MovieChat Forums > Politics > Is 18 old enough?

Is 18 old enough?

posted 3 years ago by CraigC (8481)
25 replies | jump to latest

I've always looked at it like this. At 18, society has deemed you old enough to go to war and die for your country, involuntarily if necessary by means of the draft. You are old enough to vote, apply for credit, get a loan, buy a home and/or car, get married, etc.. If you're old enough to buy a home and have a family, you're old enough to purchase a weapon with which to defend it. So this idea that you have to be 21 to do other things like buy a handgun, tobacco and alcohol makes no sense whatsoever.

Maybe 18 is no longer old enough. I have no problem with raising the age of consent to 21 but it should be universal and apply to everything, including voting.

That said, I would've been upset if that had happened 30yrs ago. Some of my best years was as a young adult finally being able to spend the day with a rifle without a parent present. We had a lot of fun and no one died. I really pity you liberal types who can't relate. Keeliar, you have my sympathy.

[–] HelloGorgeous (0) 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mustang (5524) 3 years ago

In Australia 18 is the age for drinking, buying tobacco, driving, going to war, watching porn etc

I’ve never understood the variances in age with what you can do in America.

[–] Padeen (6459) 3 years ago

I think its jut semi-automatic rifes they want for 21+, like with handguns, so 18 year olds can still buy bolt actions and shotguns. I also think .22lr semi autos should be exempt because it's a common rifle for plinking and learning how to shoot/handle firearms.. When they're 21, they can buy an AR or whatever else. I'm not crazy about raising the age, but with two psychotic teenagers shooting up a school and grocery store so close together, I guess I'm fine with it.

[–] Rorikon (18114) 3 years ago

What's waiting 3 more extra years going to hamper you in? Whose that desperate to shoot at or kill things? You really need to look inwards at your own moral dilemma if you need to do that. I don't mind training people on guns when they're young given that the parent keeps the gun stored, locked, and out of reach of the kid along with hiding the keys until they're older or show the responsibility needed.

[–] elcamino (15540) 3 years ago

A fudge packer can go out and become a woman at 18 but she can't buy a gun though.

[–] SamNoyoun (5933) 3 years ago

There can only be one reason you make homophobic comments on literally every post on this forum...

https://c.tenor.com/th3-BKPgp5gAAAAd/dancing-house.gif

[–] immattj (4042) 3 years ago

LOL! You knocked it out of the park with that one!

[–] CraigC (8481) 3 years ago

It's not about the 3yrs, it's about the double standard. At 18, I knew more about guns and how to operate them than my father. There is literally nothing that can happen in that 3yrs that makes a difference. It's just an excuse because two of the recent shootings were done by 18yr olds. It's political grandstanding so democrats can act like they did something to satisfy t heir constituents but in the end, it won't accomplish a goddamned thing.

Look inward? "Moral" has nothing to do with it. It's an inanimate object. I've hunted since childhood. I own 200 of them and not a once has been used on another human being. Where's the moral rub?

[–] triplea (3577) 3 years ago

... why do you have 200 guns?

[–] CraigC (8481) 3 years ago

Why not???

[–] triplea (3577) 3 years ago

Ok I'm supportive of your justification.

[–] Corbell (10995) 3 years ago

Ditto. I also agree your reason was perfect. Why the fuck not, indeed.

[–] wheelin176 (2056) 3 years ago

You're not cooked enough at 18 for ak-47.

[–] CraigC (8481) 3 years ago

In fact, if you're cooked enough for a bolt action hunting rifle, you're cooked enough for ANY firearm. Yet we have people passing judgment on this issue who've never pressed a trigger in their lives.

[–] B1cKsurN (17628) 3 years ago

The military disagrees with you.

[–] Gd5150 (11851) 3 years ago

Today 25 is the new 18. The lack of maturity and responsibly from 18yo’s is half what it was just 50 years ago.

A sensible and responsible compromise. Raise gun purchase age, drinking, weed, voting, social media access, to 21 with special exception to those who join the military.

Increase the age annually by the current rate of inflation. Watch the Democrats melt down when they can’t groom children politically and sexually.

[–] CraigC (8481) 3 years ago

I agree, kids these days are not as mature as they were 50yrs ago. Not even close. Some are but most aren't. Raise the minimum age but do it across the board. ESPECIALLY for voting. Democrats will lose at the polls, bigly.

[–] kspkap (13570) 3 years ago

Question: As a person raised with firearms for hunting, do you know of any mass shootings where the shooter was a game hunter? I find hunters respect their firearms and are well aware of what they can do. I was raised with firearms around me all my life. My extended family were hunters and taught how to handle a firearm at an early age. If an 18 year old is of legal age to do most things s/he is old enough to purchase a rifle.

[–] CraigC (8481) 3 years ago

None that I recall. They seem to be very different personalities. The mass shootings are usually done by teenagers with broken homes and absent or complacent parents. In many ways, diametrically opposed to those who grew up hunting and shooting for sport and recreation. The leftists will look at killing animals as all the same. The HUGE distinction between mentally disturbed children torturing the family pet and those who grow up hunting and fishing cannot be overstated.

Somehow, our society has grown to view the citizen with a rifle as more akin to the criminal murdering children than the noble view of the police officer or professional soldier.

[–] kspkap (13570) 3 years ago

Thanks for your input. We also were taught not to shoot anything we didn’t intend to eat. Getting your first BB gun didn’t give you license to shoot birds and other defenseless animals.

”Somehow, our society has grown to view the citizen with a rifle as more akin to the criminal murdering children than the noble view of the police officer or professional soldier.”

How very true! I believe this cancerous mindset started in the ‘60’s. Through the years it went into remission, but began growing again during the Clinton years. During the Obama years it mushroomed and spread infecting more feeble minds. Obama’s words “The police acted foolishly.” and “If I had a son he would look like Trevon.” added fuel to a growing fire of hate for those in authority and for Whites. The left took up the mantle of hate and in so doing those who spoke against Obama’s policies were deemed RAACISTS!!

I honestly don’t believe we will ever see civility in civil servants again. Criminals are in the right; the police and military are in the wrong. Anarchy festers as a result!

[–] Gd5150 (11851) 3 years ago

True but you only have to be 16 to hunt. Most kids who grow up in that environment start well before that. They don’t need to be the registered owner to be well trained in the use of firearms. Heck i started firing guns in Kindergarten. If you have the right upbringing you are taught to respect the hell out of firearms. Even at that age we knew to not to f around with them or it was our ass, literally.

[–] stickman38 (3418) 3 years ago

Anything to do with age is usually arbitrary but I do think 18 is a pretty good number for most things.

Although, we do allow teens as young as 15/16 to risk their lives everyday when they get behind the wheel of a car.

Personally, when it comes to sexuality, I couldn't care less what they do with the AoC laws, in fact, I think the current sex laws are kind of dumb, not to mention there is a pretty big double standard in regards to older/younger relations. But the stuff you listed in the OP is perhaps best if it were to remain at 18 to 21.

[–] B1cKsurN (17628) 3 years ago

If you can die for the country at 18, you can buy an AR-15 at 18.

You should also be able to buy a beer at 18.

If 1 thing gets raised to 21....raise all of it to 21. This includes HRT. If a 5 year old can inject themselves with hormone blockers, an 18 year old can purchase a firearm.