MSD

What is your name? (John/Jane Smith if you wish to remain anonymous)

Ian

Where were you born, how where you raised?

Born in Stamford, CT, raised just up the road in Fairfield. Strict mother, less strict father, overprotective on both sides. BB guns, Paintball, both out of the question (I now own several pellet and bb guns that my mother does not know about)

What do you do for a living?

I am currently on summer break from college, looking for a job

Have guns played any significant part in your life? (hunting, shooting, ever get shot? friend get shot?)

A neighbor is a hunter, and had a pellet gun for disposing of copperhead snakes. Only physical contact until acquisition of Pellet/BB guns had been with three antique rifles owned by my great-grandfather. I was allowed one toy gun ever, and not allowed to point it at people. This taught me respect for firearms, loaded or not, fake or real, and for that I am appreciative. My mother is very anti-gun, an dbelieves that it is a sign of mental instability that I derive pleasure from shooting things (Ironic, coming from the captain of her college rifle team.) I once gave myself a severe blood blister with an unloaded but gassed up pellet pistol. From that, I learned that no gun, even unloaded, can be handled without caution and was thankful that my experience with ND did not occur with a more powerful firearm.

How has this experience affected your view of guns?

I learned that guns are not toys, and that they should not be pointed at anything that I would not want to shoot.

In context of this experience, do you believe we should restrict access to guns?

Background checks are necessary, a waiting period (that can e waived by court order in extenuating circumstances requiring immediate acquisiton of a defensive weapon) should be in effect in order to reduce the risk of crimes of passion (husband finds wife cheating, buy gun without time to cool off, kills her) and spot checks should occur to ensure that firearms are stored responsible (locked and unloaded when in presence of children, etc.) Violent criminals should not be denied access, but rather be subject to an extensive period after release during which their firearms are placed in protective storage by the local police department. This will prevent misuse in the case of criminal recidivism.
edit: I also support the current NFA provisions for acquiring Class 3 weapons, and do not believe that they should be distributed as leniently as less powerful weapons. There is a difference between a long rifle and a grenade launcher. There is a difference between a shotgun and a howitzer. Those who wish to acquire theese should be scrutinized more thoroughly.

Why or why not?

Any person who is willing to learn to use a gun responsibly and safely has the right to use it. No right should be restricted except in the case that the right is abused, in which case a probationary period should be effected to screen for possibility that reform did not take place.

Do you have any proof to reinforce your claims?

I believe that my view balances natural law and the needs and protection of society.

Final question, what's for dinner tonight?
Anything served within walking distance of the Roseland Ballroom



I would like to congratulate you on the creation of a survey that addresses not only opinions (a topic that has been beaten to death,) but the roots of the formation of those opinions. I hope that this thread will be treated in such a way that participants do not force it to be locked.