Guns need to go...or do they?

[Dark Knifer]

I can understand that it's a good idea for people to be armed, but for everyone who succesfully defends themselves with a weapon, there is a dozen cases of someone abusing this privallege. I generally don't like the idea to think that anyone can carry something that's sole purpose is to kill and maim. Ideally, ban guns and have a huge crackdown on the black market.

Also, you must remember that the majority of deaths caused by guns is suicide. So banning guns would stop, or at least incoveinience, someone who is trying to commit suicide.

 

[Timmaaaah]

I live in New Zealand and we have pretty strict gun control. I really think the US should have more regulation of firearms, but since they've been so accessible for so long there probably isn't a single criminal without a firearm and introducing a law to prevent people from owning handguns will never stop criminals. Since so many firearms have been sold to people without records being kept from gun sales and whatnot it's impossible to track. I really would like to own a handgun because I like the aesthetics and I'm fascinated by weapons although I'm not a violent person. Also I like the idea that if zombies ever attacked I'd have a firearm that I'm good with... I remember when I had my gas powered semi-auto BB handgun and I was hardcore as with targets... fast to change targets and could aim accurately. I'd like to practice with a gun with more recoil just to see how good I could get.

 

[WolfThomas]

This should be probably be in the politics section. I live in Australia and think our gun laws are perfect for now, we can get most guns with a little bit of effort and handguns/semi-automatics with a lot more effort (but still possible). I love hunting and we live in a unique nation where we can shoot pretty much everything (that's not native) guilt free. By shooting wild deer, pigs, rabbits, foxes, camels, buffalo, goats, cattle, horses, cats and dogs we save this county's enviroment.

 

[Timmaaaah]

Beliefe that gun laws prevent crime is baseless. In order for this to be true, criminals would have to obey the gun laws... see the problem there?

In a country when it's hard to get access to guns it makes it harder for criminals to get hold of them. I still think people should need a gun license. I saw some freakin idiot saying something about gun laws only hurting citizens and sounding like a total stereotypical republican dead-set in their ways which really pisses me off because I'm sick of people treating anybody who has right wing values as though they're stupid and ignorant and close minded (Sorry I'm venting on this quote I couldn't find his post to quote on). People like that give the right-wing people who actually see sense a terrible name.

 

[Timmaaaah]

Although if you US residents think your safe you are being disarmed...look at all the anti gun propaganda, a man in Texas i think his house was invaded by want he thought were one of the biggest toughest gangs in the area there is 20 of them, he and his family was threatened , the family were waiting for the police until they got too close he went and got his legally owned af45 and shot 3 warning shots into the ground. The Police that arrived soon after came cause of the gun shots detected by some special gismo the police had. After the issue was resolved the police saw his gun as an issue and even with all the proper info they still wanted to review the gun to insure it was legal.
And then numerous issues where people go on hunting trips neighbors see the guns squeel to the police and then proceed to confiscate the guns.
I am just saying look around you. You may think your safe just watch out when people try to take them.

See, that sounds like good gun use and good gun control, besides the confiscation of the guns because of hunting. That just sounds like some dumbass liberals who refuse to see anyone elses point of view besides their own. And before people start getting agro at me coz of this, just know that I'm a liberal. I just hate when people gobble up ideals without thinking twice about the other side

 

[sketch_zeppelin]

I like guns. I live in the United states, I don't consider myself one of those NRA nuts but i like that i can go out and buy a gun. Also you have to admit that even if the United States Military where to suddenly vanish, it would be difficult to invade a country when a good chunk of its citizens have guns to fight back with.

I do feel though that the right to bare arms doesn't mean that i should be allowed to go out and buy an AK-47 or a RPG.

 

[tigermilk]

If America gets rid if its guns the King of England can come in your house and start slapping you about (or words to such effect, paraphrasing Homer Simpson).

Speaking personally I can see the advantages to a world with no guns, but I know that would never happen.

 

[Dimitriov]

The thing to remember about gun control being used to help prevent violent crime is that the point isn't really to keep guns away from criminals but instead away from normal people.

Someone who is going to commit a violent crime is already probably not a terribly reasonable person, they may have a mental disorder or just a bad sense of judgement. Either way people like that exist and will inevitably sometimes cause harm.

However, if everyone has a gun that pretty much guarantees that when someone goes to commit any kind of crime with a gun there's a good chance that someone is gonna start shooting back, and when you have two or more people shooting at each other you can pretty much guarantee that someone is going to get hurt or killed whereas one person with a gun may well feel in control of the situation enough to not hurt anyone until they can be apprehended by the authorities.

Most violent crimes are so called "crimes of passion" anyway, spontaneous emotional outbursts. Having more guns more readily available just adds to the damage that can happen.

This being said I am actually personally in favour of guns being legal to own and buy within reason, and so long as there are controls.

 

[Lucifron]

I believe that a regulated* gun-market with nothing but licensed weapons is the way to go. As several people have pointed out already, criminals will get their guns no matter what the legal situation is.

*The UK seems much too regulated, the US regulation is a bit too weak in my opinion.

 

[Srdjan]

Well those zombies won't shoot themselves

I like guns, and like using them. They are important for self-defence.

