Yesterday a picture was posted on my Facebook timeline which resulted in a rather lengthy debate between me and the person who posted it.I might add that the individual involved is to be commended for the quality of debate he brought to the discussion,even though I completely disagree with him.
I'm not going to post this picture here.I will describe it briefly.Some of you may even have seen it,but even if you have not,I believe my readers will be able to sufficiently imagine it for the sake of the comments I wish to make .
Picture a man sitting at an older style lunch counter.On his right hip is a large handgun,perhaps not properly holstered-it looks as though it may be just stuck in his pocket,but then again,my eyes are not what they once were,The accompanying caption reads "If you were in a public place,would you feel comfortable with this sitting 10 feet away from your children"?
I answered that I would not,and was later asked by the person doing the posting"why not"? And from that point a rather extensive and productive dialogue took place,which I will relate in part here.
First let me deal with my discomfort as it relates to children as that part is rather simple to answer.I simply feel children,especially younger ones,quite aside from any safety issues,should not be force to deal with the emotional burden involved in the current gun debate.Simple as that.
My original objection to this posting was largely a matter of context,and that is how I answered my friends question as to my discomfort.It's also why I feel this particular posting contributes little to the need debate with respect to guns.My reply was "I'm uncomfortable because,as pictured I have no way to draw necessary conclusions about this individual's character or intent.He could be a mass shooter,or someone with the real belief that what he was doing is contributing to the greater public safety" Clearly that context is everything,yet the picture seemed to be strongly implying the later.
My friend indeed stated that that was his interpretation based on the picture.And while I strongly disagree,I believe he is honest in his belief.He thought that the sight of an armed man would discourage any potential shooter,and who knows,he may be right?
I proceeded to point out some possible inconsistencies in this view,however,and they are not merely coincidental.The gun toter in question was white.So I suggested,I don't think unreasonably,that the comfort level of many people would decline if the person with the gun were black.If that person were identifiable as Arab,that discomfort would likely approach the irrational range,despite the fact that appearance alone would tell you virtually nothing else about that person.
My friend replied that this was likely true to some extent.But he indicated that he would be comfortable as long as the person with the gun were American.By this I'm thinking that he meant someone possessed of presumed American values as they relate to guns.So I pointed out that I was white,but a Canadian.And I might add that I'm a Canadian that is quite comfortable in many parts of America.And I'm not typically given to advertising my nationality most of the time either-on either side of the border.Of course,were that me sitting there,my friend would be none the wiser with regard to my nationality or my intentions.And I should point out that,as a Canadian my views regarding guns are informed by a Canadian,not an American social experience in that regard.I won't belabor that here,but perhaps I will take it up at a later date.
I noted further a perhaps less than fully rational reaction to this situation on my own part.Because I'm big on taking ownership of such things.I'm certain my reaction to this situation would different if I were to encounter it in Burlington,Vermont than it would were I to find myself in this situation in say,Beaumont,Texas.
You see,the things I need to know are these:Is the gun carrying citizen moral,well intentioned,not given to excessive anger,and qualified to carry a weapon.Has he been educated in the safe use of firearms.Does he regard gun ownership as a responsibility or an entitlement.Does he have access too and an inclination to access mental health services if he were to need them?
So,while I will never fully agree with the gun lobby,the answer to the above questions greatly impacts my comfort level were I to find myself in a situation like the one pictured.
I wish that people posting such pictures would give more thought to the obvious issues contained in such propaganda,rather that posting them as an implicit statement of belief.And ,most of all,I commend my friend for honestly engaging in the debate process and for diligently challenging my own belief.Were more of the gun lobby people willing to do that,my comfort level with gun owners would increase beyond measure.
Blyndpapaya.
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