Hey guys! It's been a while since I've been here (mainly because when I come here a lot, I get tempted to put my money into my LGS instead of my savings account). But I had a thought the other day, and I feel this is the place to share it.
I've seen a lot of things recently about spiders. My personal feeling on spiders is that if they're on the other side of glass (in a terrarium at the zoo, in a cage in the pet store, outside the window at work, on TV or youtube) they're fine. But if they are in the same room as me I will kill them without hesitation.
I know that spiders are generally better to have around than not, because they eat a lot of pests. They come with a cost - the risk of a spider bite. In most cases (especially where I live), that risk is simply an itchy bump that will go away in a few days. In other cases, it could be medically significant. I realize that I probably fear spiders a bit more than I should, but I'm also not crippled by arachnophobia when I'm around them.
However, I've read plenty of posts online that not only say you shouldn't kill spiders, but they are shocked when people even think it's okay to kill one. I'm not talking about a little house spider in your house, I'm talking about killing a black widow at an elementary school. One that is medically significant in an area where the potential victims of a spider bite are bigger prey. To me, it's a no-brainer to kill the spider. But to an arachnophile, it is incomprehensible.
What does this post have to do with guns? I was thinking about my mild arachnophobia, and I saw a lot of parallels to hoplophobia. I think most people who vote anti-gun treat guns like I do spiders. I realize that spiders can do good things, but they can also be dangerous, especially to kids. I'm fine with spiders as long as there are restrictions on where they can be (with the understanding that I won't keep them all out of my house, but I'll do the best that I can).
Someone who votes anti-gun probably has the same mindset. Guns are dangerous, especially in the hands of the untrained or those with ill intent. Guns are also used by people to defend themselves, by the police to protect us, and by the military to protect our freedom. They are generally okay with guns as an idea, as long as they are not near them. They are generally okay with guns on TV and computer games, but not in person. They are generally okay with the "less dangerous" ones (like revolvers or garden spiders) but not with the "more dangerous" ones (like AR-15s or banana spiders).
I don't really have a point I'm trying to make. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, or make any big revelations to the rest of you. I just thought it was interesting how my thoughts on spiders lined up with what I believe most people who we would consider to be anti-gun think about guns.
I've seen a lot of things recently about spiders. My personal feeling on spiders is that if they're on the other side of glass (in a terrarium at the zoo, in a cage in the pet store, outside the window at work, on TV or youtube) they're fine. But if they are in the same room as me I will kill them without hesitation.
I know that spiders are generally better to have around than not, because they eat a lot of pests. They come with a cost - the risk of a spider bite. In most cases (especially where I live), that risk is simply an itchy bump that will go away in a few days. In other cases, it could be medically significant. I realize that I probably fear spiders a bit more than I should, but I'm also not crippled by arachnophobia when I'm around them.
However, I've read plenty of posts online that not only say you shouldn't kill spiders, but they are shocked when people even think it's okay to kill one. I'm not talking about a little house spider in your house, I'm talking about killing a black widow at an elementary school. One that is medically significant in an area where the potential victims of a spider bite are bigger prey. To me, it's a no-brainer to kill the spider. But to an arachnophile, it is incomprehensible.
What does this post have to do with guns? I was thinking about my mild arachnophobia, and I saw a lot of parallels to hoplophobia. I think most people who vote anti-gun treat guns like I do spiders. I realize that spiders can do good things, but they can also be dangerous, especially to kids. I'm fine with spiders as long as there are restrictions on where they can be (with the understanding that I won't keep them all out of my house, but I'll do the best that I can).
Someone who votes anti-gun probably has the same mindset. Guns are dangerous, especially in the hands of the untrained or those with ill intent. Guns are also used by people to defend themselves, by the police to protect us, and by the military to protect our freedom. They are generally okay with guns as an idea, as long as they are not near them. They are generally okay with guns on TV and computer games, but not in person. They are generally okay with the "less dangerous" ones (like revolvers or garden spiders) but not with the "more dangerous" ones (like AR-15s or banana spiders).
I don't really have a point I'm trying to make. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, or make any big revelations to the rest of you. I just thought it was interesting how my thoughts on spiders lined up with what I believe most people who we would consider to be anti-gun think about guns.
