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Comment by tonyedgecombe | Hacker News Reader

I only need more when some politician is trying to take them.

That sounds so strange from the other side of the Atlantic.

I'm sure it does, but there is a gun culture in the USA. You can go to a large gun store on a Friday night and just hang out and discuss guns. There will be 80 and 18 year olds there all chatting. Gun shows are not even about buying guns, it's a cultural gathering. When you attack guns you attack the culture, and there will be pushback. Same can be said for fox hunting, confederate flags, whaling, etc.

Having served and learned to use weapons in the military. With a hell of a lot of training both as a solider then as an instructor, being around civilians and watching how badly/unsafely so many of them use weapons, I always find myself slightly nervous. Though as military I would also same the same about police :)

Totally agree. The two NDs I have seen in classes are cops, but only 10% of cops are probably gun enthusiasts; teh rest just shoot the minimum required per month, which is probably 25 rounds. I had my NRA instructor certs years ago, but won't teach due to insurance costs. Then again, the chances of civilians using weapons defensively in public are pretty low, so it's really not a risk worrying about. Just don't go to public shooting ranges. The number of holes in the ceilings tell it all. I feel perfectly safe doing IDPA, etc. and shooting on private ranges and clubs.

I strongly recommend, at least once in your life, having a discussion or listening to gun enthusiasts. One on one. Not electronically.

As far as an anthropological opportunity there are none better.

Rarely does a subject rise to faith and rarely are discussions anything but binary. A rare opportunity i always enjoy with my gun friends.

It sounds strange on this side of the Atlantic as well, and I own a few firearms myself.

Well Obama was the best gun salesman ever, so I'm not alone.

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