People don't NEED guns. They WANT them. [View all]

I was just accosted on Twitter by a couple of gun nuts. "WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I NEED!?!?!", they blustered. I told them they don't NEED guns. They WANT them. There's a difference. And, that they needed to learn the difference. I told them they should ask *themselves* (not anyone else) why they WANT guns. Whatever their reasons, until they ask and then answer that question, no honest conversation can be had about it. They continued on playing stupid, being obtuse, and trying to drag me into a circular argument about it ie: "Well if I don't need them, why do I want them?" -- "Well can you explain the difference?" I had sent a link to a site about children and the difference between when they want something and actually need something. These gun nuts know the difference. They don't want to face themselves. They don't want to answer the question they need to ask themselves: "why do I WANT guns?". I suspect the answer might not be altogether complimentary of themselves or society. Or, it might be acceptable. Whatever the answers are, we can't have an honest conversation until and unless people are ready to ask themselves the proper question, instead of knuckle-dragging, chest-beating and demanding of others: "WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I NEED?!?!?!".

Need? Owning guns isn't a NEED. That's a false premise. It's furthermore the wrong question, and it was posed to the wrong person. I can't tell them why they WANT guns. They have to ask themselves that question. AFTER they first admit that they only want and do not need them. That takes a level of honesty and maturity that too many of them frankly don't seem to have.