Guns for 18-21: How do you feel? (Old Guys Welcome)

Ya it was when we took gun training at 12, we were allowed to purchase our first firearm from a private party. We had shot weapons long before that…We all survived!

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I went in the military in 1983 @ 17 years old . The drinking age was 21 yet I still managed to drink a few beers on post. It was generally overlooked by most in controlled environments during R&R. I did not understand the rationale then nor do I now. How one could be in the military trained to kill with real automatics and bayonets. But by law not be allowed to drink a beer.
Here’s my opinion, if you can join the military in sound mind and be expected to defend this nation and all it stands for @ 18 years old .Then as far as I’m concerned you are an adult and should be treated as such. There should be one age that defines adulthood. Not a vague undefined age that is based on situation. I say make it 18 across the board for everyone. And dammit parents quit raising your kids up like sissies and making excuses for their bad behavior. The world would be better off. …Marv1911

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Couldn’t of said it better myself Marv.

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And the reason for this topic is…?

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Thanks @Mister_Torgue​:+1::beers::blush::us:

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I fully agree with you. Between the ages of 18 and 21 18 should be that magic number. Because we have a lot of 18 year olds out there on their own. They’re starting families. And they have the right to protect themselves and have a beer on the weekend. On one hand though if your 16 and you commit a crime you’re going to be tried as an adult. But if you’re 16 and you want a beer you’re told that you’re a kid. So what we’re teaching Society is for bad purposes we’re going to label you as adults but for anything good or fun in life you’re going to have to wait until you’re 21 because you’re a kid until then. That is a total contradiction. Set an age and keep it. And let that be that

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The reason we are talking about his in the first place is simply because the people that control the US government want to do everything possible to limit, and destroy your access to firearms.

Age restrictions, “mental health” restrictions (to be decided by a government paid “health care professional”), outright bans, more restrictive local laws, and a massive media propaganda campaign involving faked events coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security’s “National Exercise Division”.

No, I am not making this up.

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Yes, you’re at that “awkward age”. It is temporary and absolutely unreasonable and ridiculous, but all we can do is continue to elect men and women who are actually willing to work to get rid of all of these arbitrary and contradictory rules. In the meantime, just do what you have to do.

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Awful state of affairs… You should be able to buy whatever type of defensive weapon you need, not only because you are an adult, but also because, at 18, people typically move out of their parents homes and settle into new living arrangements. This is the time when you are most vulnerable to break-ins and assault. Typically, young adults start out with very little money and live in less secure neighborhoods. Why would we send our children out into the world unprotected and vulnerable? Just because some psycho, at some point in the past, decided not to follow the law and commit an atrocity?

Remember, the 2nd Amendment states that firearms are “necessary for the SECURITY of a free state”. In my opinion, the 2nd Amendment can be boiled down to one word: Security. Its not about “militias”, or “regulation” or even “keeping and bearing”. It is about a persons right to be safe from whatever or whomever. We all know that it takes a long time for police to show up, so they can’t provide that security. It is up to the armed individual. No the Age should not be raised! Just because we (myself included at your age) may be coddled or we are used to having our parents do everything for us, doesn’t mean that we are not free Americans who understand the difference between right and wrong.

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US SUPREME COURT RULED IN 2005 THAT POLICE HAVE NO DUTY TO PROTECT

https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/justices-rule-police-do-not-have-a-constitutional-duty-to-protect.html

They are NOT there to “PROTECT” you.

They are there to write tickets, collect revenue and PROTECT THEMSELVES.

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Yep, all the more reason to only rely on yourself from your own security.

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If the government feels you’re fit to serve in the military, they should afford you all the rights of citizenship. Not infringed

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What you fail to understand is that because one must be 21 years of age to be Knighted by the Queen, you may not enjoy all of the benefits and responsibilities that come with adulthood.

WAIT A MINUTE - Didn’t we fight a Revolution to be free from the oppression of the Roman Church and the Corrupt Monarchs of Europe!!!

