This is a hot, troublesome, and poorly understood issue. I have known people much older than 21 who I wouldn't trust with a gun. My bro-n-law's brother and his wife had 5 kids by the time they were in their early 20's. Should they not be allowed to protect themselves and their kids? I left home at age 17 and was completely self sufficient by age 18. Bought a .22 from a pawn shop to hunt squirrels and rabbits. Bought my first home at age 23. Had several jobs and was paying my way through college__all without having to get the government's permission. So, these days I would have to ask the government for permission?? One of the catch phrases tossed around is that we "need to have a conversation about guns", but few people listen. Instead, we pass impulsive, feel-good legislation like Florida did and in so doing deny young adults a constitutionally guaranteed freedom. Conversation?? yeah__right.
Gun Buying Age 21??
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bassjam
Member
Adulthood is one of those things that seems to be more politically motivated than anything else. We consider 18 year olds as "adults" so we can send them off to war, but we just recently started letting them vote at that age as a consolation prize.
But other than that, it's clear the government doesn't want to let 18 year olds have many rights. If we want to hold some rights until they reach 21, it needs to be the same for everything including serving in the military. Of course, then you create a limbo for those 18-20 year olds who don't go to college but they don't have full rights to enter the workforce and become adults.
Then again, to open a can of worms the Bill of Rights is not age dependent. It's not like 1st Amendment rights don't exist until someone is 18, so why would 2nd Amendment rights be any different?
But other than that, it's clear the government doesn't want to let 18 year olds have many rights. If we want to hold some rights until they reach 21, it needs to be the same for everything including serving in the military. Of course, then you create a limbo for those 18-20 year olds who don't go to college but they don't have full rights to enter the workforce and become adults.
Then again, to open a can of worms the Bill of Rights is not age dependent. It's not like 1st Amendment rights don't exist until someone is 18, so why would 2nd Amendment rights be any different?
JR24
Member
Well if they aren't adult enough to buy guns, the dang sure aren't adult enough to vote (unless they join the military).
Bet the dems would hate to lose their brainwashed 18-21 year old votes, before many of them hit the real world and learn to think for themselves.
Bet the dems would hate to lose their brainwashed 18-21 year old votes, before many of them hit the real world and learn to think for themselves.
TheVision
Member
Except that the Constitution states that a person is to be aged 35 or over to be President or Vice President, 30 or over to be a Senator, and 25 or over to be a Representative.
Shanghai McCoy
Member
Well, then let's have the age to vote be 25 then ...?
Oh, and regarding the "conversation about guns", a conversation is usually two sided.
We, the gun owners, are just being yelled at, berated and talked down to for the most part. Hardly a "conversation"...
Hokie_PhD
Member
No NO NOOOOO
are you kidding?
Maryland has felt 16 year old aren't mature enough to drive, but they now let them to vote in local elections.
So yea it's all politics and getting young minds on board the agenda train.
Frankly, I see two problems. One, we need to pick an age that one is an adult. If I was 18, I'd be irate that I'm old enough to vote, enter legal contracts and die for my country but I can't buy a beer or if this passes buy a gun to defend myself.
Two, the partisan politics of this is not what this country should be focused on. We have so many problems that shifting the focus on gun control and taking it away from our national debt, immigration issues, the environment, the homeless, crime, bad schools etc we're just keeping the same old same old that many of us voted against. Or put another way this is the swamp fighting back.
So I see this as a call to action for us to do all we can to fight for our rights. IMHO had the presidential election gone the other way we'd see the things that these useful idiots (a term used by Marx, not a derogatory term in the current context) are calling for. So it's imperative that we stop being nice, stop pretending that our enemies can be reasoned with and realize this is a war for our rights. A war that those on the left intend to win at all costs. So a war we'll have to figure out how to fight so that the indifferent masses in the middle don't see us as the bad guys.
I was having a conversation with a coworker this morning. It seems to me that the current generation is maturing slower than previous generations. Maturity should really be measured in life experiences and how you deal with those as opposed to how many times the planet circles the sun. My own son is almost 18, and in my opinion he is no way mature enough to survive on his own, let alone own a firearm, not that he is untrustworthy in any way, just very immature. This is not the 60s, 70, 80s, 90s. This is the Participation Ribbon generation. Things are just different now.
For the record, I'm against raising the age to 21, but I can certainly see the reasoning for this idea having two teenage kids in High School.
For the record, I'm against raising the age to 21, but I can certainly see the reasoning for this idea having two teenage kids in High School.
bassjam
Member
That's the Constitution, which tells us how the government operates and what it's allowed to do. I said "Bill of Rights", which protects rights that everyone has and tells us what the government is not allowed to do.
TheVision
Member
... which are the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
The “Bill of Rights” is the Constitution.
There were actually 12 articles in the bill of rights but the States originally only ratified 10. The Second article was ratified in 1992 and became the 27th Amendment. The First article has not been ratified to date.
