Blame the Users and Not The Tools
In my life, I have fired 0.22 cal rifles, 0.32 revolver, 0.40 cal automatic pistol, 1911 0.45 cal automatic pistol, Makarov 9 mm x 18 mm, various 0.380 cal and 9mm automatic pistols, AR-15, and AK-47. All at targets. None of them alive. Was it fun? You betcha! Were the people I went shooting with knowledgeable about handling firearms and safety? Absolutely! Did I learn anything from them? Yes I did! Thank you Jake Kligmann, Mitchell Lee, and Coulton (sorry I don't know your last name)! Was it frightening? No way, especially with the aforementioned guys who were with me.
I have cut down several trees with ax, saw, and chainsaw. Did I know how to do this? Yes I did. Was that scary? Yes it was at first, even with training and praactice.
I have worked with high powered lasers and high energy unstable explosive materials. Did I know how to do this? I have a MS in Chemistry that says that I did. Was it scary? A little. Was it fun? When it worked.
I worked with above environmental levels radioactive materials. Corrosive and caustic materials (acids and bases) designed to dissolve rock, fish, bones, metals, etc. Was I trained to do so? Yes. Was it scary? Yes.
Was I trained First Responder and co-captain of HAZMAT team trained to wear A-suits, repair tanks that carried a 1000 lbs of Chlorine gas while they were leaking as well as any other hazardous materials onsite that had the potential to leak and destroy life and property? Yes I was.
So where am I going with this? Well what is the common thread for each of these categories? If you haven't figured it out, its training. Proper training and practice makes what could be dangerous, manageable, and yes in some instances, fun.
Are guns dangerous? Yes. In the wrong hands, ie criminals, mentally disturbed, or untrained, they become lethal. Can the same be said for sharp hand and or power tools? Yes! Explosives? Yes! Radioactive materials? Yes! Dangerous chemicals? Yes!
Is there any good in these things? History and the advancement of society stands in proof. Have people been hurt by these things? Yes they have. Should we stop using them? Only if you don't want clean water, hi tech equipment, ways to rescue people, energy, ways to defend ourselves against armed foes. These are just to mention a few.
Do I condone the ownership of military grade weapons? No. I do not want civilians to have 0.50 cal machine guns, Ouzis, rocket launchers, tanks, mini guns, etc.
Do I think it is OK to own and shoot AR-15s, AK-47s (without full auto), various handguns and rifles? Yeah. Do those who have them need to be trained in the safety, care, maintenance, and use of them? Without a doubt!
There are many dangerous things we use daily or benefit from daily. Proper education of the use of them is required. Just like the use of explosives, radioactive materials, dangerous chemicals, cars, planes, and sharp tools (both hand and power) bring productive and incredible results so can their misuse bring devastating ones. But we cannot blame the tools! It is the end user that holds the responsibility and the blame. Harvey Carignan was a serial killer who used a hammer on his victims. Did the media call for the suspension and monitored use of any and all hammers? No. Of course not. The list is huge for automobile deaths and yet I see the politicians still driving or being driven. After 911, did all planes get permanently grounded? I think we get the point.
The bottom line is this. Even with proper education and training, both tragic accidents and willful violent offenses will occur. The focus should be on the people and their environments, not the tools they used.
I have cut down several trees with ax, saw, and chainsaw. Did I know how to do this? Yes I did. Was that scary? Yes it was at first, even with training and praactice.
I have worked with high powered lasers and high energy unstable explosive materials. Did I know how to do this? I have a MS in Chemistry that says that I did. Was it scary? A little. Was it fun? When it worked.
I worked with above environmental levels radioactive materials. Corrosive and caustic materials (acids and bases) designed to dissolve rock, fish, bones, metals, etc. Was I trained to do so? Yes. Was it scary? Yes.
Was I trained First Responder and co-captain of HAZMAT team trained to wear A-suits, repair tanks that carried a 1000 lbs of Chlorine gas while they were leaking as well as any other hazardous materials onsite that had the potential to leak and destroy life and property? Yes I was.
So where am I going with this? Well what is the common thread for each of these categories? If you haven't figured it out, its training. Proper training and practice makes what could be dangerous, manageable, and yes in some instances, fun.
Are guns dangerous? Yes. In the wrong hands, ie criminals, mentally disturbed, or untrained, they become lethal. Can the same be said for sharp hand and or power tools? Yes! Explosives? Yes! Radioactive materials? Yes! Dangerous chemicals? Yes!
Is there any good in these things? History and the advancement of society stands in proof. Have people been hurt by these things? Yes they have. Should we stop using them? Only if you don't want clean water, hi tech equipment, ways to rescue people, energy, ways to defend ourselves against armed foes. These are just to mention a few.
Do I condone the ownership of military grade weapons? No. I do not want civilians to have 0.50 cal machine guns, Ouzis, rocket launchers, tanks, mini guns, etc.
Do I think it is OK to own and shoot AR-15s, AK-47s (without full auto), various handguns and rifles? Yeah. Do those who have them need to be trained in the safety, care, maintenance, and use of them? Without a doubt!
There are many dangerous things we use daily or benefit from daily. Proper education of the use of them is required. Just like the use of explosives, radioactive materials, dangerous chemicals, cars, planes, and sharp tools (both hand and power) bring productive and incredible results so can their misuse bring devastating ones. But we cannot blame the tools! It is the end user that holds the responsibility and the blame. Harvey Carignan was a serial killer who used a hammer on his victims. Did the media call for the suspension and monitored use of any and all hammers? No. Of course not. The list is huge for automobile deaths and yet I see the politicians still driving or being driven. After 911, did all planes get permanently grounded? I think we get the point.
The bottom line is this. Even with proper education and training, both tragic accidents and willful violent offenses will occur. The focus should be on the people and their environments, not the tools they used.
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