 

[CouchCommando]

I used to own a number of firearms, coming from a rural community in the Australian out back they could be claimed to be necessary, but after moving to the city I brought a couple of guns with me and joined the local range for target shooting (not that I actually did much, turns out there's a lot more stuff to do in town). A couple of years later I was cleaning an old .303 lee enfield bolt action of ww2 vintage when a visitor dropped by, before I could say anything upon entering my kitchen he had already snatched up the rifle pointed it at my chest pulled the trigger and yelled BANG!!
Now it was at this point that it dawned on me that I was taking it for granted that most people just are not educated in gun safety, as they are in say a shooting household, so after regaining my composure and explaining to my friend the many points of just how wrong his and my own actions had been and what the potential outcomes could have been. I decided to give up my fire arms licenses and disposed of my gun collection at the police station. So I guess I'm kinda sitting on the fence here. Personally due to that experience I am loathe to have gun around a family home, but then I also understand that some people really do enjoy using firearms both for recreation/land care and are educated in there storage and responsible use.
I also fully support the illegality of concealable firearms in Australia. As a hand gun is ultimately only made for one purpose.

 

[CouchCommando]

If I'm gonna get killed, I'd rather be shot than stabbed.

If I'm going to be attacked I'd rather the guy was holding a knife rather than a gun. Dunno I kinda back myself to outrun the guy running with a knife, but don't really see me out running a bullet.

 

[electric discordian]

For those who say guns are great for home defence, what happens if your out at the cinema when your robbed? oh look you have just armed a criminal well done!

The UK doesn't have a second amendment we don't even have a first one! We are probably one of the most invaded countries in history! Not all of them have been successful but we tend to get around the whole home defence thing by having one of the best trained armies in the world, as opposed to for example arming the unemployed with chain guns!

Guns serve one purpose and that is to kill people, that is there one use that and making films more exciting. If someone makes an AK47 that can whip up a delicious omelette I may change my mind.

Personally if you can't defend yourself with a stout stick and some gumption you have a serious problem. If I was in a situation where someone broke into my home and threatened those I loved I wouldn't want to shoot them anyway, I would want to beat them to death with a cricket bat. But I guess I have certain issues.

In conclusion guns serve no purpose, if you want a projectile weapon use a Longbow!

 

[theamazingbean]

My gun...cold, dead hands...you know the drill.

 

[vxicepickxv]

My own personal fear of anything that makes loud sudden noises makes me hate them. On top of the fact that I don't like weapons.

Personally I think only the police and military should be able to carry guns. People who have been through numerous psychological tests and have sworn themselves to service.

I guess you could call it a psych test I took when I joined the military a little over a decade ago.

 

[kalakashi]

If guns are responsible for killing people, then cars are responsible for drunk driving, and pencils are responsible for misspelling words.

Only bad people will do bad things involving firearms... usually.

No, guns are responsible for people dying from guns, cars are responsible for people being hit by cars. The pencil thing is obviously irrelevant.
Loads of people die by cars every year admittedly, but it is not the purpose of cars; they are obviously there to transport people and items around, which is extremely handy and 100% necessary.
Guns exist solely to damage, that is the only thing they have ever existed for and it always will be.

So we get rid of all the guns. And as many people have mentioned, now only the criminals have guns. So I'm a criminal, and I walk into a bank with my illegal gun and I hold the place up. Somebody twitches, but I know the chances of them having a gun are slim, so I shout at them to keep still and continue with my robbery.
The alternative is everyone has guns. So I'm in the same position: somebody twitches, and if he's faster than me I get shot and he's a hero, fantastic. If he's not faster than me, he gets shot dead, and so does anyone else who's breathing a bit too heavily, or sneezes, or has an itch.

So in the first case, the bank gets robbed, some people are out of money which is obviously bad.
And in the second, at least 1 person is dead, possibly/probably more, and their family's lives are ruined.

 

[quiet_samurai]

If guns are responsible for killing people, then cars are responsible for drunk driving, and pencils are responsible for misspelling words.

Only bad people will do bad things involving firearms... usually.

No, guns are responsible for people dying from guns, cars are responsible for people being hit by cars. The pencil thing is obviously irrelevant.
Loads of people die by cars every year admittedly, but it is not the purpose of cars; they are obviously there to transport people and items around, which is extremely handy and 100% necessary.
Guns exist solely to damage, that is the only thing they have ever existed for and it always will be.

And yet about ten tmes more people are killed every year by vehicles then they are by guns, at least in the USA. For someone who obviously values the preservation of life you would think that that is a rather big sacrifice for handiness and necessity.

 

[kalakashi]

And yet about ten tmes more people are killed every year by vehicles then they are by guns, at least in the USA. For someone who obviously values the preservation of life you would think that that is a rather big sacrifice for handiness and necessity.

My point is more that if people are more careful and aware of their surroundings, car accidents could be easily avoided, but no matter how careful people are around guns, all it means is that shots will be more accurate and harmful.

 

[anteru]

personally i can see both sides of the issue, but it aggravates me when i hear someone say "guns kill people" guns do not kill people... people kill people... if you take guns away they will either find them on the black market (as already discussed) or use other means.

for me i collect old rifles and pistols from the WWII era, so much history behind them.. i often hold my enfield MK4 and wonder where it has been..

i can see restrictions on certain things... for instance... armor piercing munitions, i have yet to see an elk or a deer that has a kevlar hide!

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

I don't give a slight damn about guns. I think the fact that every american has the right to keep a gun at home because of some ancient amendment just shows that there's no point for being radical if it takes away the right to "protect one's home". Sure, it must've seemed like a good idea at the time i.e. back in the late 18th century - when the country was ravaged by civil wars and whatnot, but nowadays it's just plain silly.

We manage just fine in our country and there're barely even any guns in law enforcement. If you don't allow people to get their hands on killing devices so easily then crime rates should go down and people wouldn't need to "protect their homes".

Augh... it just seems way too stupid to even be debating, and i'm ranting so i'll stop now.