I was all, “Holy shit, FINALLY!” when I read this post. :smack:
Have you looked at your lease? Are guns allowed by it?
As for everyone that says it’s none of a roommates business if you have a gun, really? If I had roommates, I would want to know that there was a gun in the house, no matter what my feelings about guns. Is it safe to let my 6 year old nephew wander the house unsupervised? Sure, he shouldn’t be in the roomies space, but kids do stuff. Do I need to think that my roomie may hear a noise in the middle of the night and come out armed? Is there a chance that a burglar may find a gun and go from unarmed to armed robbery?
If there was a long and varied history of people accidentally blasting holes in themselves and others with consumer electronics and/or sex dolls, you bet your ass I’d expect someone to tell me they had one in my home. It’s not about the money (although I freely admit the OP phrased it in a way that opens it to that interpretation), it’s about the fact that *there is a lethal weapon in my home. * In what kind of fucked up reality do I not have a right to know that fact?
There are LOTS of lethal weapons already in and around your home. Would you hold a household summit every time you bring home drain cleaner or a new kitchen knife?
I wish there was some “other” poll option.
Yes, you are being unreasonable about guns. The guns are a non-issue in my opinion.
No, you are not being unreasonable in the face of someone who gets drunk and takes measurable steps towards actually killing people.
I’d recommend getting the hell out of there even if he grabbed his knife/bat/golf club/tire iron/rat poison with the intention of using it to kill someone. Matt is not a stable or responsible person. Realistically, I’d assume that the chances of him going on a killing spree are not high, but I wouldn’t be sure enough to keep living with him. Dangerous people don’t need guns to be dangerous.
Dallas Jones – yours was the sensible post on the thread . . .
Tastes of Choc, do you honestly think that a lease contract that is in blatant and direct
contravention to the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution is legal ? ?
Jesus. Really? At what point does this stop? Grenades? Are they OK too, because technically drain cleaner is also potentially lethal? Or nitroglycerin - that’s perfectly safe, if handled correctly. Why not?
All the things you mentioned, and almost anything other than a gun, make it significantly harder to kill someone, especially accidentally. “Matt” went for his guns when he said he wanted to kill his brother. Do you think, had he not had guns, he would have been looking under the sink for some acid and bleach? Also, none of those things are as attractive to a drunk person as a gun. None of them are as fun. OK, you like guns, but don’t act as if they’re not a weapon primarily designed for killing.
In my opinion, getting a gun that’s stored on the property is something that warrants at least a brief talk first. It would certainly be a nice courtesy. Personally, I wouldn’t live with a roommate who keeps guns, but that’s obviously not universal.
After the drunken stuff, though, that’s where all the “safe if properly handled” bullshit disappears. I don’t doubt that there are many people who follow proper procedure and are as safe with guns as they are with any other potentially-lethal object. The problem is that the vast majority of people are idiots, or forgetful, at least some of the time. “Matt” has proven, twice, that he’s a member of this majority and cannot be trusted to have a gun at home. I’d get out now.
Other items are potentially lethal or can be improvised. However, they aren’t specifically designed to produce high damage to people and property with unique speed and efficiency from range. Those combined factors place guns in a different category, which is why responsible owners take responsible measures when owning them.
The fact that people rely on them so often for personal protection, among other reasons, reinforces this. I think it’s considerate to at least mention something when bringing one into a home that you share.
Exactly. The issue isn’t guns. It’s an idiot who gets drunk and then wants to play with guns. The point at which you had to take a gun away from him so he wouldn’t do bodily damage to someone else, you should have called the police.
Um… what?
Matt lacks discipline with his guns. This was better demonstrated by his display of a firearm during the party than in any moment of drunken rage. It doesn’t matter how much of an expert you are at firearms and safety. You’re not supposed to display weaponry during a party with strangers and alcohol.
As to the other incident, I’m neutral. I’d yearn for a gun too if I wanted to kill somebody. You did right though.
Your indignation at his purchase of a firearm without consulting you I find intrusive. A man’s possessions are part of his person. He might have informed you beforehand as a matter of courtesy, like informing you that he’s going out with your sister. But he wasn’t really obligated, especially since you’re fully aware of his hobby.
Last insight: men could get touchy when personal weapons are involved. They could take serious offense at others handling or withholding their weapons from them. Even a suggestion of disarmament could bring about unpleasant results. Be careful.
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Yes, you have absolutely no right to take them.
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Yes, this is a BIG problem.
Let me take another scenario. Last nite was a big party, and you, Bongo were drunk. You took out you car keys and said “OK, I’m driving to the store for more vodka, we’re out!”. Matt takes you keys away, and hides them until next day.
I assume everyone is cool with this, right?
Next day, Matt tells you that drunk driving is wrong and he’s going to keep your car keys for two months, until you can prove you won’t do that again.
Does anyone defend that act?
You’ve got some kind of a controlling mommy thing going on with him and it really needs to stop. You’re not his mommy regardless of his behavior. He’s a grown man.
He is a dangerous, dangerous fool and it is evident you are trying to handle him. This is going to end very poorly. His gun ownership is incredibly irresponsible and if YOU are the object of his violent, drunken ire next time you have only yourself to blame for keeping yourself in harm’s way with this jackass.
IMO you need to break the lease if at all possible. At some point he’s going to get drunk again and eventually some serious shit will go down. It is inevitable. You do not want to be in the vicinity when this happens. I get that you have a huge innate desire to want to “manage” this, it’s just the way you’re wired. That is a foolish and somewhat arrogant impulse in this particular situation. Resist that temptation. You need to get out of his vicinity.
DrDeth: I do see your point, and I also know the thread’s getting a tad long. Did you see posts #34 and #40?
Yes, I did, thanks, and it’s good you’re thinking about this.
Trust me- a thread about guns? This will get longer.
If he’s the one who brought up option 1, I’d push for option 2 and see where negotiations go from there. Personally I wouldn’t be comfortable with this guy and guns period, full stop, and would plan to move out ASAP.
This is nonsense. You do not bring a firearm into a building—either temporarily or permanently—that other people legally occupy and assume that it’s okay, even if that place is also your own residence. Anyone who just assumes it’s okay is an asshole.
I don’t believe you well understand the protections the Bill of Rights affords you. A landlord absolutely can prohibit guns from being kept on their property.
It’s 100 percent legal. The Second Amendment does not apply to your landlord.
This is correct.
Your landlord obviously cannot prevent you from owning firearms. He can , however, restrict your right to keep those firearms on his/her property while you are a tenant. Most landlords don’t put such a clause in their rental agreements as they are desiring to rent their properties and in many areas this may prevent that from occurring.
However, in some cities where firearms ownership is restricted by the municipality, some owners can and do add such a clause to their rentals agreements. If you violate it, you can be evicted.