Truth in politics

I read an article - I don't remember where - that stated that the new NSW Senator from the Liberal Democrats believed that citizens of Australia should be allowed to carry guns.

Yes, yes, I now what you are thinking. I didn't believe that he said it either, so I checked.

From this ABC report, it appears to be true.

Of course, the report elicited all the standard strawmen, hyperbole, and false equivalences in the comments, along with the "I can't believe this guy was elected legitimately" BS.

I want to comment on ONLY one class of comments. It's MY blog, I'll post whatever I like.

"This appeals only to those neanderthals that want to kill someone".

This is a fallacious statement stemming from gross ignorance and preconception. I don't want to ever have to shoot someone, but I would carry a gun if the price for being caught doing so was not so high as "go to jail - for a LONG time".

My refutation is this:

Many people carry a fire extinguisher in their car. It's not that they WANT to have to put out a fire.

Many people also carry a first aid kit. It's not that they WANT to have to treat an injury.

How many cars come with a spare tyre, and related tools? Are you telling me that they WANT to have a flat tyre while on the way to the restaurant and dressed for dinner?

Many people have smoke detectors in their homes (more now that the .gov has made it compulsory). That doesn't mean that they WANT the house to catch fire while they sleep.

Those same houses all have RCDs (Residual Current Devices aka Safety Switches) installed. They certainly don't WANT someone to try and electrocute themselves.

Just about everyone has insurance. They are betting that a disaster will happen (just as the insurance company is betting that it won't). They don't expect to lose their possessions to a fire or flood or theft, let alone WANT a disaster to happen.

Sane people don't WANT to face possible disasters, but they DO want to be ready if it happens anyway. Insurance, extinguishers, fire blankets, first-aid kits, spare tyres, seat-belt cutters on the key-ring, the torch in the glove box - they are simply useful things to have in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

Why is a gun on your hip, that you likely never need to use, any different?

... and don' try the "but it's dangerous" inanity. Have you never heard of the number of people killed by cars every year?