Response to A Classmate #2

I don’t know why other liberals hate guns. I do know why I will never own, touch, or keep one under my roof. A gun is a tool engineered to stop life. That is its entire purpose. Can I kill someone with a butter knife? Yes. All I need is the will and perhaps some knowledge of human anatomy. Were butter knifes created to kill enemies or hunt game? No. This is the central difference about guns in my mind.
Many studies have shown, time and again, that a gun in a civilian residence is more likely to shoot someone in that household inadvertently than it is likely to halt an unlawful intruder. I agree with you that child safety is the responsibility of the parent. However, there are many irresponsible parents in America today. I need only look at how many children on an elementary school playground are obese to reinforce this fact. Responsible parenting is a hot-button issue in this country. It is, frankly, pointless to tell poor, uneducated parents to “Be Responsible!” Either they grew up with this example and it is important to them, they intentionally endeavor to be responsible parents, or they couldn’t care less and want to do what’s easiest.
Where I grew up in the midwest (Indiana), the only people I knew who owned guns were police officers and farmers. It was shocking to find out that regular, ole Texans can take a one-day class and be licensed to carry a concealed weapon. I don’t know what possible good can come of this compared to everything that can go wrong. Just last week didn’t some famous football player shoot themself in the leg at a nightclub because their gun was tucked into the waistband of their sweatpants?? Of course, holstering your loaded gun in your sweatpants is stupid. That’s my point. PEOPLE ARE STUPID. When stupid people are allowed to own guns, they endanger everyone around them.
I prefer that the only people allowed to own guns are trained police officers, federal agents, professional hunters, and the military. Prescription drugs can harm or help people. That is why only people with significant schooling and training are given prescriptive authority. Guns can kill or protect. This power warrants more responsibility than being able to come up with the cash and attending a one-day gun safety course.