2nd Amendment Debate, POLL

An interesting diary got posted by HC Penniwicket with a plea for us to get on board with real, meaningful, gun control.

http://www.dailykos.com/...

It, of course, got everyone riled up. While I disagree with HCP's stance, and most gun control proposals in general, I do think s/he was right to want to discuss gun control. Gun control is something that comes up from time to time. Whether someone within the party is proposing gun control, or someone outside the party is trying to brand us as loonies for proposing it, this is a topic that just won't go away.

So, let's discuss....

Here's what I said yesterday when HC Penniwicket proposed meaningful gun control:

I disagree with you, but let's not even go there.

 Try what I agree with you on--single payor (nationalized health care), stronger unions, alternate energy, getting the F out of Iraq, Kyoto Protocols as a first step, a strong and truthful EPA, voter verified paper trails, a free and independent press, pro-choice, and stronger endangered species act, affirmative action, free college for every citizen, and I bet I could go on. Oh, yea, I thought "Bowling for Columbine" was a fantastic movie and should be require viewing for every policy maker and concerned citizen.

 But you lose me on this.

So, if I'm a raving liberal on everything but gun control, what are my reaons for opposing gun control?

I'm generally against gun control.  I don't buy the idea that the 2nd amendment is misunderstood and should only protect militias. Hell, if that's the case, I'll form my own militia. I think the 2nd Amendment guarantees my right to own a gun. A free society should/would allow guns. A responsible society wouldn't need guns, but neither would a responsible society need to ban guns.

Gun viiolence is a serious issue. Literally, thousands of people are killed every year by the misuse, or accidental discharge, of firearms. About a quarter of the number of people killed by cars, and about the same number as are killed by the flu--but I digress.

I think keeping a loaded gun in the house for self defense is a dangerous, silly, dumb thing to do. It's more likely to used against you than against a criminal.

I think carrying a concealed weapon on a regular basis as a "safety" measure is even dumber.

I think the threat of a loaded gun being in a house IS a deterrent to crime in some cases.

I think the 2nd amendment is as much about the limitation of power of the federal government, and a limitation on the standing army, as it is about crime.

I own several guns, all hunting or target weapons. I am looking to buy an "assault" type weapon, but have not done so, yet.

I think the 2nd Amendment should be read, and protected, as a valuable part of the bill of rights.

Now, back to me as the raving liberal. If I'm soooooo far left, and I am, and yet I STILL oppose gun control, what do you think that means for trying to get votes from the more moderate portions of the american populace? I think gun control is a losing issue for the left. We have other less divisive fish to fry and I wish we'd fry them first.

But I think the debate on gun control, within the left, is a GOOD idea. Having an open debate about those things  with which we disagree  is a healthy idea. So let's have at it. We can show the rest of the nation how to have a debate about important things.  I just hope the pro-gun control portions of the party don't win. Maybe we can put this albatross to bed for a few years while we regain stability as a constitutional democracy.

How do you feel?