# Why do gunowners own guns only because "they have the right to"? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 24, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825 "2012-02-24T11:04:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/101 "2012-02-24T18:59:11Z")
> [@Norse](#): > > I guess this is the core of what I really don’t “get”. Personally, I just can’t see the point in spending good money on something I wouldn’t use. Be it a gun, a motorcycle or any other thing costing me money which I could just as well spend - better - on something I would be using on a fairly regular basis. Are you similarly mystified by people who collect coins or stamps? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/102 "2012-02-24T18:59:52Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > (BTW, it seemed odd that reports gave such prominence to the gun owner’s statement: “I just want everyone to know that my kid made a mistake.”) “He was aiming at his sister.” ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/103 "2012-02-24T19:01:56Z")
Like muscles, rights tend to atrophy from disuse. If you refuse to allow a police officer to search your car, do you consider it reasonable for the cop to ask what you are trying to hide, and why would you refuse a search if you have nothing to hide? Or do you consider it reasonable to refuse to allow a search just because you have that right? That, and it IS a common tactic of anti-gun types to inquire as to reason for ownership, then dismiss that reason, and conclude there is no reason for gun ownership. This is EXACTLY the same tactic frequently employed by professional salesman. Get the prospect to state a reason for resistance, then attack that reason, and thus make them feel unreasonable for not buying. I make it habit never to to explain why I am not interested in buying something. And I make it a habit not to explain why I choose to own the number and types of guns I do. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/104 "2012-02-24T19:04:55Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Are you similarly mystified by people who collect coins or stamps? I would be mystified if i asked someone why they collected stamps and they responded by looking at me suspiciously and say curtly,“Because I have the right to do so!” ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/105 "2012-02-24T19:05:28Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Are you similarly mystified by people who collect coins or stamps? No, and I also know gun collectors. Whose interest I do understand. But they don’t identify as “gun owners”, but as “gun collectors”. Again, the ownership is incidental to the activity; the collection. Stamp collectors don’t identify as “stamp owners”, do they? PS: Thanks to **Mosier** for a rather enlightening (for me, at least) answer. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/106 "2012-02-24T19:12:07Z")
> [@Norse](#): > > No, and I also know gun collectors. They don’t identify as “gun owners”, but as “gun collectors”. Again, the ownership is incidental to the collection. Stamp collectors don’t identify as “stamp owners”, do they? > > PS: Thanks to **Mosier** for a rather enlightening (for me, at least) answer. Maybe you are neglecting this key point: It is ownership of the guns that the antis wish to deprive us of. Therefore, ownership itself becomes a valid self-identification. If that doesn’t satisfy you, TDB. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/107 "2012-02-24T19:13:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Or I could just be curious as to why you own guns, and wouldn’t mind receiving answers from those who wouldn’t mind answering such a question. Nowhere in that question is a requirement that all gun owners answer whether they wish to or not, and nothing is stopping you from ignoring the question if you so please. I fail to see why you should single out and take issue then with the various NOYB answers. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/108 "2012-02-24T19:13:54Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > To be honest, it’s that last reason I have so much trouble with, and I tend to think people who argue seriously about it are slightly off their nut (which includes a very close friend of mine whose opinion I greatly trust on most matters but gets a little wild-eyed about the possibility of needing a gun to fight back against a tyrannical government). > > It’s something I understand intellectually, particularly when reading up on American history, but even despite the lunacy in Washington, I’ve simply never felt that it’s something that may be necessary in the near future. My own worldview has never encompassed the idea of needing to protect myself from my own government with violent weapons. It’s just too abstract for me. > > I _get_ protection from burglars, I _get_ hunting, I even get sport shooting. But arming yourself explicitly for the purpose of defending yourself from the government seems about as practical as me readying myself for the day the Millennium Falcon swoops down from the sky and Luke Skywalker tells me I’m to be the next great Jedi. > > That all said, I generally don’t have any serious issue with gun ownership for whatever reason, and ever since I heard the analogy that having a gun in the house is just as sensible as having a fire extinguisher in the house, I’ve intended to own one and take safety courses. It generally has not been a high priority, though. Oddly enough, I am also distrustful of people who own guns for the purpose of defending against a tyrannical government, but for the exact opposite reason. Not because I can’t imagine having to fight one’s own government, but because, given the kinds of weaponry available _to_ the US government in the 21st century, I can’t imagine that personal firearms will do us any good. Until and unless we can buy tanks and nuclear missiles at the local Wal-Mart, _the Second Amendment will in no way protect us from our own government,_ and (IMNSHO) anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/109 "2012-02-24T19:15:02Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > That, and it IS a common tactic of anti-gun types to inquire as to reason for ownership, then dismiss that reason, and conclude there is no reason for gun ownership. Does asking the original question(“Why do you own guns?”) _automatically_ mean that the person asking the question is an anti-gun type that will dismiss the reason given and conclude there is no reason for gun ownership? Is it actually a common tactic of anti-gun types, or could it be that you preemptively make that assumption when the question is first asked, verifying a pattern that might not actually be there to begin with? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/110 "2012-02-24T19:17:58Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Maybe you are neglecting this key point: It is ownership of the guns that the antis wish to deprive us of. Therefore, ownership itself becomes a valid self-identification. > If that doesn’t satisfy you, TDB. Do you identify me as an “anti” because I ask seemingly inappropriate questions? ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/111 "2012-02-24T19:19:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I would be mystified if i asked someone why they collected stamps and they responded by looking at me suspiciously and say curtly,“Because I have the right to do so!” First, those are not explicit freedoms. Should anyone who has ever made a controversial speech or statement, or written an article that was controversial, have to explain their reasoning beyond they have the right to? ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/112 "2012-02-24T19:23:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Does asking the original question(“Why do you own guns?”) _automatically_ mean that the person asking the question is an anti-gun type that will dismiss the reason given and conclude there is no reason for gun ownership? If that is how they first broach the subject, that is logical conclusion to draw. Anyone else would probably start with questions about specific gun related activities to find common ground before getting into the more esoteric area of “why”. For the record I ride motorcycles. Several different types of motorcycles. Never once has anyone enthusiastic about motorcycles led off with “why do you own motorcycles?”. That approach is entirely held by non-motorcyclists that typically view them as inherently dangerous. Other motorcyclists usually ask, “do you ride?” Or “what kind of riding do you do?” Later in the conversation they may inquire what draws you to riding at a deeper level. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/113 "2012-02-24T19:23:15Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > Oddly enough, I am also distrustful of people who own guns for the purpose of defending against a tyrannical government, but for the exact opposite reason. Not because I can’t imagine having to fight one’s own government, but because, given the kinds of weaponry available _to_ the US government in the 21st century, I can’t imagine that personal firearms will do us any good. Until and unless we can buy tanks and nuclear missiles at the local Wal-Mart, _the Second Amendment will in no way protect us from our own government,_ and (IMNSHO) anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves. There is that too, but whenever I bring it up, the notion of banding together with one’s community always comes up, and I try to leave it there before it really gets outside the realm of plausibility. The way I look at this outcome is, if things really do get to that point then it’s not going to matter if you have a gun or not; specifically, not having a gun isn’t going to be any better than having one (unless the specific government tyranny is about tracking down everyone who owns one), so it doesn’t matter to me if one owns guns or not with regard to this scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/114 "2012-02-24T19:23:25Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > I fail to see why you should single out and take issue then with the various NOYB answers. My issue is with those who accompany the NOYB answers with the statement “You shouldn’t even have asked the question.” Some people have given very informative answers in this very thread, which I note and certainly appreciate, so I think any such attempt to stop this question(or most any question, for that matter) is inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/115 "2012-02-24T19:24:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Do you identify me as an “anti” because I ask seemingly inappropriate questions? Not at all. I identify you as a smug shit-stirrer who believes himself to be rather more clever than empirical evidence actually supports. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/116 "2012-02-24T19:25:18Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > First, those are not explicit freedoms. Should anyone who has ever made a controversial speech or statement, or written an article that was controversial, have to explain their reasoning beyond they have the right to? Sorry, but it wasn’t my analogy to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/117 "2012-02-24T19:25:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Once again, “want” and “need” are two different words. Asking someone why they want to eat ice cream will bring forth a different answer than if they are asked why they _need_ to eat ice cream. Strictly grammatically, no, they aren’t the same, and maybe people on the SDMB who are generally of higher intelligence than the average idiot, and who generally take some time to compose their speech, will make a distinction. But in average conversation with average people my impression is that they are used synonymously, and both context and body language are key. So instead of “why do you need all those guns?” one is asked “why do you have all those guns?” with the end result of the conversation being the same. So I’ll amend and say IME when people ask “have” or “need” w.r.t. my swords or my guns, it’s a prelude to their passing a moral or emotional judgment on such which always is at my disadvantage. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/118 "2012-02-24T19:25:59Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Likewise, in the places in America where gun ownership is so common that almost everyone owns a gun, they only become Gun Owners when there are gun non-owners in the discussion. Yup. I don’t label myself as a gun owner any more than I label myself as a car owner. Nothing distinctive or unusual about it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/119 "2012-02-24T19:27:12Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Not at all. I identify you as a smug shit-stirrer who believes himself to be rather more clever than empirical evidence actually supports. So you don’t think I am an “anti”? That’s good, because I’m not. Do you still think I shouldn’t ask such questions? ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825/120 "2012-02-24T19:29:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > My issue is with those who accompany the NOYB answers with the statement “You shouldn’t even have asked the question.” Some people have given very informative answers in this very thread, which I note and certainly appreciate, so I think any such attempt to stop this question(or most any question, for that matter) is inappropriate. You are moving the goal posts. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > I can see where you have the right not to answer the question but, if asked in a forum such as this one, why not just ignore the question or just come out and say MYOB instead of giving a glib “because I have the right to” response if that isn’t the whole of it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gunowners-own-guns-only-because-they-have-the-right-to/613825.md?page=7)