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For Guns: To own a gun in modern America, you also have to defend your reasoning for having one to friends. You have to go to FFLs, which are staffed exclusively by assholes instead of by mail. Only people who are really into it will deal with the trouble.
Uh, what are you talking about? Is your filter bubble entirely composed of NYT journalists?
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Let me second @FiveHourMarathon's "WTF" here. It might just be the local culture, but I've never known anyone* who had to "defend their reasoning for having a gun," to a friend, or anyone else. And I know plenty of gun owners. My dad and middle brother pretty much have an arsenal between them. Until about a year ago, the bulk of said brother's job was selling guns (as the manager of the hunting department at the local outlet of a "big box" sporting goods store chain) — I suppose that makes him an "asshole" in your view?
Though, again, I live in Alaska. We've got grizzlies, we've got moose, and we've got a rather more gun-friendly culture than the more urban, populous states. Anyone who would make a friend justify their reasoning for gun ownership almost certainly doesn't have any Alaskan friends, and would probably be quite unhappy living here.
I've been a gun owner for 15 years and lived in purple areas. It's not everyone, but I get plenty of "you don't seem like the type" and incredulity.
I'm not referring to any sort of legally required reasoning defense. I suppose if you preferred being a closeted gun owner, you could avoid it entirely.
And I'm saying I've never seen this, ever.
I didn't think you were. I'm saying that in my experience, there's absolutely no reason you'd ever need to even socially defend your gun ownership to anyone, and there's no need to ever be "a closeted gun owner," because here in Alaska, nobody is going to give you shit for owning a gun.
Yeah man, I'd agree Alaska (and the deep south/Texas) are different from where I live now.
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In New Jersey, one must obtain a voucher of one's worthiness to own a gun from 2 unrelated adult citizens before obtaining a permit to purchase a firearm, and again for each handgun one might wish to buy. And 3 such persons for a carry permit, though a carry permit barely allows you to carry (if you try you're almost certain to trip over a forbidden zone and become a felon). I'm not sure if any other states have this onerous requirement which would be unconstitutional if the Supreme Court took the 2nd Amendment seriously instead of just a debating point, but New Jersey does.
Ok, can you seriously think that any functional adult doesn't have three friends? When I got my ccw permit in PA, I had too many friends who wanted to be the reference. And I have trouble thinking of a person who doesn't have three friends who should have a gun.
This is the typical communitarian answer. But even people who aren't socially adept are supposed to have constitutional rights.
But we aren't talking about socially adept. We're talking about three unrelated people vouching for you. Coworkers. Landlord. The waitress at your favorite diner. Your pastor.
It's not that hard.
This is anti-incel discrimination.
It's really not, your wife isn't allowed to vouch for you.
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I'm an atheist (no pastor) and a homeowner (no landlord), and don't work in the same state I live in (most coworkers don't count). And furthermore, there's the additional qualification that I must know qualified people who are not anti-gun. Which doesn't hold, because I live in deep blue New Jersey. If you want to go the whole "if you don't have X friends who will swear you're moral enough to own a gun, you probably shouldn't own a gun" route, you're an opponent of gun rights.
I live in Pennsylvania and I can think of five people in NJ and another dozen in NY who would offer me a reference for a permit if I called right now. I don't get what you're talking about. This is an insane assertion.
I'm an opponent of gun rights for felons. I'm an opponent of gun rights for non citizens. And yes, I'm at best neutral on the gun rights of isolated loners.
Anyone can just join a gun club and within a month they'll have two guys willing to vouch for them.
Yes, you are more socially adept than many.
Then you are an opponent of gun rights.
I haven't tried to join a gun club in NJ, but I know in PA not just "anyone could join". Clubs are clubby; you needed a sponsor to even apply. And what the heck is the point of joining a gun club if you don't have a gun?
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This is more New Jersey and maybe Illinois than anywhere else. Most places you don't need people to vouch for you to buy a gun, and you can buy from private sellers.
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Bro what are you talking about.
I've bought a gun once in my life. Outside of my range buddies and the seller three people know about it. The seller was friendly and helpful and frankly cut me a better deal than I expected.
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