fancy is like comparing apples to space rocks. Vehicles are modes of transportation that nearly every citizen of driving age owns, unless they live in a city like New York. They have a universal purpose and they're not made to inflict death on other people. People need transportation as a vital part of their day-to-day lives. But, if you want to use transportation as an example... American citizens don't NEED an Abrams Tank to get around town back and forth to work. They don't need a fully-armed Huey Cobra to fly from their residence to their vacation homes. They aren't practical, and they're dangerous as hell!
If you use this recent killer as an example, it's entirely possible for you, or anyone, to go off-your-rocker one day and just start wasting people. There was nothing to make anyone raise an eyebrow on this guy.
He wasn't a criminal either... until he became a very famous one right before he killed a slew of people and himself. Too late then! I'm not saying you will. It's most likely you won't. But... if you did, I'd prefer that the worst you could do is fire your 30-06 rifle, or even a shotgun, as opposed to the weaponry this guy had and have corpses piled up around the block before you're subdued.
You'll never totally prevent these killings from occurring. But, it would be a helluva lot better if we 1) don't become totally desensitized to these tragedies, because of their frequency, and say "Well, that's just how it is, oh well" and move-on, and 2) at least drastically minimize the number of potential deaths! You wanting a machine gun is not worth them being legal to own for
everyone. Especially if someone forgets their meds, or has some kind of episode and loads-up on ammo and kills a few dozen to several hundred people.
I do NOT want to make firearms illegal. Prohibition does not work. I truly believe that if Marijuana would have been available and legal, we wouldn't have crystal meth now. I could be wrong, however. Because, we have had firearms available for centuries here, and now people feel the need to be armed like the 82nd Airborne for some reason. You'd think that the old reliable's would suffice. Rifles (sporting, hunting, you name it), shotguns, handguns even, are fine. I think they should require extensive background checks to own them, but I do not want to take away our right to own firearms and defend ourselves, hunt for sport and food, etc.. However, we, as citizens, do not need the firepower capability of a Seal team in order to get our Rambo on, or simply feel protected.
