The Second Amendment, how far is too far?

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k8blujay2
k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
So as some of you know I live in Texas, more specifically Tarrant County. Well we, like other states have and do, have groups that are pushing for open carry laws and the right to bring their guns into any place they are allowed. For example, city hall. The Tarrant County chapter of Open Carry Texas has been openly carrying their rifles (I presume unloaded, but who knows) to rally's, including those outside of City Hall. They also have been carrying them into resturants after the rally's scaring the employees and patrons. They have also been handing out pamphlets to drivers stopped at stop lights (which recently the City of Arlington passed an ordinance to stop, and the open carry group says it's in retaliation of what they are doing and it's affront to their rights as citizens).

I personally think that what this group is doing is a disservice to those that agree that citizens should lawfully carry firearms and all this group is doing is intimidating anyone that disagrees with them. All it would take is one crazy person to pose as a group member to go in and force their way to the Mayor's office. I also believe that while we should be allowed to bare firearms for various reasons, it should be responsible. I see no reason for ordinary citizens to carry rifles on their backs just walking around town.

What are your thoughts?

Replies

  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    These idiots are the poster children for why there needs to be better background checks and more regulation. If you are stupid enough to carry a rifle into a bank and think no one should have a problem with it then you are too stupid to own a gun in the first place. I know you didn't say bank but these sorts of idiots think that anywhere they are allowed to go their gun should be allowed to go too.
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    I think that's what bothers me the most... not that really that they are carrying guns... but that they are so out there to think it's ok to carry it ev.er.y.where.... It's almost like they don't think or care about how other people feel and react to the sight of a gun.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    There is always going to be a certain conflict between the rights of an individual and the needs of society as a whole. This was outlined clearly in John Stuart Mill's essay "On Liberty"
    every one who receives the protection of society owes a return for the benefit, and the fact of living in society renders it indispensable that each should be bound to observe a certain line of conduct towards the rest. ...

    As soon as any part of a person's conduct affects prejudicially the interests of others, society has jurisdiction over it, and the question whether the general welfare will or will not be promoted by interfering with it, becomes open to discussion. But there is no room for entertaining any such question when a person's conduct affects the interests of no persons besides himself, or needs not affect them unless they like (all the persons concerned being of full age, and the ordinary amount of understanding). In all such cases there should be perfect freedom, legal and social, to do the action and stand the consequences.

    This is the basis for debate when it comes to any and all "rights" claimed by individuals or named in the Constitution--whether it's the First or Second Amendments. There will never be settled agreement on exactly where the line should be drawn. However, it does explicitly reject the notion that certain groups are entitled to absolute, unrestricted freedom of individual "rights", regardless of the effect on society as a whole.

    Not all gun owners by any means, but certainly the extreme fringe of gun owners, including virtually all of the national spokespersons for so-called "gun rights", have a sick, perverted obsession with guns that goes well beyond any constitutional or safety arguments. It is ironic that those most in favor of "gun rights" are the ones who, by reasons of their severe mental and emotional defects, least qualified to be allowed to own such lethal devices.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Seems to me like the people scared of guns are the ones with the problem, not the other way around. Are those same people scared of cars? or butter knives? Both of those can also kill in the wrong hands.
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    Not scared of inanimate objects... scared of the people (who just may very well be mentally disturbed) behind said gun... This isn't about whether or not people should have guns at all... Hell, I have grown up and live around guns daily... what my problem is is that other people are so afraid of their "rights" taken away that they don't want to use common sense or decency any more.

    Sure, let's just bring our AR-15 to little johnny's little league game... there just might be some boogy man out there to get us all... When all that does is make everyone there uncomfortable unnecessarily.
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    Not scared of inanimate objects... scared of the people (who just may very well be mentally disturbed) behind said gun... This isn't about whether or not people should have guns at all... Hell, I have grown up and live around guns daily... what my problem is is that other people are so afraid of their "rights" taken away that they don't want to use common sense or decency any more.

    Sure, let's just bring our AR-15 to little johnny's little league game... there just might be some boogy man out there to get us all... When all that does is make everyone there uncomfortable unnecessarily.

    ^^^^ That. Exactly. My husband was a military reservist for 22 years and spent nearly 4 years of the past decade in the Middle East. I'm not afraid of guns. I'm afraid of ammosexuals.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,642 Member
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    I grew up in a town that let us take guns in school parking lots (I'm 33), and open carry somewhat bothers me.

    I think a lot of the spirit of the second amendment doesn't apply this day and age, but I'm not sure that's entirely a good thing. There's no way you're protecting yourself from the government if they "really" have it in for you, as there's just not enough a private citizen could own that could actually protect yourself from an "injustice" and overuse of force by the government.
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
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    I have no issue with open carry nor concealed.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,642 Member
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    gunschipotle.jpeg

    pic is huge, but I mean, it had to be...
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    ^^^ Let me guess John, Tarrant County? The Tarrant county open group is so far out there that Open Carry Texas backed away as fast as they could...
  • IamMicah
    IamMicah Posts: 133 Member
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    Bahet wrote: »
    Not scared of inanimate objects... scared of the people (who just may very well be mentally disturbed) behind said gun... This isn't about whether or not people should have guns at all... Hell, I have grown up and live around guns daily... what my problem is is that other people are so afraid of their "rights" taken away that they don't want to use common sense or decency any more.

    Sure, let's just bring our AR-15 to little johnny's little league game... there just might be some boogy man out there to get us all... When all that does is make everyone there uncomfortable unnecessarily.

    ^^^^ That. Exactly. My husband was a military reservist for 22 years and spent nearly 4 years of the past decade in the Middle East. I'm not afraid of guns. I'm afraid of ammosexuals.

    Im afraid of hoplophobes but aside from that ...shouldn't we then only submit passengers to TSA searches if they are wearing Burkas, turbans, and or look middle eastern?

    We should be afraid of what they might do not the 86 year old white grandma who smells like she might need to change her depends.