I was recently accused by a gunner here on DU of

[slightlv]

68. I'm the black sheep of my family.

Although I was raised in a family of gun collectors, and I am ex-Air Force myself, ex-NRA, and no stranger to weapons... I gave them up a LONG time ago. I want nothing to do with them and haven't for a long, long time. They are meant for one thing, and one thing only -- killing. Whether that be killing animals or people. And I don't want to personally kill an animal nor a person. Even in self defense, I don't know that I could kill a person. If you don't know if you could do it, you have no business owning a gun. A moment of hesitancy will be turned against you. Know yourself first.

Further, a weapon of war should never be owned by a citizen for any reason other than we're in an asymmetric war. Are we in a true, civil war where we're shooting and killing "the other side?" Who is the other side? Is there a clearly defined "other side?" If you can't answer these questions then we're not in a true war.

I want these war weapons taken away and melted down. Or given back to the military. I don't even want the police to have them! The worst thing in the world was when the military started giving the police the "extra" to the police, who started turning them towards us. Suddenly, every protestor in the states became a nail, and every war weapon they were given became a hammer. And our first amendment rights were the poorer for them.

Like I said, I'm now the black sheep in the family. I'm probably a black sheep around here. But I don't care. I would like to go to a movie with my grandson without having to check out who's around me, wondering if we're going to get shot in the theater. I'd love to make plans to go to a concert without worry about a mass shooting. I'd like to take in a gathering with my fellow townsfolk and not worry about some idiot with a long gun taking us all out.

I have more rights to do this than they have to own a weapon of war. And more rights to enjoy that evening than they have to fire that weapon of war into the crowd of us. Frankly, rather than seeing the Constitution stuck in the mud of the 1700 and 1800's as the "Origionalists" do, I see the Constitution as a Living Document... as as such, I would love to see the 2nd Amendment either amended, itself, or deleted as no longer needed, since we now have a standing army, navy, air force, marines and (god help us) space force to protect us. Militias are no longer needed. 22's and such for hunting could be grandfathered in if necessary. Some sporting guns for skeet, etc, could be grandfathered in. But there is no need for AR15's, etc. Weapons of war need to stay in war. If you want to shoot these weapons, enlist in the military. They're always looking for a few good men!