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I like weapons
- Thread starter Kazmo
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2000
- Messages
- 1,131
Aw shucks... I guess I'll just climb into the group hug here as well and say that my name is Nobody, and I love weapons too. 
To me, weapons are tools of violence, and violence is a tool of survival. You use violence to protect yourself and your loved ones when absolutely necessary. You use violence to gather food to eat for survival. A weapon is merely a physical tool of empowerment, just like all the other tools in my shed. It has no morality until it is applied in the world, for good or ill. The issue is how our society is now out of touch with violence and it's appropriate and inappropriate applications and the fear that goes with that lack of understanding. My lawnmower helps empower me to keep the jungle out of my yard. The other tools in my shed help empower me to keep my home and land secure from decay and degredation. Knowledge is also a tool of empowerment. The knowledge I learn is a tool of empowerment for knowing how to effectively use the physical tools of my surroundings. Knowledge is the most powerful tool, even though it is not a physical tool. Knowledge allows you to be adept at increasing your empowerment in a greater variety of settings with varying physical resources (or tools). Knowledge cannot be taken away once it's acquired, and is more difficult to regulate than other physical tools. I love knowledge at least as much as I love weapons, my John Deere, my Craftsman tools, or any other tools I own. Money is also a tool of empowerment. When a group doesn't want you to have tools, it is only for one reason. It is because they don't want you to be empowered. Why do this?... because you are perceived as a threat to that group's empowerment, be they a society, a segment of society, or a government. Why you would be perceived as threat may be due to ignorance or an innate human desire to be in control of your surroundings. The trick is maintaining the balance of power among all individuals, which is what our Constitution is supposed to do, and what our legalistic tendencies increasingly destabilize.
Ethical and moral application in the use of any tool is MY responsibility, My duty, and My right as a free citizen of the United States. If I use my empowerment inappropriately and jeapordize the rights of the other citizens, then I should be punished by society as an individual, end of story.
Now, how did that soapbox get back under my feet again.
To me, weapons are tools of violence, and violence is a tool of survival. You use violence to protect yourself and your loved ones when absolutely necessary. You use violence to gather food to eat for survival. A weapon is merely a physical tool of empowerment, just like all the other tools in my shed. It has no morality until it is applied in the world, for good or ill. The issue is how our society is now out of touch with violence and it's appropriate and inappropriate applications and the fear that goes with that lack of understanding. My lawnmower helps empower me to keep the jungle out of my yard. The other tools in my shed help empower me to keep my home and land secure from decay and degredation. Knowledge is also a tool of empowerment. The knowledge I learn is a tool of empowerment for knowing how to effectively use the physical tools of my surroundings. Knowledge is the most powerful tool, even though it is not a physical tool. Knowledge allows you to be adept at increasing your empowerment in a greater variety of settings with varying physical resources (or tools). Knowledge cannot be taken away once it's acquired, and is more difficult to regulate than other physical tools. I love knowledge at least as much as I love weapons, my John Deere, my Craftsman tools, or any other tools I own. Money is also a tool of empowerment. When a group doesn't want you to have tools, it is only for one reason. It is because they don't want you to be empowered. Why do this?... because you are perceived as a threat to that group's empowerment, be they a society, a segment of society, or a government. Why you would be perceived as threat may be due to ignorance or an innate human desire to be in control of your surroundings. The trick is maintaining the balance of power among all individuals, which is what our Constitution is supposed to do, and what our legalistic tendencies increasingly destabilize.
Ethical and moral application in the use of any tool is MY responsibility, My duty, and My right as a free citizen of the United States. If I use my empowerment inappropriately and jeapordize the rights of the other citizens, then I should be punished by society as an individual, end of story.
Now, how did that soapbox get back under my feet again.
I think an affinity for owning weapons is a perfectly natural drive especially among males. The very first tools ever made by mankind were weapons, and still so many people collect them just to "have" them. I don't see anything wrong or unhealthy about it at all.
I do not consider my carry knives as weapons. They are primarily tools. However, I do like to feel "prepared" and "empowered". It is important to me to feel that my knives can be used in a defensive role if necessary.
Knowing that I have at least a bare minimum ability to defend myself and those I care about against an armed attacker makes me feel more capable of fulfilling one of my roles as a male - protection of self and others.
To be without this ability is to leave yourself and those you care about at the mercy of others. To me, this is emasculating.
On the other hand, I do feel that anyone who carries a potentially deadly instrument must first be comfortable that he will never use it offensively - or in defense of anything other than life and limb. Otherwise, one may fall victim to the undesirable "masculine" traits of violence and domination, that have been a destructive force in all societies since Cain and Able, sons of Adam.
Regards,
cds1
Knowing that I have at least a bare minimum ability to defend myself and those I care about against an armed attacker makes me feel more capable of fulfilling one of my roles as a male - protection of self and others.
To be without this ability is to leave yourself and those you care about at the mercy of others. To me, this is emasculating.
On the other hand, I do feel that anyone who carries a potentially deadly instrument must first be comfortable that he will never use it offensively - or in defense of anything other than life and limb. Otherwise, one may fall victim to the undesirable "masculine" traits of violence and domination, that have been a destructive force in all societies since Cain and Able, sons of Adam.
