Farmers and recreational shooters say they've been labelled as "bad people" following recent changes to WA's firearms legislation, which will come into effect in March 2025.

Gun owners need to understand that it isn’t a right, its a privilege the rest of us allow only if conditions are met.

If something happens that alters the situation those conditions are set for, they need to respect changes that may come.

Setting themselves up as victims, like they have here, makes me question the participants mental capacity to evaluate their own behaviours, therefore their own risk to those around them.

Two people were killed by a gun owner in circumstances where his ease of access to guns greatly increased the severity of the consequences. Communities have a right to expect gun owners to seriously appreciate the risks of their firearm possession.

Also screw the Nationals for making this a political fight, especially a rural v metro fight. This is bigger than you’re never seen dirt akubra hat and white pressed shirt with rolled up sleeves country cosplay.

  • ⸻ Ban DHMO 🇦🇺 ⸻@aussie.zoneEnglish
    2·
    5 months ago

    Comparing guns to cars seems like bit of a stretch, however, I fully understand that more people die or are seriously injured in car-related incidents than guns (and that is fairly similar in the US (where there are lots of guns), however according to [1] in 2020 35/(50+1) states (+ district of columbia) had more gun related deaths than vehicle-related deaths). I’m not saying we shouldn’t control cars more effectively either - some of my family were involved in a multi-vehicle crash recently caused by an idiot (in a big ute) who couldn’t do the speed limit and also fled the scene, unsure whether police have found them yet. We should be making investments in public transport so we can make car licensing requirements stricter.

    Unfortunately cars are still a requirement for the current transport needs, that is until public transport is constructed to take their place. Guns, however, are a luxury/hobby item with only practical uses for pest control and farming. Guns were also designed for the purpose of killing and have arguably done much less good for humanity than cars.

    I understand your point about how it will affect gun enthusiasts and how group punishment is necessarily unfair, however the harder it is to own a gun, the less likely an idiot will own one making it less likely that an idiot will operate a gun. It sucks but I guess the risk comes with the hobby

    [1] https://vpc.org/regulating-the-gun-industry/gun-deaths-compared-to-motor-vehicle-deaths/