WE NEED TO REGULATE CARS THE WAY WE REGULATE GUNS

[mzmadmike]

I keep hearing people say they want to regulate guns the way we regulate cars.  They don't really mean that, of course.  What they mean is they want to make it acceptable to find more ways to intrude on the right to keep and bear arms.

I propose instead, we regulate cars the way we regulate guns.  Let's start:

To buy or operate a standard car, one

Comments

[ext_1586667]

The very sad part is that there are numbers of people who would not find this unreasonable.

[mzmadmike]

It's not them I'm trying to reach.

[hugh_mannity]

Does seven passenger seating count as a High Capacity Vehicle?

Apart from being an import, I'm sure my urban assault vehicle Land Rover LR3 falls into all sorts of banned/bannable categories, even if you exclude cosmetics like mag wheels. It's got more than 3 speeds in the transmission (at least a half-dozen if you include all combinations of high/low range and automatic/semi manual). Then there's the whole terrain control system -- no one needs to drive anywhere except on paved roads. We won't mention the 4.8L engine which has a top speed in excess of 110mph. And certainly not how I know it goes that fast...

[toast6lunge]

The thing is, you're treating cars as killing machines, which they might be when used incorrectly. A gun on the other hand, serves only 1 purpose, to kill. Whether this is in self defence, for hunting or murder, the outcome is final. Not so with a car - millions drive safely every day...

[mzmadmike]

The thing is, you're wrong, and trying to rationalize.

If cars kill more people than guns, but "aren't meant to," it means they're too dangerous for people to be allowed to operate.

I've been using guns for decades and never killed anyone, so your statement is false. There are many purposes for guns that don't involve killing people.

Killing people is only bad if unjustified. This is why we have a court system. This is why police carry guns. This is why self defense is legal in every state, and it's now legal to carry firearms in every state.

There are 90+ million gun owners in the country, and 89,999,925 of them didn't kill anyone yesterday. Of the ones who did, 50 were acting in self defense or were otherwise justified.

There is neither a right to drive a car, nor a need for most people to do so. It's the ultimate rationalization of selfishness.

But please go find a morgue, and a teenager killed by a drunk, and inform the parents that "at least it wasn't a gun." I'm sure they'll appreciate the difference.

[mzmadmike]

You also completely missed the point that the laws accomplish nothing except to complicate a simple matter, confuse people, and create criminals where no one is harmed and no harm was intended.

[ext_341843]

Well said. I should do a similar thing using our .au gun laws for comparision.

[mzmadmike]

I don't have detailed knowledge of those, just that they're even more insane.

[ext_2243672]

Is this your original work? if so, may I use it and reprint it to hand out for free? I will give you credit for the work of course.

[mzmadmike]

It is and you may. The original on my host blog should have a (c) notice and sharing permission. http://www.michaelzwilliamson.com/blog/item/we-need-to-regulate-cars-the-way-we-regulate-guns

Thanks