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As we know, the second amendment of the Constitution gives us the right to bear arms. Do you feel that people are responsible enough to own weapons? What is your opinion on gun control?


*Note* To those who don't live in the United States, please share your opinion. Do you think people, in general, should own guns? What do your country's laws say about gun control?

Guns, especially handguns, assault rifles etc. should all be illegal and gotten rid of. Places like Japan have extremely strict gun laws and they only have 39 gun related deaths a year opposed to America's 11,000 + deaths a year. Admittedly we have gotten our selfs so far that its almost impossible to completely get rid of guns here in America, if we where to take out the 2nd amendment people would be angry as hell. We need to start by fallowing the District of Colombia and banning all handguns, that is a great start, then from there we need to make people go through extreme programs to get a license so they can own maybe a rifle for things like hunting. In March they'll be looking at the second amendment and thinking about making some changes, and this will be the first time they've done that since the 70's. The huge amounts of violence from guns isn't just the fact that guns are so available, it also is just the way American society it's always been this way since. When we arrived here, we killed native Americans in fear, then freed slaves, then each other. Our whole thing about Americans wanting guns is because everyone is afraid. It's been proven that minorities are more feared then white males, so basically since the majority of white people are all freaked out that some African American "gang member" will come and kill them, people feel they need to have guns. 95% of guns are purchased by white middle class citizens who live in nice suburbs. Its because of stereotypes that people feel fear, and then from that fear larger things can happen cause those people buy a gun to "defend" themselves, things like their kid could get a hold of it and kill them self, or go on a rampage, or kill their parents, etc. Guns only cause bad things to happen.

RedDragon, I find myself in deep agreement with you once again.

Here in CA, police "may" come to the aid of people in peril. Believe it or not, that's may, not shall. They are so busy fighting easy crime and handing out speeding tickets that sometimes they don't come to a break-in or whatever if they don't think you're at immediate risk. Not your decision but theirs.

To heck with that, I say! I have not cared for my family just to have some gangster mow us down (oh yeah, and don't try calling about gang related stuff in my town on a Friday-Sunday-- they work only four days a week, and not when the gangs are working, apparently). I have my ways.

Another thing. Where gun control begins, knife and blade laws soon follow. this can even extend to ceremonial swords and knives, and in one pathetic case, letter openers-- Palm Springs CA once forbade those in public. Kansas forbids any dagger or double edged blade unless you are actively hunting. To heck with Pagan athames, I guess.

Also, what about the collector who wants an AK-47 not because they ever want to use it, but they just admire its deadly beauty? I actually know someone like that. He owns dozens of guns, far more than he would ever actually need. For him, it's his passion and essentially he is a sollector.

One last thing. I talked recently to someone from Kenesaw GA. They actually require gun ownership in that town. I asked him about the crime rate in that town out of genuine curiosity. He basically asked me "What crime?" apparently it's virtually nonexistent.

Interesting that you bring up concealed carry. I used to live in Colorado Springs, CO before I moved out here. They have a very high rate of CCW permit holders-- 5000 in a county of 600000. NO ONE in that 5000 has ever committed a crime with a gun. In other words, a huge number of guns in that county have never harmed anyone. However, they can really help when help is needed most. When a church there had someone go crazy and start shooting parishoners, a CCW holder who apparently was volunteering for security opened up on the gunman. Only a couple of people died-- without the CCW holder, it could have been a LOT worse. I know several CCW holders there. One of them is a retired Army Ranger. I call him my "samurai" because that's how much honor means to him (and he has a black belt and can do some wild things with blades, etc) He carries his gun everywhere. He has reason to-- someone basically would rather see him dead for political reasons (let's say he uncovered some rather interesting material and tried to be a whistle blower) Would you rather see these people depend upon police protection only?

I don't particularly like guns either, to be honest. But I see guns as being in the same category as first aid kits, emergency supplies, and the like-- stuff you hope you never have to use but where it really pays off to be prepared. I remember one friend of mine who had insomnia one night. Someone broke into her house and was going to burglarize it we suspect. Well she managed to get to her gun, and with trembling fingers, get off a shot. The cops didn't file any charges on her because she was defending her house. Actually, their attitude was "Well, you've made finding the suspect a whole lot easier, we'll just wait for someone to go to the hospital with a .22 round in his kneecap." Sure enough he did, and he was arrested and I think convicted. Score one criminal off the streets. He had a gun too, btw-- where would my friend have been had she not been able to have a gun? She doesn't like having a gun but sees it as a necessary evil.

When I first moved to Colorado Springs, I moved to an apartment complex that was in, as I learned later, the "Shooting Alley". Not fun, but I do know what the Friday night song sounds like whizzing by not so far away. So I'm not unfamilar with your predicament.

I think ALL of us in the gun debate would rather not see so many armed gangs. We agree, there. I personally think that if we find ways to make them poorer (for instance, legalizing marijuana would make that a far less lucrative crop and would deprive the black market of a source of income) they wouldn't have such power. I've actually heard of gangs dealing in illegal guns because they are lucrative-- and yes, if we legalized such weaponry the price would drop. In short, bans makes for a rich black market, so legalizing things moves these commodities to the legal market and makes it harder for them to operate.

REdDragon--

1. about the local police-- they're corrupt, of course. Corruption creates lazy cops.

2. I too would much prefer to collect blades, swords, and other fun sharp metal things. I own a pretty cool bolline blade, for example, that sees a great deal of useful service in my garden. It's curved edge allows me to hack away at a head of cabbage, for example, leavng the remainder intact and permitting me to grow mini-cabbages if I wish to do so. Some of the fantasy blades out there are true works of art and should be regarded only as such. I had a neighbor who collected those, and they really do look nice on display. However to each their own, and some people have the same level of fun collecting guns.

guns should be put under VERY strict regulations, but they shouldn't be totally abolished. Like someone here said, if someone breaks into your house, a gun can be very comforting

people still die by tasers, though they would be better then having guns. Heres an example of police brutality and a taser death, All in one story! So some pig arrested this lady handcuffed her and she was in the back of the patrol car and she moved a little trying to adjust herself or something and the pig tasered here to death saying she was resisting arrest and all that bull.