the illusion of nationalism that has infested our country, shames veterans like me if they choose to drop their weapons. as a vet, you must keep the distance from such pressures.

@truthseeker35 I agree.

the feeling of power in your hands is a very addictive sensation. just like being a president with the power to destroy the planet.

@truthseeker35 I agree but most don't succumb to the addiction. It is only those that do that create all the havoc for the rest of us.
My closest friend met his wife in the first Iraq war (she was also in the military). He was an army engineer and beforehand a very gung ho person. That experience changed him severely and now he is the most peaceful calm person I have ever seen. His wife is the same.

thanks for commenting, I agree that in order to stablish our human superiority, we make decisions that go to our convenience. it requires a closer look at any given situation, in order to understand the complexity of the problem. We in society have law enforcement officer to fill the need of protection, when violent laws are broken. As a soldier, it is understandable why I was given a rifle. As a civilian, the need of a riffle is no longer required, unless you are a hunter. to finalized, I still have not been persuaded, on the reason why a civilian needs to carry an assault rifle.

@truthseeker35
I understand where you are coming from. And don't get me wrong. I'm glad Australia doesn't have easy access to guns because the majority of people are not responsible enough to own or use them.

But in the US the founding fathers understood that governments are easily corrupted and in order to keep them in line the citizens should have power in the form of armaments. The rifle was never intended for hunting. It is an item which represents power. The power to defend loved ones from criminals, corruption and any other threats.

As the saying goes. When seconds count, the police are minutes away.

The police can't be everywhere and the honest officers admit that.

There's even a problem with many blacks, aboriginals, etc. Demonising the police. My friend who is a police recruit was told by a senior officer "if you're going to do an arrest on a criminal that's fine, but if they're aboriginal think twice" which basically meant. "Don't arrest the aboriginals, it's too much paperwork". That's a massive problem.

As I've said before. Before a person advocates for the 2nd amendment tonne changed, they must understand why it was created in the first place.

It was never about hunting. It was about being free of tyranny and oppression.

@SallyMc
Is discussion no longer allowed? I wasn't aware that people with different opinions were trolls

@truthseeker35 Native American Indians did it with bow and arrow. I think some states like Ohio have a bow and arrow season for deer. I lived in Southern VA near Martinsville NC. Every year the Native American Indians made a gift of deer they hunted to the governor of VA. The governors send this deer meat to the homeless kitchens in the state, so they feed the homeless and hungry. I thought that was a great gift that the NA Indians did. I have no use for trophy kills. That someone thinks that they are rich, and they can pay people in Africa to put an elephant or tiger in a fenced in field and then the hunter stalks it and kills. I have a picture of 45s Boys holding a leopard they killed and one is holding an elephant's tail. What is fair and sports in that?

@BettyColeman
Personally I don't agree with hunting for sport. Only a few animals do this and I still think it's generally wrong.

Hunting for food is fine and if they waste a little meat that's fine too. We all do that when we don't finish our lunch or dinner. It's the same thing.

I just enjoy target shooting and promote that as a sport. I also promote the use of firearms for self-defense and protecting ones family.

that should be in philosophy, not here. Put on your back up alarm and leave me in peace,