Regards,
cds1
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2002
- Messages
- 2,761
OK, I can't resist this thread. I see valid points made by Brownie, and certainly we, as knife/gun enthusiasts, who want to continue to be allowed to buy, use and carry weapons, should all make an effort to not present ourselves and our weapons to society in a way that will be viewed with negativity and fear, that, as Brownie said, will not help us in the longrun, and if Nugent would keep his mouth shut, that too would help... 
But, I also see value in presenting ourselves and knives to society in a way that rather than alarming them, gets them more accustomed to, and less fearful of the public use and presence of knives. Let me give an example.
I collect fairly high-end custom knives, some are fancy, some arent. My latest pastime, has been attempting to take decent photographs of my knives. I have found that the best light is natural light. I go to Starbucks every day for my large coffee, I know everybody there, it's like my version of Cheers, and I thought, how nice, I'll take a few knives, background paper, my camera, get my coffee, and sit outside on their patio at a table, and take pictures of the knives while sipping my coffee, and that's just what i have been doing for the last month.
Now, here is the issue. Does my photographing knives, in a fairly professional manner, scare the other people out on Starbuck's patio? Or, is my activity done in a manner which appears to others to be harmless/non-threatening, somewhat legitimate and even interesting? Well, so far, my experience has been that not a single person has been offended, in fact, many people have walked up and engaged me in conversation about the knives, asking about materials, designs, etc., people truly seem to find it interesting, and many of them don't strike me as knife or weapon collectors. So, it seems to me, the presence and responsible use of knives in public can actually help our cause, it's no secret that exposure over time desensitizes people to what they are exposed to, if we, as knife lovers can expose ourselves and our hobby and affinity for knives in a way that others do not find offensive or threatening, it may help us in the longrun, the trick is, to know how to present yourself and your use and passion for knives in a way others can appreciate and not be threatened by.
But to answer the original question, yes, one needs only look at what custom knives are the most sought after, and it's the weapon-oriented designs that we seem to want, Striders, Blackwoods, Hossoms, do some people buy Striders to use for utility, yes, lots of people do, but the underlying reason people are so drawn to Strider knives isn't utility, it's because Striders overbuilt, rugged and weapon-oriented designs tap into that primal urge for men to be powerful and dominant in their environment, and weapons, and heavy duty tools simply do this. (Imagine Tim Allen grunting here)
I admit, I carry a gun and knife partly because I like to feel powerful, not in the negative sense, but I like to feel as if I have the ability to control and protect myself from my environment. There's nothing wrong with having and wanting power, as long as your use and want of it is responsible.
But, I also see value in presenting ourselves and knives to society in a way that rather than alarming them, gets them more accustomed to, and less fearful of the public use and presence of knives. Let me give an example.
I collect fairly high-end custom knives, some are fancy, some arent. My latest pastime, has been attempting to take decent photographs of my knives. I have found that the best light is natural light. I go to Starbucks every day for my large coffee, I know everybody there, it's like my version of Cheers, and I thought, how nice, I'll take a few knives, background paper, my camera, get my coffee, and sit outside on their patio at a table, and take pictures of the knives while sipping my coffee, and that's just what i have been doing for the last month.
Now, here is the issue. Does my photographing knives, in a fairly professional manner, scare the other people out on Starbuck's patio? Or, is my activity done in a manner which appears to others to be harmless/non-threatening, somewhat legitimate and even interesting? Well, so far, my experience has been that not a single person has been offended, in fact, many people have walked up and engaged me in conversation about the knives, asking about materials, designs, etc., people truly seem to find it interesting, and many of them don't strike me as knife or weapon collectors. So, it seems to me, the presence and responsible use of knives in public can actually help our cause, it's no secret that exposure over time desensitizes people to what they are exposed to, if we, as knife lovers can expose ourselves and our hobby and affinity for knives in a way that others do not find offensive or threatening, it may help us in the longrun, the trick is, to know how to present yourself and your use and passion for knives in a way others can appreciate and not be threatened by.
But to answer the original question, yes, one needs only look at what custom knives are the most sought after, and it's the weapon-oriented designs that we seem to want, Striders, Blackwoods, Hossoms, do some people buy Striders to use for utility, yes, lots of people do, but the underlying reason people are so drawn to Strider knives isn't utility, it's because Striders overbuilt, rugged and weapon-oriented designs tap into that primal urge for men to be powerful and dominant in their environment, and weapons, and heavy duty tools simply do this. (Imagine Tim Allen grunting here)
I admit, I carry a gun and knife partly because I like to feel powerful, not in the negative sense, but I like to feel as if I have the ability to control and protect myself from my environment. There's nothing wrong with having and wanting power, as long as your use and want of it is responsible.
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2000
- Messages
- 1,131
Yes, I saw a quote one time that went something along the lines of .... "the more power you have, the more mercy you can give". Without power, a creature is more or less wholly subject to the whims of its environs. I carry my gun as an SD weapon, and my knife for utility. However, my idea of utility includes, but is not limited to, the use of violence IF it is appropriate and necessary. The gun's range of utility uses are limited, the knife's is not.