Survey: More than Half of US Veterans Who Own Guns Store Them Unsafely

[Koda]

How does "safe storage" prevent the owner of the firearm from committing suicide or unlawful acts? Are they not the ones with the key to the safe?

It doesnt, and they are.
What does that have to do with encouraging safe storage?

 

[monkeybutler]

Curling iron was like " okay, if you think this will make a difference Chinderella".

Wonder where that curling iron is going now. Eeeew.

 

[HA556]

View attachment 1822639

Karen, is that you?!

 

[msgriff]

It doesnt, and they are.
What does that have to do with encouraging safe storage?

You ask "What does that have to do with encouraging safe storage?"
It is the subject of the study in which the article linked in the OP is based upon.


From the study in question:
Abstract
Background
Unsafe storage of firearms is associated with increased risk of suicide.. However, contemporary population-based data on the prevalence and correlates of firearm storage practices among veterans are limited.

 

[Koda]

You ask "What does that have to do with encouraging safe storage?"
It is the subject of the study in which the article linked in the OP is based upon.


From the study in question:
Abstract
Background
Unsafe storage of firearms is associated with increased risk of suicide.. However, contemporary population-based data on the prevalence and correlates of firearm storage practices among veterans are limited.

the study is pretty weak. I don't see how safe storage will prevent suicides or even decrease the risk. That metric in itself is steeped in gun control agendas.

Im ok with encouraging safe storage though. The article doesnt express any safe storage or red flag laws that I read.

 

[HA556]

That article sucks golf balls through a straw!

 

[lucusloc]

the study is pretty weak. I don't see how safe storage will prevent suicides or even decrease the risk. That metric in itself is steeped in gun control agendas.

Im ok with encouraging safe storage though. The article doesnt express any safe storage or red flag laws that I read.

I am fine with encouraging safe storage too. I am against dictating what safe storage actually is, however. You need to determine what "safe" is according to your own goals and circumstances. Simply asking on a survey "do you lock up your firearms in an approved firearms storage device?" (or whatever similar question is on basically every "safe storage" servery out there) is not a determining factor for if you firearms are stored safely. Yet all these studies, news articles and eventually laws do assume that is the only determining criteria. This is why people get pissed when ignorant news personalities and politicians talk about "safe storage." They are assuming only their definition of the term is correct, and that is the part people are taking issue with.

 

[Alexx1401]

The first thing this made me think of is Wounded Warrior. When that thing first started I donated money to them a couple times. Then they made the mistake of sending me propaganda about how Vets should not own guns due to some of them may use them to kill themselves. They flooded my mail with begging for money letters for years and never got another dime from me.
"Safe storage" in who's opinion? If the owner has suicidal intentions there is no safe storage unless its stored where they can't get at it. For the rest "safe" depends on who is at the home. At my house since no kids anymore there are several guns laying around all the time. None of them go off and shoot anyone all by themselves so they are totally safe.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Safe storage of firearms is important.
However....

Safety is an individual responsibility....especially since everyone's needs are different.

I have safe....most of my modern guns are in it.
I have also have a "house gun" which is not in the safe.
Some folks would say that I am unsafe with my storage of firearms...because of that.
Others would say that I am unsafe because I only have a , as in one , 'house gun"...because I should have many house guns...
At times there are more than one modern firearm , out of the safe...for lots of different reasons.

In any event...I would still consider that as safe storage...because of my living situation.
Notice the "my" in that statement....again safety in an individual responsibility.
What works for me and in my house is great for me....but it may not be great for someone else.

When my daughter was younger and still lived at home...
Safe storage looked different in my house....the guns were in the safe.
She was taught about firearms...as in safe usage and practices with them , how to maintain them...history of them , etc....
She was also taught respect for life , as in hers...and for all living things.
There is much more to firearm safety , than just safe storage.
Again...this was how it was done in my house....and it all worked out well.
For someone else , something different may have been needed.

As I type this in my library...6 guns are out.
One is a modern rifle *, the others are muzzle loaders...Granted many areas , many laws and even many people don't consider muzzle loaders as firearms...However I do consider them firearms and since it is my library...and in my house...then that is what matters .
All is well here ...and no one was harmed during the writing of this post....I would say that is safe storage....

Some big problems I have with 'Safe Storage" laws , definitions and the like are :

A law is often a one size fits none solution....

What works well for one person , may not work well for another....

My standards of safety may be more stringent that what the law says or someone else and their standards...
Why should I adopt theirs...?

And finally ....
Safety is a personal responsibility.
No law , no safety course , no set of safety standards , etc...will make or keep someone safe.
One is either safe or unsafe...since one chooses to be safe or not.

