4 ms·

I'd wonder if it's for self defense why you didn't buy your firearm legally, since, you know, it's legal to do so. I haven't done a deep dive, but as far as I c

I'd wonder if it's for self defense why you didn't buy your firearm legally, since, you know, it's legal to do so. I haven't done a deep dive, but as far as I can tell in most cases it's legal to 3d print too, though admittedly that's something that there are some semi-serious efforts to change. In other words I'd suspect the classification of "self defense advocate" to be a self serving branding effort since there are legal ways to accomplish the same, but I wouldn't doubt the need of this person for a secure messaging platform.

HideousKojima 4y ago
>I'd wonder if it's for self defense why you didn't buy your firearm legally, since, you know, it's legal to do so. Outside of the United States, that's usually not the case. Even if countries do allow private gun ownership, the restrictions on how to obtain them (and what they can legally be used for, what kinds are available, etc.) are exceptionally onerous. And even within the United States, there are individual states that have attempted to severely curtail private firearm ownership. Were it not for certain Supreme Court decisions, handgun ownership would be outright illegal in the District of Columbia and likely in several other states.
- Volundr 4y ago
  > Outside of the United States, that's usually not the case. A good and fair point. I'd fallen into the trap of being too US centric on HN. > Were it not for certain Supreme Court decisions, handgun ownership would be outright illegal in the District of Columbia and likely in several other states. Sure, were it not for the Supreme Court. But as there remains plenty of ways to legally obtain guns in the US, I'm still going to doubt that you've resorted to gun smuggling for "self defense"
- sofixa 4y ago
  > Even if countries do allow private gun ownership, the restrictions on how to obtain them (and what they can legally be used for, what kinds are available, etc.) are exceptionally onerous Citation needed. I, and probably the majority of the citizens of those countries do not consider the standard test/psych eval/background check/random checks in the future to make sure you're following the rules to be "exceptionally onerous". And i think most non-Americans would agree that adding some friction to a fringe case (owning a personal firearm for protection or fun is not something most people do, even in the US) is worth it if it nearly eliminates blatant misuses of firearms - either making suicides easier and more terminal, enabling easier revenge murders, or making your average school/public place shooting easier. What would you consider a just middle ground between "onerous requirements" and "everyone can buy any weapon without any requirements but paying for it"?
  - HideousKojima 4y ago
    >Citation needed. I, and probably the majority of the citizens of those countries do not consider the standard test/psych eval/background check/random checks in the future to make sure you're following the rules to be "exceptionally onerous". Just because you've accepted the boot on your neck doesn't make it not a boot. When (not if) a currently free and democratic Western nation decides to be not so democratic anymore (whether due to invasion, international pressure from economic partners like Russia and China, or just that the assholes in power decided to seize even more power) the citizens (or rather subjects) of those countries will have no means of fighting back. You can already see it with several countries' response to covid. >What would you consider a just middle ground between "onerous requirements" and "everyone can buy any weapon without any requirements but paying for it"? My feelings on gun control can be summed up as "I want mail order rocket launchers delivered to my doorstep." The state should fear its people, not the other way around, and the best way to ensure that is to give the people the means to put a bullet (or several) into any would-be tyrants. And, regardless of what "the majority of citizens" feel about bootlicking and trampling on their own natural rights, advances in home manufacturing are quickly making any efforts to do so a pipedream.
    - Volundr 4y ago
      If it's a choice between wearing a mask at the grocery store and the idiot next door blowing up my house with their mail order rocket launcher, I'll take the mask. If that makes me a bootlicker so be it I suppose.
      - KAMSPioneer 4y ago
        I have a suspicion that I already know, but why are you jumping to a non-sequitur about masks? I tend to agree with the user to whom you're responding on this particular issue, and I still wear a mask in places such as public transit, enclosed spaces, etc. So...I guess my point is that you don't _have_ to choose between masks and gun rights. I'm unsure of why you would bring it up.
        4y ago

HideousKojima 4y ago

>I'd wonder if it's for self defense why you didn't buy your firearm legally, since, you know, it's legal to do so. Outside of the United States, that's usually not the case. Even if countries do allow private gun ownership, the restrictions on how to obtain them (and what they can legally be used for, what kinds are available, etc.) are exceptionally onerous. And even within the United States, there are individual states that have attempted to severely curtail private firearm ownership. Were it not for certain Supreme Court decisions, handgun ownership would be outright illegal in the District of Columbia and likely in several other states.

Volundr 4y ago
> Outside of the United States, that's usually not the case. A good and fair point. I'd fallen into the trap of being too US centric on HN. > Were it not for certain Supreme Court decisions, handgun ownership would be outright illegal in the District of Columbia and likely in several other states. Sure, were it not for the Supreme Court. But as there remains plenty of ways to legally obtain guns in the US, I'm still going to doubt that you've resorted to gun smuggling for "self defense"
sofixa 4y ago
> Even if countries do allow private gun ownership, the restrictions on how to obtain them (and what they can legally be used for, what kinds are available, etc.) are exceptionally onerous Citation needed. I, and probably the majority of the citizens of those countries do not consider the standard test/psych eval/background check/random checks in the future to make sure you're following the rules to be "exceptionally onerous". And i think most non-Americans would agree that adding some friction to a fringe case (owning a personal firearm for protection or fun is not something most people do, even in the US) is worth it if it nearly eliminates blatant misuses of firearms - either making suicides easier and more terminal, enabling easier revenge murders, or making your average school/public place shooting easier. What would you consider a just middle ground between "onerous requirements" and "everyone can buy any weapon without any requirements but paying for it"?
- HideousKojima 4y ago
  >Citation needed. I, and probably the majority of the citizens of those countries do not consider the standard test/psych eval/background check/random checks in the future to make sure you're following the rules to be "exceptionally onerous". Just because you've accepted the boot on your neck doesn't make it not a boot. When (not if) a currently free and democratic Western nation decides to be not so democratic anymore (whether due to invasion, international pressure from economic partners like Russia and China, or just that the assholes in power decided to seize even more power) the citizens (or rather subjects) of those countries will have no means of fighting back. You can already see it with several countries' response to covid. >What would you consider a just middle ground between "onerous requirements" and "everyone can buy any weapon without any requirements but paying for it"? My feelings on gun control can be summed up as "I want mail order rocket launchers delivered to my doorstep." The state should fear its people, not the other way around, and the best way to ensure that is to give the people the means to put a bullet (or several) into any would-be tyrants. And, regardless of what "the majority of citizens" feel about bootlicking and trampling on their own natural rights, advances in home manufacturing are quickly making any efforts to do so a pipedream.
  - Volundr 4y ago
    If it's a choice between wearing a mask at the grocery store and the idiot next door blowing up my house with their mail order rocket launcher, I'll take the mask. If that makes me a bootlicker so be it I suppose.
    - KAMSPioneer 4y ago
      I have a suspicion that I already know, but why are you jumping to a non-sequitur about masks? I tend to agree with the user to whom you're responding on this particular issue, and I still wear a mask in places such as public transit, enclosed spaces, etc. So...I guess my point is that you don't _have_ to choose between masks and gun rights. I'm unsure of why you would bring it up.
      - 4y ago