Yes, I appreciate guns. I appreciate the pleasure they have brought into my life. I love the way they feel and smell. I enjoy handling them and shooting them.
I appreciate the fact that guns have helped feed hungry people for hundreds of years.
I appreciate the fact that guns have helped good people resist- and kill- tyrants, thieves, thugs, home invaders, drunk husbands, jealous girlfriends, rabid dogs, and various other vermin.
I appreciate the fact that guns have provided countless hours of enjoyment for "plinkers", and target shooters, and Buckskinners, and "Cowboy Action Shooters", and gunsmiths, and movie goers.
Guns have been abused by bad guys. Bison were indiscriminately slaughtered. Genocides were carried out. Helpful signs are damaged (and by "helpful" I am obviously not talking about "stop signs" or "speed limit signs" or any other Nanny State excuses for highway robbery).
I have lost two friends to bad guys with guns. Another friend was shot by a mugger, but survived. Would my dead friends have survived if they had been in possession of a gun at the time they were attacked? I don't know, but they couldn't have been hurt any worse. I am not stupid enough to blame the tool the bad guys used. Yes, that is what it requires to blame guns for the bad guys' actions: stupidity on a monumental scale.
I blame bad guys for all they take from life, and I appreciate guns for all the good they bring to life.
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