Quote:

 

Do you think that the American constitution should be ammended to outlaw the right to bear arms?

Quote:

 

Besides, if they outlawed them there would be more shootings. Think about it, back in the day when beer was banned Nascar started from it >_>

Quote:

 

When you figure I live in a farming town, and theres at very least two murders each year, you do need a gun to protect yourself.

Quote:

 

We as americans have a constant fear that our rights will be taken away

Quote:

 

Weapons like guns exist to HURT PEOPLE.

Quote:

 

I doubt that. You'd usually find that less guns = less shootings.

Quote:

 

There are going to be murders no matter what you do.

Quote:

 

Frankly, I'd be in more fear of how easily people have a "right" to access a weapon that can kill somebody in an instant.

Quote:

 

Its not the gun rights that causes shootings, its jackasses that buy Illegal guns from the black market.

Quote:

 

Sory, but I laughed for about 5min straight after reading that (I had to go get a drink to stop lol). What about hunting for food eh? Rather hard to kill a turkey or any bird with a knife.

Quote:

 

Sorry about the beer ban comment, I should explain more. During the 1920's all selling of beer was banned in the US. Within a few months the first "SpeakEasy"s appear, underground bars. Homebrew beer became more and more popular, and pretty soon people in the south needed cars that could out drive the police. SO they made their cars faster and faster. As human nature, they started to race these new speed cars on Daytona beach in Florida. Thats how Nascar, one of americas biggest and most watched sports got its start, bexause of bootleg beer. If guns were to be banned I see the same thing happening. Instead of underground bars, blackmarket gun sales, gunclubs (which are legal as of now, and quite popular, my grandfather attends one regualary), and other means of owning the guns and using the guns would grow to extreme heights. Why? Its american (And maybe human) nature to do things without getting caught. For whatever reason, we try to push our luck, going to extremes.

Quote:

 

I'm also not convinced that every home should have a gun. If it's within reach, the risk of misuse is much higher.
Here in Belgium a few years ago after a some suicides/family killings by policemen, it became a law that policemen weren't allowed to take their weapons home after work. From what I hear it drastically reduced the number of suicides and such.
There will always be lunatics, depressed people, and yes if they really really want to they'll use knives or whatever else, but having a gun within reach makes it just too easy.

Having a lot of people with guns will make criminals more agressive. Now there are quite a lot of carjackings/housejackings (criminals breaking into houses to steal nice cars). Usually there isn't any violence involved - they break in, owners are mostly still asleep, car keys are taken and the cars are stolen.
If everyone will have a gun, burglars/criminals/thieves/.. will probably become more agressive.. if they hear any sound in the house they won't silently go away like now happens but may shoot at the house owners..

So having guns isn't better - if you have an expensive car worth stealing it's almost always very well insured, so it's better to just have it stolen and report it to the insurance company than to risk your life or die because you heard them break into your house..

What should be clear however is what one can and cannot do in the event of a burglary..
From what I heard, in the UK if you use a baseball bat do defend yourself against a burglar, the bat becomes an illegal weapon and you can be convicted because you tried to defend yourself. That's crazy.

In Belgium a few years ago a juweler was convicted because he shot robbers in the back when they ran out of his store.. you can use deadly force to defend your own life, but not to protect your possessions.. the judge decided that at the moment the thieves ran away his life wasn't in danger so he shouldn't have shot them.


On the other hand I'm not against ownership of guns - if people really want them for any legit reason (hunting, sports shooting) they should be able to do so.

Fantanoice

 

But as for the black market thing, where would the suppliers get them from? Homebrew, I guess.

DrunkenSquirrel

Jun 26 2009, 08:40:30 PM

(Most of) you people seem to be forgetting something.

If someone wants to commit a crime (i.e. homicide) with a firearm, chances are they wouldn't mind acquiring a firearm illegally either.

And even if we were to bar all guns from civilian use? They would still sell. There's probably enough rifles around the world to arm the Chinese army (which is, by no means, a small army) three or more times over. You quite simply can't get rid of them... At least, not easily.

Another problem... Even if they were to ban guns..? Criminals would still kill people. It's a fact of life, not everybody has morals. I'm not exactly a gun fanatic, I don't own a gun myself after all, but government funding could be spent on something more important...

And SuperBowser? Exactly why should law enforcement keep their guns? They should be removed from the populace altogether, in my opinion.

Fantanoice

 

But as for the black market thing, where would the suppliers get them from? Homebrew, I guess.

It's not like a ban would magically "poof" guns from existence. They'd merely be unavailable to purchase via normal (retail) means.

fantanoice

Jun 26 2009, 09:38:06 PM

DrunkenSquirrel

Jun 26 2009, 08:40:30 PM

(Most of) you people seem to be forgetting something.

If someone wants to commit a crime (i.e. homicide) with a firearm, chances are they wouldn't mind acquiring a firearm illegally either.

And even if we were to bar all guns from civilian use? They would still sell. There's probably enough rifles around the world to arm the Chinese army (which is, by no means, a small army) three or more times over. You quite simply can't get rid of them... At least, not easily.

Another problem... Even if they were to ban guns..? Criminals would still kill people. It's a fact of life, not everybody has morals. I'm not exactly a gun fanatic, I don't own a gun myself after all, but government funding could be spent on something more important...

And SuperBowser? Exactly why should law enforcement keep their guns? They should be removed from the populace altogether, in my opinion.

Fantanoice

 

But as for the black market thing, where would the suppliers get them from? Homebrew, I guess.

It's not like a ban would magically "poof" guns from existence. They'd merely be unavailable to purchase via normal (retail) means.

What you seem to be forgetting that not all gun-related deaths are criminal related. A lot of them are 'accidental', such as children getting their hands on them.

The best way to stop an idiot with a gun is to not give them the gun in the first place.

DrunkenSquirrel

Jun 26 2009, 08:40:30 PM

And SuperBowser? Exactly why should law enforcement keep their guns? They should be removed from the populace altogether, in my opinion.

SuperBowser102

Jun 27 2009, 07:53:34 AM

DrunkenSquirrel

Jun 26 2009, 08:40:30 PM

And SuperBowser? Exactly why should law enforcement keep their guns? They should be removed from the populace altogether, in my opinion.

Maybe this doesn't make sense, but the way I see it, it's the job of the Police to protect people. IMO there's a lot let risk involved when you're allowing people who have sworn to be nice and not shoot anybody than if you're giving guns to joe schmoe.

But why wouldn't getting rid of guns work in the long run? If you look at other countries and their very few gun-related deaths, I'd say they're doing pretty well with no guns. Why couldn't that work the same for the US?