Er. While giving firearms instruction to children is indeed problematic in a lot of ways, there is nothing intrinsically unsafe about women learning to use guns. Statistically, women in the US are far less likely than men to commit gun crimes, and somewhat less likely to have unintended firearm discharge or other types of gun accidents.
Most of us don’t actually own a gun, and the vast majority of those who do own a gun don’t carry it all the time. So it’s really not a big deal to travel to a no-guns country. That said, I venture to speculate that few of the American gun owners who do consider it important to have their guns within reach at all times are participating in any European travel anyway.
This is what I was going to say. “Only” around 8% of Americans have concealed carry permits and most of them probably aren’t armed at all times. That demographic isn’t nearly as likely to visit Europe.
I had a permit (called a “concealed pistol license” in my state) briefly. I didn’t renew it when it expired. I mostly got one out of curiosity and because I thought it might be convenient when transporting a gun to a range (which it wasn’t because it stayed in my range bag with all of my other gear). I did carry my gun a few times just to see what it was like, but I felt so uncomfortable with that thing at my waist or under my arm (I have both a paddle holster and a harness) that the experiment didn’t last long. It wasn’t something that made me feel more secure, but rather the opposite. I hated carrying it around.
It’s fun to take it to a range and shoot at targets. That’s honestly what led me to buying it in the first place. Protection is a distant secondary reason to own a gun for me. I hope I never, ever get in a situation where I have to aim it at an intruder or anything.
I don’t understand the mindset of wanting a gun on you all the time, unless it’s an essential part of your job (like a police officer, security guard, soldier). I felt more scared of someone seeing the gun, thinking I’m a threat, and shooting me than the idea of someone trying to take advantage of me when I’m unarmed.
Including women here is just bizarre. Women are far more likely to use a gun correctly, meaning to get food for the family or protect from a dangerous predator (human or otherwise.) And one of the things you have to understand about the USA is that we have a lot more dangerous animal predators than you do. Even Australia, which has more venomous animals, has fewer big things that will attack humans if necessary.
While I’m not sure beliefs should be a gate, I totally agree with you on mental health. We can stop people in certain categories from buying guns easily, but we can’t take away their guns in most jurisdictions. It’s utterly ridiculous. The fact the US government can’t get it together on this point is just ludicrous.
There was a really stupid/foolish TV show in the early 70s called SWAT. They came and got people who shot guns house to house.
Trump is a child (childish goon?) of the 70s. I guess they’ll use SWAT to take your guns… house by house. Hide all you want. Put bars on your windows. It won’t matter; they’ll come and get you.
No, but many do take it to the woods to kill a deer for meat. There is a LOT of rural land here. In Alaska most families depend upon moose meat to get through the winter. In West Virginia, Kentucky, and Montana I know families that eat mostly deer meat. I’m sure there are other states where it’s a big part of the nutritional balance.
And even small farmers may use their gun to dispatch animals.
Not to mention that in the Alaskan winter you can’t go outside without a gun because a polar bear will eat you as sure as look at you.
I meant to add in that first post that I won my first marksmanship blue ribbon when I was seven. I was shooting against grown men who shot rabbits for their dinner. The prize was a turkey, but the Summer camp manager made me give it to the runner up so he could feed his family.
Hell of a time to live in “poisoned deer meat” NJ.
( Staten Island laughs because they ate lead paint chips as kids and don’t get why I’m saying that. )
Well, this is a completely different life style than in a big city.
Is it a good idea to allow guns in big agglomerations? I doubt it and I’m really happy that in Europe gun ownership is strictly regulated. But as far as I know Americans have a very different relationship to their guns. Probably a cultural thing.
Man, you really do not understand life here. There was a brown bear hit by a car on Rt. 395 just outside Washington DC last year. And grizzlies are spotted in Denver on the regular. (Grizzlies are super dangerous, almost as bad as polar bears. Brown bears would rather not eat humans, but they will kill us if we get too close.)
I’m not saying that any of this is regular daily occurrence, but we have to teach our kids how to survive this stuff. And we have to be ready for it.
Well right, I don’t understand anything about life where you live. Just as you don’t understand life where I live. The Dope is fighting ignorance, so my ignorance may have been fought a little.