Reasonable debate with the ill-informed is difficult

The Daily Punctilio, a.k.a the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette, recently ran an editorial wondering why there could be no “reasonable debate” on gun control. They of course blame gun owners and the gun lobby. They also call for a ban on “assault weapons” because most of the public is terrified of that type of weapon. Lex fired off this response which the DP has agreed to print.


The reason there can be no “reasonable debate” on gun control is because anti-gunners are so unreasonable and just ill-informed. Is it “reasonable” to expect that Rep. Orelicher adding one more anti-gun law to the 1,000 or so federal, state and local laws already on the books is going to stop criminals from using guns? No, 9/10ths of such laws only tax and restrict law abiding citizens trying to purchase a firearm legally to protect themselves from criminals; who ironically are not burdened by such foolish laws because they obtain their firearms illegally. Why is it that only taxes, regulations and laws that restrict gun ownership are deemed “reasonable”?

Who is being “reasonable”, someone who wants to ban a firearm because it looks “terrifying” or someone who considers how that weapon functions without regard to its appearance? If I place a fake Ferrari body over a Ford Pinto chassis, engine and drive train, is the car going to run like a Ferrari or a Pinto? I find it odd that “most of the pubic” find weapons like the AR-15 “terrifying” when they function in the same manner (semi-automatic) and fire the same ammo (223-308) as Mr. Zumbo’s politically correct and presumably less “terrifying” hunting rifles. If we were talking about people here, who would be more “reasonable”; the bigot who wanted to ban a person based on their outward appearance or someone who judges people by how they act? A gun ban, while having fewer social consequences, is like racism in one way, both are anchored in ignorance.

Last, I cannot put my finger on that part of the second amendment that states, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms - except those deemed by most of the public to be terrifying - shall not be infringed.


NOTE: Lex is off to the races - NASCAR in Las Vegas that is. As such, I’ll not be posting Mon. Find an oldie but goodie in the archive. Unless I break the bank in Vegas, I’ll be back on Tues.