Why do people who know little or nothing about guns feel compelled to comment on

1. 77

   Jack Burtonposted 13 years ago

   Why do people who know little or nothing about guns feel compelled to comment on them anyway?
   
   Those who don't know the difference between a Glock and a glockenspiel, a .45 ACP and a 45-RPM record, an automatic bank draft and an automatic firearm still think they have all the answers to solving the problem of thugs using guns to hurt innocent people. One hubber wanted to ban all handguns, but rifles were okay with him -- not knowing or understanding that it only takes about two minutes to turn any rifle into a handgun. Another, who insisted that he was only for "reasonable gun control" wanted to ban all semi-automatics, not knowing or caring that would ban about 90 percent of all guns.
   
   

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2. 82

   junksellerposted 13 years ago

   You could ask this for pretty much any issue. Immigration, defense spending, renewable energy, etc. Take any issue, fill up a room with people commenting on it, and give them a basic quiz on the issue, such as to actually define a semi-automatic weapon, and how many will fail? Probably a lot.
   
   Plus the issue of gun regulation isn't an issue which only involves technical knowledge of firearms. There are also a number of economic, social, and political issues to consider as well. I'm sure there are gun experts who know very little about the social aspects of inner city crime, for instance.
   
   I'm sympathetic to your question. It is frustrating for many issues, however, the unfortunate reality is that the misinformed and ill-informed are out there casting votes, so it behooves all of us to work hard at advocating educational and informative debates (as opposed to what we generally have, which is emotional appeals, insults, and hyperbole).
   
   Ultimately, the problem is, in part, modern life. There is almost no such thing as an informed citizen anymore. There is just too much to know and too much that is of a highly technical nature.

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3. 59

   JBrumettposted 13 years ago

   Free country.  People can talk or troll about any issues they want.  Just because someone knows the caliber of a bullet or how many grams of powder it contains doesn't mean they have the sole right to talk about an issue.  Like they say in the military, I may not agree with your opinion but I'm willing to die to defend it.  Myself, I'm barely smart enough to make sure I don't get to involved in hot-topics, especially with anonymous people online.=-P

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   1. 77

      Jack Burtonposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      No one has stated  that gun owners have the "sole right" to discuss guns. You have the right to talk about Japanese pearl divers to a group of knitters cause you think that is what "knit 1, pearl 2" means but they will look at you as an idiot.

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   2. 59

      JBrumettposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, I've heard this before.  Someone calls someone an idiot for improper use of grammar, next person calls that person an idiot for not knowing history, next person calls that person an idiot for not being able to do math. Zero universal geniuses.

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   3. 77

      Jack Burtonposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Errr... we are not discussing people using improper grammar, ignorance of history, or bad math. If you want to compare those to someone commenting like an expert about a subject that they are actually clueless on then go for it.

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   4. 59

      JBrumettposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yep, you're right.  With that I'll stop commenting like an expert on this subject.  =-P  Thanks

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