This is a Duke forum. Whenever someone criticizes Duke, we automatically assume that they are part of a gang ;)
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This is a Duke forum. Whenever someone criticizes Duke, we automatically assume that they are part of a gang ;)
Well people can assume whatever they want. I carry it for protection and because it is my right to do so. I will admit that I will probably go my entire life and never have a need to actually pull a gun on someone in self defense. However, should that moment come I will be prepared to protect myself and my family.
And no I'm not doing anything dangerous or illegal and I'm not a drug dealer or a gang banger!:D
Lots of nice people own guns.
Lots of nice people own many guns.
Lots of nice people collect guns and take pride in having multiple guns of the same type. The same way that someone might own 5 cases of 1982 Chateau Petrus, rather than just one, or 5 Michael Jordan Rookie cards, rather than just one.
Lots of nice people collect guns and take pride in having custom guns.
Some nice people own silencers. For a lot of people (maybe not you) it's kind of cool, even if it's just in a fantasy sort of way. But there are federal restrictions on who can own them.
I'm not convinced Gilbert Arenas is a nice guy. He's shown some not so nice tendencies. But who am I to judge?
I suspect Gilbert Arenas didn't know that he couldn't take possession of the silencers without EXTENSIVE paperwork and background checks that he might not be able to complete successfully.
So he spent an insane amount of money buying guns with silencers he couldn't legally own (as it turned out). Hence the storage charges. Bummer for him. Expensive mistake.
I have to say, this is a non-story.
First, he's not in any criminal trouble over this gun purchase, just involved in what looks like pretty petty civil litigation. $70k in storage fees for 5 things that together could fit in a suitcase?
Second, the guy is a gun collector. We all know that. No one's saying he was caught with five silenced pistols illegally concealed while busted for DUI.
While I agree that the redneck hunter and anti-NRA stuff was stupid, I do think he's being judged differently, than, say, Peyton Manning would be in this situation.
This part of his ongoing gun issues is a non-story.
Not to go off topic again...but...there is a HUGE HUGE difference between an automatic and a semi-automatic gun. You say you grew up around guns, but if you really did (which I highly doubt) then you would know the difference. Same goes with silencers. You can't just buy silencers or automatic weapons, not at gun shows, gun shops, not anywhere. That is a fact. Look at what your "thug" Gilbert had to go through just to attempt to get a silencer.
Personally, I carry a gun on me at most times. I work in real estate and lots of times I have to let people know that since they are not making their payments on their homes they can't live there anymore...and yes, I have had a gun pointed at my head and at that moment not only did I not want to be in that situation ever again, but I told myself that I would at least have the option of defending myself if that were to appen again. And AlaskanBear I own many guns; a .380 I cary for protection, a .357 in my bedside table in case someone trys to rob me, a .38 for my wife for the same reason, a 12 Guage Shotgun for hunting, a 280 High Powered Rifle for big game hunting and lastly a .22 for my neices and nephews to learn how to shoot. I graduated from Duke and realize that a lot of people out there don't get the whole gun thing, just the same wat I don't get why people watch television shows like 'The Real Housewives of...'
Now, back on track...
Do I bring guns into places where they are not allowed, like Gilbert did? Absolutely not. That is what a responsible gun owner does, and hence what Gilbert did (whether yellow, red, white or brown) was not only illegal but extremely stupid. I'd like you to back up your assertion that he was being treated differently because he was black. What a cop out AlaskaBear! Shameless how you throw race around.:mad:
I'm pretty sure if any pro sports player, including your example of Peyton Manning, pulled out a few guns on Jeff Saturday and told him to pick one the repercussions would be much higher than Gilbert, who has a history of being an idiot. To bring race into this discounts your argument...when you realized you said something to be intentionally inflammatory and people didn't take it very well (rightly so) you resorted to "well if he was white it would be different.." What a load of junk. Why can't people just be dumb and do dumb things, as opposed to being black and doing a dumb thing and thus getting different treatment?
