double post

[edit on 7-10-2008 by ImJaded]

i've always been interested how people who say "I don't need a gun" are so interest in making sure no one else has one either.

I grew up working on ranches. I have a coffee can full of rattles--and I only killed the snakes that tried to strike me. I worked around heavy machinery, where you couldn't hear a rattlesnake when the motor was running. So you kill a snake so you don't get bit without hearing the rattle next time. I know 4 people who have been bitten. One died because his coumadin interfered with the antivenin.

This summer the dogs have found two snakes in the back yard. Where my kids play. . . .

But that's not why I own a gun. Neither is home defense. The reason I own a gun is for the "free meet" I get every november, enough to fill the freezer and save us around $500 a year.

Plus I like target shooting. Fun and a stress relief.

But for some reason, people in other countries (like schenectady) are sure that I'm some kind of nut because I don't live in a high rise and play video games.

Why does it bother foreigners so much that guns are legal here? Since none of them "ever want to live here," what could it matter how we mind our business?

Unless of course, the thought of someone else being at liberty somehow grates on them . . . .

I've never been to oz. I hope to travel there on business i the next year. I enjoy traveling all over the place. And I never wish those people would copy my home. I'm happy for them to be themselves........

Good to see we've got clued in 'Field Agents' getting out there and finding the facts for us about that mysterious land they call.....Australia.

Unfortunately the post I'm referring to has been removed..whodathunkit??

Anyway, thanks Fathom for a real informed post about Australia. keep up the good work

I did say I don't see any need for a gun, I never said I didn't own one.

I don't. But if I really wanted to, I would, legal or illegal.
Can ya dig it ?

Reply to Dr.Strange


The truth ? It really doesn't bother me if Americans own guns. I don't think about it. When you live in an environment where guns are seldom used, you don't think in terms of gun ownership or useage.

The gun issue arose several posts back when someone who identified as American stated that Aussies 'lift their skirts' to assist those intent on shafting them. I guess you saw that item of provocation ?

The thread title claimed to be factual, although no-one in Australia has ever polled my opinion of Obama or any other US presidential candidate.

I'm not sure who ran the alleged poll and have no idea how many were polled. For all I know, it could have been a poll run in the Ebay Chin Wag forum, lol.

Most Aussies have a pretty high opinion of Americans and of America. Sure, a lot of it is based on US tv and movies, but it's enduring.

Most Americans seem to genuinely enjoy their time in Australia as far as I'm aware. I doubt they'd do so if they hadn't engaged with Aussies in mutual respect and friendliness.

We've never had anywhere near as strong a gun culture as the US, here in Australia, although years ago people (my father for example) had rifles as a matter of course, particularly in rural areas.

The Port Arthur 'massacre' .. which many (including myself) believe was staged .. was used to eliminate firearms from the general community, just as Dunblane was staged (in the opinion of many) to eliminate firearms from the UK community. They'd have a much harder time eliminating firearms from the US community of course and not least of their problem would be the massively large population, compared to Australia (21 million approx.) and UK (60 odd million).

The thread took off on a bit of a heated tangent when someone apparently took offence at the contents of the OP.

It could just have easily taken a far more amicable tangent if, for example, someone had expressed interest in why Aussies allegedly favoured Obama .. or if there had been curiosity as to how the US is generally perceived by Australians.

Anyway, one thing is certain ... no Aussie is ever going to try to deny Americans their guns. Aussies are a live-and-let-live society, in the main. We have a good life here and I guess that occupies most of our energy.

Hope you enjoy your time in Australia, next year. I'm confident you will

[edit on 7-10-2008 by Dock6]

Originally posted by ImJaded
Have you Fathom?
Has a rattler come up on you in your backyard? or an alligator creep up to your front porch?
Or had anyone break into your house while you were sleeping ?
I'm interested to hear these stories.

yes to all three. three times on the rattler one. I shot them all with my short barreled, pistol grip pump, can't miss with that one. the guy breaking into my house was whacked out on something and was in the process of kicking my front door down when i shot at him, he ran away but fell and stayed down, he didn't die since he only got pockmarked a little bit.
I live in a small town on 500 wooded acres, yelling for help wouldn't help me much so i keep shotguns/firearms throughout the house in discreet places.

Because in my 26 years I spent in Australia I never experienced such a thing. Nor has anyone I know, from 1 yrs old to 98 yrs old, experienced any of this.

like i said australia must be a very safe place, you are lucky.

Don't expect I, or anyone I know to either. What compelled you to ask these questions ?

one of your mates questioned why we needed to own guns.

So where in Australia have you lived to know what you know Fathom?

thankfully i only passed through australia and have never lived there. i have visited many places in my life, my father worked for the state department when i was growing up.

I expect your passport to put mine to shame given your opinions offered here.

yes, you're probably right.

I never lived in 'the Outback' though, did you to experience such horrors ?

no all those things happened in good 'ol USA.

Now that the thread went into US vs Aussie vs Gun Control mode, I must confess that the point of the OP is lost on me. Case in point: I would never vote for Mugabe, and yet I really don't want to live in Zimbabwe. What's the big deal?

A good old Yank vs Ozzie thread.

Let's hope it stays in good humour, cos as a Brit I love both the Yanks and the Ozzies for very different reasons...

The Yanks seem to rely more on technology and weapons, whilst the Ozzies seems to carry more of a swagger in regards to practical purposes.... E.g an American would shoot a snake, whilst an Australian would rather drag it out of its hole and chop it up.

As a Brit, I'd probably just convince the snake that it'd be better off living elsewhere, as the weather is crap and everything is over priced here.

Anyways, to my cousins in both the US and OZ, keep it real guys, you both make me smile.

[edit on 7-10-2008 by mr-lizard]

Sorry for kidnapping this thread. I wish to give my self up, and return the thread unharmed.


back to the OP's point.

I think Obama draws a lot of interest from people who otherwise have little abiding interest in US politics. For example, the young, the a-political, overseas spectators, etc.

He is less popular here (USA) because he makes a lot of generic promises, without addressing specifics, or answering any questions from his own past. The fact that the media acts as his bodyguard and shelters him from all direct or pressing question adds to his negative numbers as the weeks wear on.

Like many potential suitors, Obama looks best when viewed from a distance, in subdued lighting and pleasant surroundings.

.

I like the Australians. They seem very practical. In fact, I like you guys so much I am willing to wrap Obama in a nice big red bow and send him to ya as a token of friendship

USA is a disgusting place to live in right now, Australia is like heaven compared to USA