Painterman121212
Moderator
Generally speaking, and hopefully this won't be associated with the closed thread, even though there is a vague association with it.
But only in regards to a different subject matter brought up that I think is somewhat important. Well maybe not so much important, but I would like to hear some opinions on it. I do value this forum as having a very diverse membership.
I think I won't respond for a week or so and just let lots of people chime in and hopefully will get members that don't normally respond. Not just senior and well-established members (of course I want those as well) but women and others as well.
There seems to be a misconception (IMO) out there about others thinking that others should ALWAYS be informed when it comes to matters of firearms. That ultimate responsibility lies with the consumer / owner in understanding ALL the laws pertaining to them.
I come across it a lot and I read it a lot. On its own merit, when it's read on a website, it sounds awfully impressive.
"YOU should be more informed."
"It's YOUR job to be informed."
"Being informed is YOUR responsibility."
Now I will agree that firearms are kind of a special category, and so maybe being informed applies more so to a firearm than anything else. But that just may be that we are all biased in thinking so. There are probably numerous subjects that carry as much responsibility that we may not even be aware of.
But lets all be honest, laws on firearms at BEST, are deep, complex, and even attorneys have a hard time keeping up with it all, much less explaining it to people.
I don't think it subject matter that can simply be written off as "It's YOUR job to be informed" That applies to well seasoned owners.
Now factor in that we have a whole new breed of consumers, and I think it applies less and less. Back in my day, 25 years ago, there was a certain breed of individual that bought and owned guns.
In today's world, you have little old ladies and house wives running out buying a handgun. And they are probably not going to be any more informed about it, as they are about picking up groceries.
Now don't get me wrong here, don't misunderstand, as it could be VERY easy to do. I am NOT saying that it WOULDN'T be a GOOD thing to be informed.
I AM NOT ADVOCATING THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE INFORMED.
I'm just saying that if you are not informed, that's not necessarily a bad thing either and can't simply be written off with "well, it's YOUR job to be informed."
I for one don't believe that as consumers, we should be expected to be informed about every single aspect of our life and every service we receive.
NONE of us can be informed about everything, we would all be Einstein's to have such a memory and possess such a broad and universal knowledge and expertise of every single thing we bought or used as consumers.
Where do you draw the line? Are we supposed to be informed about everything?
The lawn service we use? The electrician we picked? The blender we bought at Walmart? The dishwasher we bought at Lowe's? The firearms we bought at Academy?
Point I'm making is that most of us, every single day of our lives, rely on others, in all areas, to assist us as consumers. It's a given, it's a well accepted practice.
If you can walk into an electronics store and have a salesman advise you concerning your purchase, certainly, you should expect the same if not a much higher level of assistance in a gun store.
We let the "more advised" people behind and on the other side of the counter, lead us and we hope that the information they are giving us is correct.
So when you read this on a gun site it seems to hold water. But when you apply it to the other areas of life it leaks like a sieve.
And if it turns out that something goes wrong and someone complains about it, I don't think it's correct to automatically blame them because they weren't informed.
Some attorneys devote a full-time practice doing nothing more than practicing on gun laws. It's not as simple as it was anymore. It's too complex and people just don't have the time to sit down and learn it all!
And as such, I believe it is ever more important, even more important today than yesterday because of the new type consumers, that when they do purchase a gun, as much assistance as can be practical, is given to them as possible.
Generally speaking, what do you all think? Do you all agree or disagree that in today's complex world of gun laws, it's no longer acceptable to say "you should be informed"
Thanks!!!
But only in regards to a different subject matter brought up that I think is somewhat important. Well maybe not so much important, but I would like to hear some opinions on it. I do value this forum as having a very diverse membership.
I think I won't respond for a week or so and just let lots of people chime in and hopefully will get members that don't normally respond. Not just senior and well-established members (of course I want those as well) but women and others as well.
There seems to be a misconception (IMO) out there about others thinking that others should ALWAYS be informed when it comes to matters of firearms. That ultimate responsibility lies with the consumer / owner in understanding ALL the laws pertaining to them.
I come across it a lot and I read it a lot. On its own merit, when it's read on a website, it sounds awfully impressive.
"YOU should be more informed."
"It's YOUR job to be informed."
"Being informed is YOUR responsibility."
Now I will agree that firearms are kind of a special category, and so maybe being informed applies more so to a firearm than anything else. But that just may be that we are all biased in thinking so. There are probably numerous subjects that carry as much responsibility that we may not even be aware of.
But lets all be honest, laws on firearms at BEST, are deep, complex, and even attorneys have a hard time keeping up with it all, much less explaining it to people.
I don't think it subject matter that can simply be written off as "It's YOUR job to be informed" That applies to well seasoned owners.
Now factor in that we have a whole new breed of consumers, and I think it applies less and less. Back in my day, 25 years ago, there was a certain breed of individual that bought and owned guns.
In today's world, you have little old ladies and house wives running out buying a handgun. And they are probably not going to be any more informed about it, as they are about picking up groceries.
Now don't get me wrong here, don't misunderstand, as it could be VERY easy to do. I am NOT saying that it WOULDN'T be a GOOD thing to be informed.
I AM NOT ADVOCATING THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE INFORMED.
I'm just saying that if you are not informed, that's not necessarily a bad thing either and can't simply be written off with "well, it's YOUR job to be informed."
I for one don't believe that as consumers, we should be expected to be informed about every single aspect of our life and every service we receive.
NONE of us can be informed about everything, we would all be Einstein's to have such a memory and possess such a broad and universal knowledge and expertise of every single thing we bought or used as consumers.
Where do you draw the line? Are we supposed to be informed about everything?
The lawn service we use? The electrician we picked? The blender we bought at Walmart? The dishwasher we bought at Lowe's? The firearms we bought at Academy?
Point I'm making is that most of us, every single day of our lives, rely on others, in all areas, to assist us as consumers. It's a given, it's a well accepted practice.
If you can walk into an electronics store and have a salesman advise you concerning your purchase, certainly, you should expect the same if not a much higher level of assistance in a gun store.
We let the "more advised" people behind and on the other side of the counter, lead us and we hope that the information they are giving us is correct.
So when you read this on a gun site it seems to hold water. But when you apply it to the other areas of life it leaks like a sieve.
And if it turns out that something goes wrong and someone complains about it, I don't think it's correct to automatically blame them because they weren't informed.
Some attorneys devote a full-time practice doing nothing more than practicing on gun laws. It's not as simple as it was anymore. It's too complex and people just don't have the time to sit down and learn it all!
And as such, I believe it is ever more important, even more important today than yesterday because of the new type consumers, that when they do purchase a gun, as much assistance as can be practical, is given to them as possible.
Generally speaking, what do you all think? Do you all agree or disagree that in today's complex world of gun laws, it's no longer acceptable to say "you should be informed"
Thanks!!!
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