I see the worst of society on a daily basis, and must tell you that it doesn't matter what color you are...if you break the law you pay the price. If anything a big time NBA player is less likely to serve as long of a sentence because he can afford the best possible legal representation. I know you'll say he's being made an example of AlaskanBear but personally I'd rather be in Gilbert's shoes that in a white man's who brought guns into his job at the textile mill and did the same thing.
Gilbert Arenas is an idiot, regardless of race, and did something that put a lot of people in harm's way and could have ended up killing someone. He should pay the price just like Plaxico, whose stray bullet could have easily killed someone. Being an athlete only means they get more attention.
Its been beaten to death, but Ursus Alaskan: none of your retorts commented on the fact you generalized people who own guns as rednecks. I was born in NorCal, grew up in Philly, went to a prep school, and own 2 guns. I don't "flash" them anywhere and I've never been called a redneck in my life.
Just take your medicine and apologize.
Not quite with the wine reference. You own 5 cases so you can enjoy the wine several times and see it evolve over time.
You aren't going to "run out" of the gun and if you have 5 of the same one, they will shoot just about the same.
Now if you had some serious coordination with your fingers and toes maybe you could shoot all 5 at once... :rolleyes:
Tricky question. I would have to say that if, and this is a tremendous IF the purchase was legal, made with the appropriate permits and licensing, then yes I would defend his right, your right, or anyone's right to buy 5 handguns. I spent over 20 years in the military doing just that and firmly believe in the Constitutional right to bear arms.
But let's be reasonable here, there is no legitimate civilian use for a silencer, and I am not ever sure they are legal. And if they are legal, then my opinion is that they should not be. So, NO I am not defending Gilbert Arenas in this case.
The issue I have is with others imposing their biases and opinions on others... “you own a couple of guns, then you are a redneck, criminal, or just someone with an inferiority complex trying to make up for feelings of inadequacy”. THAT type of thinking is stupid.
The comments made by AlaskanBear express the narrow-mindedness that scares the heck out of me. What business is it of his if I want to own 200 hand guns? His comments about automatic weapons demonstrate his basic lack of understanding on the issue since fully automatic weapons are illegal for civilians to own. I suggest that if he knows someone with fully automatic weapons he report them to the appropriate authorities.
That AlaskaBear's statements aren't inaccurate as applied to some individuals. It's not that the shoe doesn't fit, it just doesn't fit everyone. There is some truth there, just not as a general across-the-board proposition. I'm not willing to dismiss his statement as being completely invalid as quickly as others are.
The distinction I make is that it is hard to make a legitimate argument for having a silencer. Although the comment about using one to miss an intruder in your house has given me pause... Anyway, back to the point, IF it is legal, and I am not sure if it is or isn't, then I could care less if someone owned 200 silencers...
This whole issue began with AlaskanBear making a ridiculously narrow-minded, and dumb comment that was both offensive and bigoted. Now he has made an even more ridiculous attempt to make this a race issue. I had just as soon forget the whole mess...
"Dopes" come in all colors, creeds and sizes. Gilbert has shown himself to be a huge dope. A law-breaking dope. I used to think he was fairly ok, had some rough breaks as a kid but now I think he's not only an idiot, but a mental mess.
I'm tired of Gil. Time for Leonsis to dump his sorry keister, clean house at Verizon Center, ditch those horrible unis, get rid of the obnoxious ear bleed music, hire some ushers who aren't obsessed with their mini-power domains, get some decent food in the concessions and try to mend a shattered franchise.
Call me Ted! I can help you with the Caps, too. :cool:
We are in complete agreement. It is the silencers that puts it way over the top for me. The five of a kind takes it out of the realm of "collectibles."
What is the protocol for obtaining silencers and what justification must be shown? I liked the "indoor firing range" justification. :)
Didn't Gil have a bullet proof vest in his possession?
I am not sure I am following your logic. Are you defending broad sweeping bigoted statements, because that they may actually define certain people who fit those criteria? For example, you would be OK with all (insert race) are lazy, because some (insert race) are in fact lazy?
Have I landed on a different planet here or something???