02-22-2021, 01:36 PM
(02-22-2021, 01:26 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: It mattes because your ignorance about the subject doesn't change the fact that your vote for an elected official has the same value as that of a gun owner who knows their stuff. Also, ignorance leads people to accepting things they would never agree to if they were informed as to the consequences. This ignorance manifests itself every day in the anti-gun lobby. One need look no further than the constant haranguing about AR's and other "assault weapons". All rifles, of any kind, kill far less people than hands and feet, don't even get started on knives. Banning them is not a "public safety" issue because they are very rarely used to kill people. So why the constant attempts to ban them, because the ignorant can be manipulated into surrendering their rights because they don't know any better.
This same argument could be made regarding control of dangerous chemical waste, complex regulation of financial markets, airline safety, and all sorts of things. That is why individuals do not vote directly on laws. Instead we elected representatives who we entrust to do the research and vote in our best interests.
I agree that so-called "assault weapons" are a bit of a boogie man in gun regulation, but no more than "death panels" were for the ACA or "job killing" is for tax increases. All of these issues are complicated. You can't insist that every single person become an expert on every single issue.
