5 year old shoots and kills 2 year old sister.

[Nameless]

No they don't. Not once has a private citizen owning guns ever prevented a crime.

Meet Samuel Williams.

[video=youtube;S9RKMtLcacU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9RKMtLcacU[/video]

 

[Kiro]

*snips*

*Applauds* Well said, Jiang.

 

[Cassanova]

I think everyone just needs to read Jiang's post (including the spoiler'd bit).
It's a perfect summary of the situation, i think, and a truly fantastic point of view from an American gun-owner.

+5 Jiang.

 

[Green Ranger]

That section about respect and firearms is brilliant.

 

[Jason Webb]

But it is a right, if you can't have guns in the first place then what's the point of a military?

Besides, I never said GUNS never stopped crime. I'm saying guns in the hands of private citizens don't prevent crime.

I don't even. How can you say that? Nothing prevents crime, but it can be stopped while in progress

 

[Brandon Rhea]

The Supreme Court has upheld that personal firearm ownership is a right, yes, but they have also upheld reasonable restrictions on that ownership. If you want to argue that gun control is ineffective, that's fine. We can have that debate. Feel free to do so. However, if you're going to argue that background checks or making AK-47s illegal infringes on your right to own a gun or protect your home, then don't be surprised when we say that that's stupid.

wooooooooooooooooooooooooooords

Well said.

Ew, did I just say that? Brb, taking a shower.

 

[Jason Webb]

The Supreme Court has upheld that personal firearm ownership is a right, yes, but they have also upheld reasonable restrictions on that ownership. If you want to argue that gun control is ineffective, that's fine. We can have that debate. Feel free to do so. However, if you're going to argue that background checks or making AK-47s illegal infringes on your right to own a gun or protect your home, then don't be surprised when we say that that's stupid.

Every opinion I've brought to this site has been considered stupid, doesn't bother me.

 

[Green Ranger]

I don't even...are you suggesting that civilians carrying guns is a prerequisite for a nation to have a professional armed force that is paid to put their life on the line?

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Every opinion I've brought to this site has been considered stupid, doesn't bother me.

Well statistically speaking, you're bound to be right eventually. :p

 

[Jason Webb]

I don't even...are you suggesting that civilians carrying guns is a prerequisite for a nation to have a professional armed force that is paid to put their life on the line?

The police and military can't be everywhere at once. The militia is a last line of defense, after homeland security and police even. Besides, our government isn't exactly on target with protecting it's people some times. I'm just saying that a citizens personal ability to protect themselves against criminals should not be taken away on the actions of a few crazy people. Our President said not to judge Islam on the actions of a few radicals, a "very small percentage". Why do you judge the gun owners as a whole over the actions of a even smaller percentage, especially considering that many guns used in crimes are acquired illegally and most gun crimes take places that do not allow concealed carry.

In a perfect world, you wouldn't need guns. This isn't a perfect world.
-Sheriff Ben Johnson of Volusia County, Florida

Well statistically speaking, you're bound to be right eventually. :p

Education, entertainment, guns, marriage, religion, war, love, hate, tolerance, music, pop culture, movies, motivations, child raising, foreign and domestic culture, politics, video games, business industries. Let's face it, there's not much left.

Though I've spent my entire life sticking out and being hated for it, why stop now :CHappy

 

[Green Ranger]

Pretty much every mass shooting that at least gets international attention involves a completely legal obtainment of weaponry, or pre-existing ownership, so do you have any actual statistics to back up the claim that the majority of criminals who threatened someone with or used a firearm in their offence obtained their weapon illegally, or are you just throwing that out there on the off-chance we'll take it at face value? I'm honestly curious.

That unverified fact aside, the fact that you're basically saying the the countless lives lost every year in firearm-related manslaughter and murder offences is a necessary evil is completely appalling. By what logic do you claim that the privilege of owning a weapon is more important then the lives of the innocent lost because of said weapon?

 

[Lavi]

Comparing Islam to guns is incredibly appalling to me. Islam was created on the basis of faith. Guns were created to kill people. That's hardly the same thing.

 

[Dóiteán]

First issue: Who the hell gives a 5 year old a damn gun.
Second: The President is an idiot, we've already established that.
Third: Statistically criminals get their guns LEGALLY.
Fourth: Even if there were harsher gun laws, criminals would still be able to get guns.
Fifth: Were those parents mental?

*breathes* That's all I had to say.

 

[Green Ranger]

To add to my last request for hard facts, a cursory glance at some statistics shows firearms are often considered illegally obtained if they aren't registered. However, most states don't require registration to purchase a firearm, so im just going to immediately ignore any statistical analysis that cites an 80-95% rate of guns used in crimes being obtained illegally.

 

[Lavi]

Third: Statistically criminals get their guns LEGALLY.
Fourth: Even if there were harsher gun laws, criminals would still be able to get guns.

Both of these are true, but let's put some emphasis on point #3 when thinking about point #4. If the majority of criminals get their guns legally, and harsher gun laws were put in place that made it more difficult for everyone to obtain a gun, wouldn't that mean that gun violence would decrease? Gun violence is a reality, no matter what, but when nearly 70% of all homicides in the U.S. was perpetrated by firearms (also taking into account that the U.S. has one of, if not the, the worst institutions for mental health for a first-world country), there's something that needs to be done. Also consider that people with a previous criminal record are at a higher risk of being murdered.

 

[Shiuzu]

[youtube]9pOiOhxujsE[/youtube]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but it's definitely an interesting series of videos worth watching.

 

[Empress]

though it is worth noting that if the US did move to collect, re-doccument- and lock up all the firearms " as in you need to basically " check out " your weapon.... the process would still take a few generations to actually start to pay off - thats how deep of a hole the states are in now- NOTHING implemented right now would have any real pay off for a generation or two

 

[Brandon Rhea]

That wouldn't happen anyway. The Second Amendment would need a Page 1 rewrite for that to happen.

 

[Kiro]

Well, a large issue with the whole firearms thing is of course the gang environment. Kids growing up in gangs, getting a gun for them is like getting a car. THen they have to use it. And the life expectancy in gangs is lower than on Death Row, so...

 

[Mistress]

What scares me is the government wanting to forbid guns to those who know how to use them, specifically the retired Military. I have never met a single Veteran that served, who did not develop some degree of PTSD. For those who have it, here are methods to being snapped out of a flashback. And there is training for Vets to learn to identify that spiral and its triggers. Aside from the seclusive guy who runs the Army surplus store...I would rather arm the everyday Veteran and stand net to him when sh!t happens. Saves needed bullets that way.