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FL-NC
Member
How about if the age of adulthood should be raised to 21 for all things. Drinking, buying firearms, marriage, military service, voting, staying in a hotel, sexual consent, credit, curfews, and so on. Parents could have 3 more fun filled years of being responsible for their offspring financially and in every other way. How would that sit with our society? Why do some people think its OK to cherry-pick the areas where 18-21 year-olds are adults- especially when it comes to a constitutional right?
FL-NC
Member
Also, a friend who is a gun & pawn shop owner has mentioned to me a few weeks ago that he has transactions that are in "limbo". Customers under 21 have entered into layaways or pawned long guns, but will not be able to pick up their property because the law changed while the transaction was in progress. He is going to have to talk with the FDLE for guidance.
Personally I think 19 works for everything mentioned above. I do think drinking should have something similar to a "learner's permit" where you are legally allowed to drink in the presence of your parents or guardian at the age of 15.
That said I also think all firearms and ammo should have the same age limit. 18 for long guns and 21 for handguns never made sense to me. Again, 19 could work.
AlexanderA
Member
Having just turned 73, I can't get too excited about limiting gun purchases to the over-21 crowd. I remember that I bought my first handgun at age 22, and my first AR-15 at age 23, and that wasn't too much of an inconvenience.
MedWheeler
Member
AlexanderA writes:
At least you had the right to make the choice for yourself.
Imagine if someone said "Having just turned 73, I can't get too excited about prohibiting gun ownership. I never owned any myself."
At least you had the right to make the choice for yourself.
Imagine if someone said "Having just turned 73, I can't get too excited about prohibiting gun ownership. I never owned any myself."
We are coddling young adults more and more and the effects are getting worse and worse!
This is what we should strive for to fix young adult issues:
18 year old rights - vote, drive, own any legal gun, drink - full adult rights.
18 year old obligation - serve minimum two years in public service. One of - prison guard, coast guard, army, navy, marines, Air Force, police
Cannot have dependents older than 18 on your health insurance, they must get their own.
College minimum age is 20.
This is what we should strive for to fix young adult issues:
18 year old rights - vote, drive, own any legal gun, drink - full adult rights.
18 year old obligation - serve minimum two years in public service. One of - prison guard, coast guard, army, navy, marines, Air Force, police
Cannot have dependents older than 18 on your health insurance, they must get their own.
College minimum age is 20.
Not to mention electing worthwhile leader to go along with that plan in mold of Vladimir Vladmirowich the koolest Chekista I have seen.
Sure! As long as that leader is not a commie or socialist, but instead a champion of our founding principals.
I think that this country traditionally supported and still supports some "leaders" with much, much worse human rights record than Vladimir Vladimirovich. Every single military junta in Latin America had our undivided support including Chile, Argentina etc. They used to kill Catholic church priests that dared to speak about human rights violations , labeling them as ''communists".
Apartheid regime in South Africa was pretty comfortable for decades with American and British governments.
Even today, I guarantee that there is much, much more human rights in Russia than ( our ''ally") Saudi Arabia. Maybe they have it better even in Iran than SA. ( it is a shame that Iranians have such a crazy, fanatic government, they are cultured and educated people with rich history).
Going back to subject, I think that realistic age for someone being responsible and mature with firearms is 21 rather than 18.
bassjam
Member
Technically they are the same, but functionally they are very different. Like I mentioned the Constitution, which was ratified first, has a different intent than the Bill of Rights. The Constitution tells the government specifically what it CAN do, the Bill of Rights tells the government what it CANNOT do.
CoalTrain49
Member
That should work.
No college admission until you complete your 2 year civic responsibilities.
Bring back the 2 year military draft for everyone over 18.
My feeling, having been essentially drafted in 1967 (1A), is that I would prefer a 21 age limit to purchase a firearm, even tho I purchased my first firearm at 16.
Rights you say, fine. With those rights should come some civic duty to your country. Freedom isn't free.
My guess is that if you put that to a vote you would get a lot of push back from the 18-29 year old group.
But then, only about 30% of them vote which should tell you something right there. Lowest voting participation of any age group.
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CoalTrain49
Member
RETG
Member
Being 70, and having served in combat in 'Nam, back when their actually was a draft, not an implied draft that will probably never happen, I'll go with 21 for registering for the draft. However, allow anyone 18 or older the right to join, and if you do, also obtain the rights to own guns and vote.
I know most of you under 21 will not like it... but I don't care
just my idea.
I know most of you under 21 will not like it... but I don't care
just my idea.Full rights at 18 along with service requirements most importantly;
1. Breaks the entitlement mentality of teenagers.
2. Releases the lock colleges have on our kids. They will get first hand life experiences before they might choose to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars.
3. Release the lock Dem Party has on most youth. Working and paying their own way for two years in service will open their eyes to dead beat lazy moocher drags on society, the core Dem constituency.
4. Releases the lock professional and college sports has on our kids as a viable immediate life choice to make them millionaires.
We need 38 conservative states to lead the charge for Amendment addition. Let's change the game.
Imagine those same parkland kids pounding on the lecturn at ralley now crawling under barb wire in training because they are constitutionally bound. Warms my heart!
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