Gun Control. Oppose or Support?

Gun Control. Oppose or Support?

Gun Control
Many of us assume we must either oppose or support gun control. Not so. We have a range of alternatives. Even this way of speaking oversimplifies our choices since there are two distinct scales on which to place alternatives. One scale concerns the degree to which guns should be abolished. This scale moves from those who want no abolition of any guns, through those who want moderate abolition to forbid access to some subclasses of guns to those who want absolute abolition . The second scale concerns the restrictions on those guns that are available to private citizens. This scale moves from those who want absolute restrictions through those who want moderate restrictions to those who want no restrictions at all. Restrictions vary not only in strength but also in content. We could restrict who owns guns, how they obtain them, where and how they store them, and where and how they can carry them.
Our options are further complicated by the union of these scales. On one extreme no private citizen can own any guns , while at the other extreme, every private citizen can own any gun, with no restrictions . But once we leave those extremes, which few people hold, the options are defined by a pair of coordinates along these distinct scales. While most people embrace positions on the same end of both scales, others embrace more exotic mixtures: some will want few weapons available to private citizens, but virtually no restrictions on those guns that are available , while others may prefer making most guns available, but want to seriously restrict them. So our choice is not merely to support or oppose gun control, but to decide who can own which guns, under what conditions. First, I see no compelling reason to think that owning a gun is fundamental interest. Other fundamental interests are necessary to one's flourishing no matter what her particular desires, interests, and beliefs. It is difficult to see how this is true of guns. Moreover, the interests...

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