Quote:
Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota
there is no such thing as an "unlawful gun". there are lawfully *possessed* guns and unlawfully *possessed* guns. the possessed part is very important...it puts the focus on the person possessing the gun instead of on the gun.
we need to counter that by doing everything we can to frame the issues correctly (i.e., as a criminal problem, not a gun problem). it prolly doesn't matter much what we say here on this forum, but if we can get ourselves into the habit of correctly framing the issues here, then we will also do so when we talk to other people, write our representatives, write the media, etc.
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I definitely think you have some good comments here. If I remember correctly, in PA the statute for illegal possesion is "persons not to posess firearms". I think this places the thing in the right light. The thing that I see, is that much like any behavioral change, you have to have something to replace this idea with. By this I mean, if people generally see firearms as a threatening object, you cannot just remove that idea but you must also substitute it with something else.
I know that in other times and places, citizenship had real benefits, and was a desireable status. There were certain objects or modes of dress that were the signs of citizenship. If there's going to be any sort of replacement, I'd say that's the concept to use.