Oh and yes I am also a veteran ...with 4 combat tours....
Which may mean something to some people...or may not as the case may be.
I know what it means to me...which the most important thing.
Andy
* Some folks may say this rifle ain't modern...since it was made between 1940 - 1946....

 

[Spitpatch]

Suspicion toward the article (deserved or not, according to its intent) is easily understood when one recognizes our Government has already advised us in no uncertain terms that gun ownership should be regarded as a disease (an entire governmental agency devoted itself to that), and Veterans should be scrutinized as on the governmental list of likely domestic terrorists.

Respect for a parent's cautions and rules can serve toward safety better than any container, and travels with the child everywhere. (My Dad: "Touch a gun without asking, and I'll break your arm.")

The world may rest assured that my Marlin "Cowboy" (Marlin-branded Daisy BB gun) is safely stored at the mud porch door ready to safely store a Starling.

 

[SonicBlue03]

In thinking about it, it's also a clickbait article. It feeds the myth that vets during service somehow walk around every day armed on post and carry their weapons home at night and have some sort of process of securing them differently than normal humans. I think most vets here will tell us that their time in service was nothing at all like that, especially those living on post.

There's no magical imbuement with vet status that means you know how to store firearms differently or you're somehow gifted in storing them differently. It's just more retardation from the left.

 

[JohnnyMac]

It's no wonder there are so many veteran suicides in the country. When we sit down in the evening to watch the news and listen to the horse chit direction that this country is heading towards. The same country we gave so many years (some more than others) of service to. It makes a guy wonder what the hell all those sacrifices were for and why stick around to see how bad it gets...

 

[msgriff]

This article is one example that might help some understand why the VA is funding such "research". I believe that one of the intentions of the VA is to justify their actions of depriving Veterans of their 2nd Amendment rights without due process and an extremely limited avenue of appeals. The VA policies are also having the unintended consequence of driving away those who might seek help.

Veterans Can Lose Their Gun Rights If They Can't Manage Their Finances - Texas Public Radio 02-08-2024

 

[Koda]

Suspicion toward the article (deserved or not, according to its intent) is easily understood when one recognizes our Government has already advised us in no uncertain terms that gun ownership should be regarded as a disease (an entire governmental agency devoted itself to that), and Veterans should be scrutinized as on the governmental list of likely domestic terrorists.

This is true and I agree with.

I just assumed the military.com article was more pro gun conservative biased but maybe not....

 

[Provincial]

Something I see is a mentality in government where "safety" is used as an excuse for wielding power for it's own benefit. I realize this sounds odd, but bear with me.

Here is an example:

There is a railroad crossing on a road with little traffic. It has warning signs for the crossing located far enough from the crossing that drivers can check for trains and stop in time. The trains run twice a day, and are limited to 40 mph because of track condition. There is plenty of sight distance both ways from the road, so drivers can see the trains coming.

One day a car is hit by the train. The occupants die and it is a mess to clean up. Police, fire and rescue personnel have to deal with it. Politicians jump in and demand the railroad install lights and gates, but that is too expensive, so stop signs are installed. Everyone has to stop, even when there is no train present.

It gets worse. Eventually, the businesses that were served by the train close, and no trains use the track, but the railroad doesn't want to spend the money to abandon and remove the tracks. The stop signs stay, even though their reason for being no longer exists.

Al because the government uses "safety" as a reason for avoiding the onerous task of cleaning up after a wreck.

Apply this to suicide. A grown person decides to end their life, without harming anyone else. What business it that of the government? Why should that be an excuse to interfere with the rights and freedom of others? Is avoiding having to clean up a mess just cause to infringe on the rights of others?

 

[Koda]

Something I see is a mentality in government where "safety" is used as an excuse for wielding power for it's own benefit.

Safety and equity are two things used ( or should I say abused) for political agendas because they have virtually no limits.

Eg, anything can be made safer or distributed more, but its not the way life works.

 

[Spitpatch]

An "improperly stored and unsecured gun that holds over 300 rounds of ammunition owned by a Veteran and potential domestic terrorist".

Somewhat inadequate toward the task of suicide.

 

[bradsteen]

From the article:

According to the survey, veterans with a history of depression or substance use were more likely to store firearms unsafely, as were those who had directly experienced a personal trauma, such an assault.

Well that kinda changes the context of the survey findings. Apparently people like to keep their guns readily accessible when they've learned firsthand how dangerous the world can be.

 

[po18guy]

Life, and defending life, is now a privilege.

 

[JeremyK]

Call me pessimistic, but I feel like certain political entities view all veterans as crazy old white dudes with mountain-man beards building bombs in their basements.