Politics-Guns

I think about going into politics fairly often. It's a fleeting daydream that I can only have when in the absence of logic. The politics of my dreams aren't marred by reality, and when I think of what I would have to be to actually succeed I am always unwilling to compromise myself that much. Politics is one of the many areas in which my surplus of thought and consideration puts me at odds with the masses. I feel only mild shame in saying that it's one of the areas where it also makes me right.

Gun control. While I consider myself an independent I have a history of siding with the blue team, so if I was playing it down party lines, a thought that actively nauseates me, I would be in favor of it. Quite frankly I think the issue itself is incredibly poorly managed. On this issue I'm technically an extremist, because my view is exactly the opposite of what I've been told is the moderate position. With the recent outbreak of crazy at Virginia Tech, and Johnson space center gun control almost became a talking point. In those few moments where it was raised I heard many of the newsmen who I generally agree with giving their united position. "We should have guns, but we have to have them in moderation, so we need a universal assault weapons ban." It's probably a bad thing that outrage is not only my default response to political discussion, but that it has become reassuring and familiar.

Cho used Handguns.
Space center psycho used a Handgun.
Columbine Kids used Handguns.

The world doesn't run on the Quake III engine, a single shot from a handgun can kill you. A single shot from an assault rifle can also kill you. They're both instant lethality weapons. I am yet to hear of any act of non-military violence that's been carried out using an assault weapon. Since I moved to Seattle it's been only handguns, and that one wackjob with a crossbow. Back in Texas is was pistols and the occasional shotgun. I think that we need to ban all concealable firearms. I wouldn't be opposed to having a minimum size requirement on civilian issue firearms, because I think there would be a lot less risk involved if carrying a firearm meant that everyone who could see you instantly knew you had one. In a perfect world scenario every citizen would be issued one along with two clips and a mandatory training session as part of their selective service registration. Carrying a gun would be an option that everyone would have, and I think few people would take if for no other reason then the sheer hassle of carrying around your government issue assault weapon. You'd be required to carry it partially disassembled too, that way if someone was going to flip out they would either have their weapon drawn and assembled (your cue to take cover, call the police, and pull yours if applicable) or they would have to spend a few seconds unslinging, assembling and loading, which would give the same cue.

This also fits with my beliefs on the nature of the 2nd amendment. I think that it's imperative that the people be allowed to bear arms, and to me there is clear reason for it. The people must always maintain the ability to overthrow their own government. While the effectiveness of the pistol in the psycho vs. unarmed bystander scenario has been shown, the utter failure of all forms of handgun in an actual firefight has also been shown. To stand a chance against our own military we'd need a tactical weapon system, and in the modern day that means an assault rifle. It probably also means I.E.D.s, but we'll blow up that bridge when we get to it.

Actually, in a real perfect world scenario. One where I'm free from all the bounds of inevitable failure I would be in favor of getting rid of all guns. All bows and slings etc. too, no ranged weaponry of any kind any more. Instead there would be a similar government issue system as stated above, but this time you would go down to the register, fill out your selective service paperwork, and then they'd issue you your card, your voter registration, and your Katana. No more of the cheap stuff, from now on everyone gets a sword.

Damnit spellcheck you don't even know the word Katana? This is the Internet damnit, an introduction to medieval melee combat is part of the starter kit for running in the tubes.