Dealing with online ignorance

[spacemanvic]

In a gun control discussion on an international forum, a sheep from Australia posited that his country has become a paradise since gun control came into effect. So I found a September article from an Australian newspaper about a police chief railing about their out of control gun violence in Australia. I asked him if hoplophobia was a national thing for Aussies....
His response:

motyak wrote:
So...you don't have an actual response based in statistics, just a random paper from the central coast (which isn't even in Western Sydney). You are just throwing that out there and walking away from the debate.

And not really, plenty of farmers and what not have firearms for rooing and pigging, and there is at least one large rifle range near where I live, which seems to get pretty good business and lets you fire them without licenses and what not as long as you are under supervision of someone with a license. It also holds 'introduction days' which seem to get pretty good attendance, where you learn a bit about shooting rifles and air rifles.

edit: Also, that is an awesome word, I had to google it to see what it was.
double edit: Ah no wonder I didn't recognise it, it isn't an actual phobia in the psychological sense. Still, cool word.

My response:

Im still here.

Dont know anything about Australia's gun problems, dont really care to be honest as I live in this country and not there. Its a cultural difference. In this country, we still hold personal freedoms and rights of the individual as somewhat sacrosanct. There are those who would abrogate this to the state so as to relieve themselves of the burden of the responsibility of self protection, and because their mentality eschews the individual, they would like to impose their fear on everyone else. They need the group affirmation to bolster their beliefs. I hold them in contemptible regard, as Im sure they hold me. No love loss.

I live in a rural area. We have firearms for hunting, personal protection, recreation and collecting. My now 14 year old has a Ruger 10/22 as well as a Ruger MkIII that she shoots very well. My 11 year old will get a Browning BL22 Grade II when she turns 12. All my children know and love to shoot, they are very proficient at it. Its a family recreation for us. Provided my children keep their records clean, when they turn 21, I will transfer the firearms to them. In this country, licensing isnt needed as we view gun ownership generally as an inalienable right, my state having open carry. Because I chose to conceal carry, I have a license to do so. There are progressive states that have passed laws to curtail gun rights, but those laws when challenged fall to the wayside upon reaching the Supreme Court (for now). Should the balance of the court change and we see laws be reinterpreted, this whole issue may come to a head.

As it is, with this last gun control push, many looked into and chose to exercise their Constitutional rights as they saw the possibility that the government would make moves against it. People from all walks of life, race, religion and political affiliation took up the mantle of gun ownership. Some are fighting to reclaim it. For the most part, I dont think they will want to relinquish it in this country so easily.

It's funny to see how the international community holds us gun owners in low regard. Eff 'em. And no, they never responded....

[nfafan]

Oz has come up in other posts... we should all be grateful to God that - as the t-shirt says; Australia - it's a bloody long way.

[JenniferG]

Those countries gave up on the idea of "rugged individualism" and have opted the sheep route.

[Gunsnwater]

Those countries didn't have the NRA. That's the only difference. The second amendment is some ink on parchment. Only free men willing to fight for the right will keep it. The belief that these rights we are born with not because we are born in America but because we are born. Some men have turned thier backs on God and His gifts of liberty and freedom and so I say they can go to hell. Yes I am the NRA and I vote, join me patriots. Keep liberty alive. God bless the USA and all 50 states. Join. Vote. Live free.

[GunLawyer001]

Those countries didn't have the NRA. That's the only difference. The second amendment is some ink on parchment. Only free men willing to fight for the right will keep it. The belief that these rights we are born with not because we are born in America but because we are born. Some men have turned thier backs on God and His gifts of liberty and freedom and so I say they can go to hell. Yes I am the NRA and I vote, join me patriots. Keep liberty alive. God bless the USA and all 50 states. Join. Vote. Live free.

The real difference is that Australia was a penal colony, settled by people sent there in chains. No wonder they're OK with being deprived of basic liberties.

If the USA had a group descended from people brought here in chains, I expect that they're be reliable supporters of the anti-freedom Democrats. Just a theory, of course.

[itsjustme]

The real difference is that Australia was a penal colony, settled by people sent there in chains. No wonder they're OK with being deprived of basic liberties.

If the USA had a group descended from people brought here in chains, I expect that they're be reliable supporters of the anti-freedom Democrats. Just a theory, of course.

I see what you did there...

[marinakorp]

The real difference is that Australia was a penal colony, settled by people sent there in chains. No wonder they're OK with being deprived of basic liberties.

If the USA had a group descended from people brought here in chains, I expect that they're be reliable supporters of the anti-freedom Democrats. Just a theory, of course.

Ummmm we do have a group here "descended from people brought here in chains".

[itsjustme]

Ummmm we do have a group here "descended from people brought here in chains".

...and would you say most of that group are democrats?

[Grey Bearded One]

The real difference is that Australia was a penal colony, settled by people sent there in chains.

Compared to the other classes of immigrants, convicts were relatively few.

[GunLawyer001]

Compared to the other classes of immigrants, convicts were relatively few.

After the gold rush, yes. Before that, convicts were a major population group for most of a century.