To keep this narrow, in regards to Dick's desicion to only sell guns to those 21 and older, what is the reason that makes sense?

They don’t believe that 20 year olds have the sound mental capacity to make a decision like purchasing a gun. There is reason to believe that a 20 year old may not have that ability. It’s Dicks saying that they don’t want to be responsible.

They don’t believe that 20 year olds have the sound mental capacity to make a decision like purchasing a gun. There is reason to believe that a 20 year old may not have that ability. It’s Dicks saying that they don’t want to be responsible.

What reason is there to believe a 20 year old doesn't have that ability?

I was just reading about a 75 year old pulling a gun on employees at Airlort Ford in Florence over a dispute.

They don’t believe that 20 year olds have the sound mental capacity to make a decision like purchasing a gun. There is reason to believe that a 20 year old may not have that ability. It’s Dicks saying that they don’t want to be responsible.

 

So to be clear, the government thinks a 20 year old is of sound mental capacity to put a much more higher powered weapon (s) in their hands to defend our country, but Dick's doesnt think they are of sound mental capacity to be able to purchase a lesser weapon do defend themselves?

There are restrictions on age and other things across America.

 

You have to be a certain age to buy alcohol and tobacco products.

You have to be a certain age to buy fireworks.

 

Are these age discrimination?

 

 

You have to be a certain height to ride a roller coaster.

 

Is that height discrimination?

 

We have to have laws or restrictions or it would be a crazy world like one of these crazy end of world movies we see on TV.

What reason is there to believe a 20 year old doesn't have that ability?

The same reason the government tells us 20 year olds can’t buy alcohol.

So to be clear, the government thinks a 20 year old is of sound mental capacity to put a much more higher powered weapon (s) in their hands to defend our country, but Dick's doesnt think they are of sound mental capacity to be able to purchase a lesser weapon do defend themselves?

Does every 20 year old have military training? That’s a bad analogy.

Does every 20 year old have military training? That’s a bad analogy.

 

Does every person in the US have possession of a firearm?

Does every person in the US have possession of a firearm?

Of course not. What’s your point?

The same reason the government tells us 20 year olds can’t buy alcohol.

Which is?

Which is?

Look I’m not going to try and act like underage drinking is some horrible thing I personally think the drinking age should be 18. But some people believe that an 18 year old isnt mature enough physically to be able to purchase alcohol. I don’t agree but that is the logic. With regards to guns I don’t think it’s irrational to believe a 20 year isnt always mentally or emotionally sound enough to purchase a gun. Do I agree with that idea? Not necessarily, but don’t think what DSG is doing is without basis.

I'm a gun owner. To some extent, I understand the 21 year old thing for one reason.

 

How can you do a background check on someone who is only 18. Isn't their background sealed up or whatever?

 

I think of being too old much the same way I think of being too young. They both put into question the ability to perform or be responsible.

 

On the too young side.

- If you're military, the 21 rule would be waved.

- If you've taken a state or federal fire arms course to prove your capable. (I'm talking a real firearms course not what we do for concealed carry. This should also include a look at juvenile record.)

- If you don't want to do these things you can wait until your 21st birthday.

 

On the too old side.

- I don't think any of this should be a specific age restriction. It should be ability related.

- We all know there are a bunch of seniors that do not need to be driving. They are a danger to themselves and others. At some age there should be some sort of periodic performance test that says you are capable of driving. Let's say 70.There should be the same for guns.

Look I’m not going to try and act like underage drinking is some horrible thing I personally think the drinking age should be 18. But some people believe that an 18 year old isnt mature enough physically to be able to purchase alcohol. I don’t agree but that is the logic. With regards to guns I don’t think it’s irrational to believe a 20 year isnt always mentally or emotionally sound enough to purchase a gun. Do I agree with that idea? Not necessarily, but don’t think what DSG is doing is without basis.

Your not really answer the question. You said

There is reason to believe that a 20 year old may not have that ability.

. This would imply there is some research or factual evidence that backs this. Not some arbitrary number the government decided was the drinking age, which makes no sense by the way and was likely a compromise between.

So to be clear, the government thinks a 20 year old is of sound mental capacity to put a much more higher powered weapon (s) in their hands to defend our country, but Dick's doesnt think they are of sound mental capacity to be able to purchase a lesser weapon do defend themselves?

 

The primary reason anyone would need a gun to defend themselves is because there's too many guns circulating throughout our country to begin with.

 

Gun rights activists promote the freedom to gun ownership which now has created an astronomical number of guns being owned throughout the land, which creates the need for so many others who might not have felt the need to own a gun now feeling the need to own a gun, which leads to even more guns in more hands.

 

More guns in more hands leads to more guns in the wrong hands, which leads to more gun deaths, and an even more unsafe society.

 

An unsafe society makes it hard to argue for gun restrictions when so many now feel the need to own guns to defend themselves, which under the current conditions of our unsafe society it has created as a dangerous side affect a legitimate argument for the rights and need to own them, which all for the sake of rights and freedoms have put our society in a more harmful and unsafe condition which forces our culture to need them versus not needing them.

 

As an end result we've created a culture of hell, and a reason to believe that now because of, gun restrictions would make us unsafe with our inability to defend ourselves in a culture where there are so many guns.

 

Though I struggle to find an adequate analogy this might be like if someone felt that their city needed to hire twice as many firemen than they have, they'd on purpose start setting fires everywhere to create the need to back up their claim that their city needed more firemen.

 

Whereas the so many people who are not gun enthusiasts (and there are many) might want gun restrictions and wish for a culture without so many guns, because there already are so many guns they'll have a hard time convincing others that there should be gun restrictions when with under the current conditions of too many guns in our society it's hardly a legitimate argument when people now are forced to have adequate ways to defend themselves from too many other gun owners.

 

While it's not the way many would like our society to be, it's the way our society has become, and while gun enthusiasts will never admit it, it is they who have caused this problem all for the sake of their rights and freedoms, which ultimately has been counter productive for our culture's safety.

 

The idea that gun enthusiasts feel discriminated against is like an arsonist ridiculously arguing that since they enjoy setting fires, why shouldn't they be able to even though it is ultimately harmful to everyone else.

 

As an unwelcome end result though because of how unsafe our culture has become with too many guns, the argument made by gun rights activists for the right to own a gun to defend themselves is a legitimate one and hard to argue against.

 

Congratulations gun enthusiasts....YOU WIN !!! .... and as a counter productive result our culture is ultimately now more unsafe... Good going guys!!! :thumb:

I wonder how many new gun purchasers are over the age of 65. My guess is that older folks already have those guns and are not out buying new ones.

 

I know that in psychiatry, when we have older folks with dementia, we specifically ask family if there are guns in the house and ask them to remove them. Folks with dementia have a lot of paranoia that causes them to be violent.

 

That being said, we likely only affect a small percentage of older folks with guns. We probably will never have a law taking their guns away and may have to rely on family to do so. Guess that point is for another thread.

 

That being said, there are probably a lot of sharp old codgers out there who are far more reliable and proficient than your avaerage 18 year old!