Repudiation by relatives for owning guns

[df53141]

Called my brother and sisters in another country, they told me there was no practical need for 3,000 rounds of ammo except for killing. I told them I only bought them for self-defense and not to use them for anything illegal (NEVER) and I have not had an actual physical fight (common scenes from where I came from ) with anyone in the past 10 years in the USA.

I explained the American gun culture to them, saying that gun is a symbol of freedom (from tyranny) and many gun owners are willing to die in order to defend their freedom and 2nd amendment, America is powerful because people cherish freedom over government control (the case in my home country) they said the whole thing was totally barbaric and warned me NOT TO BRING such barbaric attitude to home country and other relatives! Ironically when my sister fought with her husband, she bluffed with a kitchen knife, I also reminded her 29 years ago, when our brother had an argument with dad over buying bicycle (our parents never beat us), our uncle (who would bind hands of his sons and slapped them with belt)pushed our brother to the ground and tried to kick his head with his boot, I told her: "I still remember you threatened him to back off before you would chop him with a heavy cleaver". She hanged up.

I read newspaper from UK, France, gun loving Switzerland, Germany, Japan, China, Canada, Australia, etc, they are universally against US gun culture, can NRA start a PR campaign to improve our images?

 

[Poodle Soup]

I read newspaper from UK, France, gun loving Switzerland, Germany, Japan, China, Canada, Australia, etc, they are universally against US gun culture, can NRA start a PR campaign to improve our images?

Thanks to our liberal biased media and our presidents attacks on our freedoms people in other countries think there are shoot outs on every corner and its just like the wild west in the movies.
A guy I play online with who lives in canada was blown away
(pun intended) that you could walk into walmart to purchase a gun. Was even more surprised that people walked around with them daily and never used them.

Thing most people need to think about, how often do you really get into violent confrontations in your normal week? Quite a few people carry knives but I have yet to see a knife fight. Hell its been quite a while since I witnessed people in a fist fight. Why would a gun change that? If anything a gun makes people avoid getting into the situation in the first place!

 

[df53141]

Thanks to our liberal biased media and our presidents attacks on our freedoms people in other countries think there are shoot outs on every corner and its just like the wild west in the movies.
A guy I play online with who lives in canada was blown away
(pun intended) that you could walk into walmart to purchase a gun. Was even more surprised that people walked around with them daily and never used them.

Thing most people need to think about, how often do you really get into violent confrontations in your normal week? Quite a few people carry knives but I have yet to see a knife fight. Hell its been quite a while since I witnessed people in a fist fight. Why would a gun change that? If anything a gun makes people avoid getting into the situation in the first place!

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Where I grew up, there were far more fist fight than in the US, even our family had several fights with other families in the same village. I told my relatives I almost never honk my car and almost never witnessed a fist fight in the US. I still vividly remember the morning (~1980? ) that my grandparents helped me to put up my winter clothes and I remembered the red sunrise, when our neighbor threatened to detonate our house (no authority would care unless there is an actual explosion) , my parents sent me to sleep with my grandparents.

I think the common agreement back in my home country is: if everyone has a gun, millions would be hurt/killed every year!!!

 

[Buffalohunter60]

I spend 6 months of the year in New Zealand....many here think we are all wild cow boys. One person told me they thought I was very calm to be a gun toting American. I do my best to explain that guns are a part of our culture...I grew up with them as just another tool that we use. I still believe that an armed society is a polite society. I explain that our Bill of Rights spells out the right to keep and bear arms, its part of our heritage and self defence is a God Given Right of all men.
We have a lot of freedom than some people do not have.....we need to work on keeping it that way. We have a Constitution and a Bill of Rights that many do not have. I have never seen a violent gun and I have owned many. But I have seen violent people...there is a difference.
We all need to stand firm to insure that our next generation has the same rights that we have today. Many good men died fighting for this country because they believed in what we stand for...and we can not let their sacrifice be in vein. We owe them big time.

 

[wheelgun28]

I have notice that other countries claim we are violent. Yet those countries have much higher rates of robbery burglary muggings and beatings.

They also just seem to accept this as normal

You are much more likely to be beaten and robbed in London or Madrid than NYC.

 

[66Park]

I have notice that other countries claim we are violent. Yet those countries have much higher rates of robbery burglary muggings and beatings.

They also just seem to accept this as normal

You are much more likely to be beaten and robbed in London or Madrid than NYC.

Well, maybe if they had concealed carry, they would have less of a problem with that.

