How many people are seriously afraid of firearms?

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Are you afraid of firearms?
I'm afraid of people using them wrongly, but am not afraid of their mere form. 40%  40%  [ 20 ]
I'm afraid of the mere form of firearms. 10%  10%  [ 5 ]
I don't have a problem with firearms. 32%  32%  [ 16 ]
Other stance regarding firearms that you may state below if you care to do so. 14%  14%  [ 7 ]
I don't have an opinion, I just want an option to click that says nothing. 4%  4%  [ 2 ]
Total votes : 50

iamnotaparakeet
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25 Nov 2011, 7:51 am

I have recently received this letter, name of writer removed to keep them anonymous, but this is just mind boggling to me:

Quote:
Hi -

Please, would you change your avatar to one not involving guns?
Some members are very sensitive about guns and one has already described the sheer terror of actually having a real, live gun in shoved their face - a memory triggered by your avatar, I'm afraid.
And no; it wasn't a warfare situation.

Thanks.


What??? I don't really care to find out who in particular was reminded of a traumatic event in their lives on the basis of a previous avatar of mine in which a rifle was being held. However, I would like to know how many people here are actually "sensitive about guns" to the point where even a mere image of firearms is too much to deal with.



emlion
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25 Nov 2011, 7:54 am

i like to shoot. (not animals)



886
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25 Nov 2011, 7:59 am

Guns are scary.. I don't know why anyone would want to be around them.. their sole purpose is to end life. But they don't traumatize me.


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iamnotaparakeet
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25 Nov 2011, 8:00 am

emlion wrote:
i like to shoot. (not animals)


Myself also. I've gone to a rifle range a few times and am a good shot with one, but I could never harm any animals with them. The notion of hunting is rather abhorrent to me and one thing that's rather cool about the show that I'm currently fixated upon is that the "firearms" that they use are non-lethal sonic weaponry that basically pushes away the targets rather than projecting projectiles.



iamnotaparakeet
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25 Nov 2011, 8:02 am

886 wrote:
Guns are scary.. I don't know why anyone would want to be around them.. their sole purpose is to end life. But they don't traumatize me.


One reason not involving the ending of any life: it is cool to affect targets at a distance with accuracy. The targets need not be anything ever alive even.



emlion
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25 Nov 2011, 8:02 am

iamnotaparakeet wrote:
emlion wrote:
i like to shoot. (not animals)


Myself also. I've gone to a rifle range a few times and am a good shot with one, but I could never harm any animals with them. The notion of hunting is rather abhorrent to me and one thing that's rather cool about the show that I'm currently fixated upon is that the "firearms" that they use are non-lethal sonic weaponry that basically pushes away the targets rather than projecting projectiles.


Yeah; I love going to a range, and clay pigeon shooting is really good fun.
I think I just like the feeling of having the raw power in my hands.
Not to mention i have had a gun pointed at me before, and it's sort of taken the power away from the incident in some way, knowing that it's the person who was bad - not the weapon itself if that makes sense.



iamnotaparakeet
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25 Nov 2011, 8:08 am

emlion wrote:
iamnotaparakeet wrote:
emlion wrote:
i like to shoot. (not animals)


Myself also. I've gone to a rifle range a few times and am a good shot with one, but I could never harm any animals with them. The notion of hunting is rather abhorrent to me and one thing that's rather cool about the show that I'm currently fixated upon is that the "firearms" that they use are non-lethal sonic weaponry that basically pushes away the targets rather than projecting projectiles.


Yeah; I love going to a range, and clay pigeon shooting is really good fun.
I think I just like the feeling of having the raw power in my hands.
Not to mention i have had a gun pointed at me before, and it's sort of taken the power away from the incident in some way, knowing that it's the person who was bad - not the weapon itself if that makes sense.


Back when I was in Texas I had been threatened with a gun once before also, back in the 90's when idiot kids were buying them illegally or stealing them and carrying them around haphazardly because they wanted to impress their fellow gang members or whatever. It is annoying that such people care to misuse them, but yeah, it is the person and their motivations which matters as with anyone wielding any weapon whatsoever.



Dingo7
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25 Nov 2011, 8:41 am

Im quite thankfull that guns are illegal in Australia...

Personally i think that "the right to take up arms" doesnt at all justify why they should legal to own domestically...


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CockneyRebel
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25 Nov 2011, 8:50 am

I'm very terrified of guns. One time, a boy that my mum babysat when I was a kid had his toy machine gun with him and he was fireing it at me as I was getting out of bed. I was so horrified that it wasn't funny. I have the looks and personality of a Mod and the Spirit of a hippie. I'm three quarters Mod and one quarter hippie.


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leejosepho
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25 Nov 2011, 8:57 am

I can easily understand why some of us are bothered by even just a photo of the end of a gun barrel pointed directly at us, but my greatest "fear" in relation to firearms is what I might even inadvertently do if I had one! So, I just have a pump-action BB gun for plunking at a couple of cardboard targets on an old Oak tree too big to ever miss or be harmed!


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Brainfre3ze_93
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25 Nov 2011, 9:00 am

People keep telling me that guns are there for your safety, but I have never felt safer with people holding a real gun near me. Guns on avatars, or on pictures are fine with me. 8)


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MakaylaTheAspie
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25 Nov 2011, 10:57 am

I'm alright with guns, as long as they're not pointed at me. ;)


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TeaEarlGreyHot
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25 Nov 2011, 11:41 am

I'm not afraid of guns, but I sure dislike them. I can't say anything further without this becoming a PPR thread, though, so I'll leave it at that.


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25 Nov 2011, 12:08 pm

I think guns can be useful, but I do find the idea of running into someone who is using it wrongly a bit creepy.......I don't like the idea of getting shot so there is that. But otherwise I would not mind shooting a gun myself, well actually I have when I was out in minnesota and I hit a few targets. As long as its used correctly it does not bother me......and though I don't like the idea of people getting shot in general it can sometimes be good for self defense.


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25 Nov 2011, 12:21 pm

I love them! Then again, I was raised in a house where there were three loaded guns laying around, that I know of. I was told not to touch them, they were loaded. So I didn't. I learned to shoot fairly young, and enjoy it.

Frances



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25 Nov 2011, 12:26 pm

i think the issue is that the gun was pointed directly at the viewer, and it's not related to the gun itself. if members post a similar picture in a thread, it can be easily avoided but as an avatar it is literally "in your face" repeatedly in multiple places on the forum. it's aggressive and can be considered offensive.


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