So the answer to your questions regarding the various age restrictions faced by young people and young adults, really comes down to the same answer you heard many times as a child, “Because”. Which of course is not any answer at all.

Age to pay taxes - Immediately After Birth

Age to get married - 12 with parental and/or judicial consent to 18

Age to Engage in Sexual Intercourse from 16 to 18

Age to Drive a Car - 16

Age to Vote, Sign a Contract, Smoke, Join the Military and own a Pistol or Rifle - 18

Age to Drink and Buy a Pistol From a Licensed Dealer and Carry a Weapon Concealed - 21

Become President - 35

Senior Discount - 55

Retire under Social Security - 62

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If we’re gonna be honest, really, some of these ages have been rendered moot. A significant percentage of “minors” experiment with sexual favors and intercourse before age 16. Out in the country I’ve seen 12-year olds driving pickup trucks through town – and nobody bats an eye because they’ve been driving since they could reach the clutch. And I’ve ridden with guys in their 30’s who do the dumbest things behind the wheel.

Alcohol and tobacco? For pete’s sake, I had “underage” buddies who chewed and drank with their parents’ open permission. They didn’t make trouble or drive, just got a buzz out by the bonfire. No big deal.

I dunno. The problem is, people wanna slap one easy solution on every problem (such as a minimum age). Instead, they just make criminals out of honest young people and don’t fix the problem anyway.

Unfortunately, I don’t see a change of mindset on America’s horizon. People have come to accept government interference as a convenient substitute for critical thinking and difficult choices. Hard to convince a consumer-minded culture otherwise.

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It’s the “Homer Simpson Effect”.

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The 18 year olds that have guns issued to them in the military only got them after going thru sufficient training. Those individuals have a distinct advantage over the civilian ones which should not be ignored. Thus, it does make sense for them to be allowed to have guns at such an early age. I grew up with guns and started shooting at age 10. I certainly believe kids should be allowed to gain valuable experience with guns from an early age, but I do not believe that they should be allowed to take full responsibility for any guns till 21, unless trained by the military. The act of self defense using a gun is an awesome responsibility that does take some serious thinking, sometimes with only a fraction of a second to decide. That is a lot to ask for someone of such young age. FYI - I am an avid gun owner and NRA Life Member.

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Do you think that the firearms training in Basic/Boot camp is something magical? I suppose you think Patrolman Fife from your local PD is a weapons expert as well.

I certainly believe kids should be allowed to gain valuable experience in writing from an early age, but shouldn’t be allowed to fully express themselves until 35, unless trained by Shakespeare…

The act of a college age girl being raped and murdered takes no serious thinking, and she may only have a fraction of a second to defend herself EFFECTIVELY.

Sorry, your self avowed avid gun ownership and NRA membership status doesn’t add any weight to your argument. At 18 one can vote, join the military, sign a contract, leave the country without parental consent, run for office and all the other wonderful things of adulthood. That is part and parcel of being an adult. Either they have their rights, or they don’t. Barring removal of rights from an INDIVIDUAL(vs some arbitrary group ie age/sex/color) through DUE PROCESS(and that ain’t legislation or a vote), stripping a full citizen of ANY of their natural rights is WRONG.

Is it my 19yo nieces fault that the parents of her contemporaries raise screwed up kids? Is her right to defend her LIFE forfeit because someone else failed to teach their children not to eat the Tide pods?

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IMO, at 18 we are considered adults, but not all are equal. So it got me thinking. Set all the age stuff to 21, beer, guns, smokes. However, if you join the military, it drops to age 18, both on and off base. I believe we need to start raising our kids to be adults by age 18, and the military is a good place to help with that.

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Then people shouldnt be able to enlist untail 21, an adult is an adult or are we going to start giving tiers to adulthood and base thier rights on thier age?

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So, some animal ARE more equal than others.

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