 

[Sebago Son]

Why would I give a rosy red rat's rear-end what "other countries" think of the USA? Much less why would let their opinions shape my behaviors? If the USA is so bad, why do we have to put up fences to try to keep the parasites out? International Jealousy. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[df53141]

We are not allowed to have guns and ammo (where I came from), so this is the situation.
1). Lots of petty crime, such as street fighting, home burglary (only in city), in terms of frequency, not as bad as Detroit or Camden, I would say similar to city center such as Boston or New York. Violent crime is not very common, usually involving fist, knife or other subjects (stone, chair, etc), very few people have access to narcotics. If my relative would visit the USA, they would be surprised by civility of the American people, they would also be shocked by how violent US can be when something goes wrong (police carry guns and may shoot a violent suspect multiple times)
2). People are not afraid of cops, cops don't carry guns, occasionally there would be bank robbery with guns, may happen a few times per year nationwide.
3). Police usually don't care much about petty crime except when serious injury or death happens.
4). It is generally safe to go anywhere 24/7, there is some risk of robbery in certain high crime area, but generally no risk to your life even you are robbed!
5). When large-scale disaster hits, such as large earthquake, people would behave, no robbery, little violence and people are obedient. There would be no looting, or any robbery, maybe a few price gouging, but that is generally despised and may get punished by authority.

So in the USA, you have lot of freedom with lots of restrictions (some are very superficial), you also lose lot of stuff (sense of security). Lots of political correctness (anti free speech), extremely hypocritical and glib politicians/CEOs. I purchased my mini-14 because I am afraid of violent criminals when disaster/riots hit the street. I have zero faith in gun-laws proposed by gun-grabbers. If future president/congress and state government could do the following, I am willing to accept more restrictions (banning open carry, limit magazine size, etc).

1). Dramatically curtail certain privilege of federal/local government, term limits for congressman/woman. Sometimes US government appear to be a lot more authoritarian than my government (not elected) back home.
2). Gun laws should focus on criminals, severe punishment for any repeated offender, maybe life prison for anyone who commit crime with a gun (who had been previously convicted with gun crime), get rid of political correctness and stupid laws intended to harass gun owners. Maybe gas station owner can shoot/kill (recorded by video camera) gun-toting robbers (even when these thugs try to leave), if a gun-toting criminal (previously committed gun crime) gets killed during robbery, his/her relative is prohibited from filing lawsuit against the law-abiding citizen under any circumstances. The current legal system put too much burden on good people while too lenient on bad guys.
3). Get rid of gun-free zones, this does not you and I can carry a gun to a bar, school, church at will. These places currently designated as gun free zone should allow certain people to carry guns (only these who pass strict background check, psychological evaluation and many years experience of using firearm) and these should be discussed with local police.
4). Allow nationwide CCW, I strongly believe in concealed carry.

I am strongly pro-NRA because I view gun-grabbers very negatively. I don't always like NRA (the way they treated ex-Tennessee state congresswoman Debra Maggart, pushing open carry, etc), but they are far more reasonable than gun grabbers!

 

[quneur]

Liberty and freedom is earned not given. America has fought for freedom in the War of Independence to the Civil War. There has been black marks (what nation doesn't?) but in the end, people still believe in liberty and freedom. With this freedom, there will always be those who will do harm to others. We accept this or lose our liberties; losing our liberties, we would lose our foundation of who we are.

That is why we hold the second amendment in high regard (most of us). It protects us from government over-reaching its authority.

We are a nation of free individuals. The government exists to protect our inalienable rights. We control the government not the other way around. This is why the US is different than most other nations.

 

[nawilson]

Quneur, I must disagree with your first sentence. We were endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights. There are many, many people who would take those rights away. Fortunately, we have had millions of Americans stand and fight to protect them. Semantics, some would say, but I think there is a fundamental difference in the thought process. Other than that, I think you are spot on!

 

[Arik]

I traveled W. Europe quite a bit and its just different. Not bad, just different. Their idea of how things work is different from ours and it works for them so and im cool with that. I noticed people in Europe were generally much nicer then in the US. Going waaay out of their way to help ....even with a language barrier. Only real crime was robberies in tourist areas and from E. European mobsters (lot of car theft, smuggling, prostitution and drugs). This was where the more serious stuff happened but it was mostly between rivals. There was no threat from drug addicts breaking into your car or house to steal because drugs were free to them at specific state run clinics. Overall it was very safe. Petty crime was mostly from teens. A lot of soccer riot related deaths from stabbings to trampling. There were other problems related to emigration but thats not for this topic.

I spent 2 months by myself driving from France through Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. In that time i never once felt unsafe or wished i was armed.

Im not saying they should or shouldnt be ....just my observation

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