How do my fellow escapists feel about guns? (The real kind)

[acturisme]

They are tools not toys and the only people who would play with them as toys are tools.
Inanimate objects cannot cause crime. When was the last time you were threatened by a kitchen knife? Only bad people use guns in bad ways. The gun is technology. It will not go away because you pass some laws. I take responsibility for the safety of myself and my family. The police are minutes away when seconds count. I'd rather my children see me kill a thug than watch their father get murdered. God made men. Sam Colt made them equal. If its numbers you want then the only thing stopping a 220lb. man from taking advantage of a 110lb. woman is a good 38. The second amendment ensures that the people can defend the rest. Thomas Jefferson once said,"Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state." George Washington said,"The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good." Another to remember,"Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft." Theodore Roosevelt. "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."
Benjamin Franklin

With that I say if you really want to know more about how firearms work and what they can give us in both pleasure and protection PLEASE go to your local gun retailer or range. Talk to the rangemaster about firing your first gun. Rent something small like a 22. Take an hour out of your boring weekend and try something new. Who knows. You might like it.

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

I feel much better about granades, to be honest... And plastic explosives... Lotsa that.

 

[EllEzDee]

Civilians and cops with guns = stupid.

 

[Quiet Stranger]

Lets just say, I wish I had one for myself

 

[RelexCryo]

Civilians and cops with guns = stupid.

The countries in Europe that have the highest crime rates are the ones that refuse to let people carry guns. Britain and Luxembourg have very high crime rates by European standards, and the most violent cities in Europe have consistently been British/Irish cities, such as Gloucester and Limerick, which refuse to let people carry guns. By contrast, countries such as Switzerland and Finland, which let people carry guns, consistently have the lowest crime rates.

I posted a much longer post on gun statistics higher on this page. Please scroll up and read it.

 

[Goro]

This is a real soapbox item for me, I believe average Joe should be able to use and 'enjoy' firearms, but with heavy limitations. With military and law enforcement experience, I do not like untrained, unstable and simply unknown people having access to a tool built wholly and solely for the purpose of killing. And they are, that cannot be denied. Even on the range, it's still a killing instrument. So the average citizen having access to fully automatic assault rifles is mind-bogglingly stupid. But, considering the amount of murders committed with hand guns, they should most definitely be controlled.
And incidentally, if I'm going to rob you, and I know you have a gun, because everyone has a gun, I'll simply kill you first, it won't make me back away. Been there, processed the scene, interviewed the offender....

 

[Foolishman1776]

Firearms are tools. They are tools with the purpose of killing. As they are tools, they due the respect of any dangerous tool. With that said, banning them all would end crime forever. After all, there have been people on this planet for a few thousand years, and crime was only invented in the last 250 or so that guns have been around. Before guns, there was never any murder, stealing, or anything, guns caused all of it. Never mind that there has been shown to be a strong negative correlation between firearms and violent crime in an area. Never mind that most people who own firearms are responsible, law abiding citizens. Never mind that illegal firearms are overwhelmingly used in crimes and are therefor totally unaffected by any regulation (and are harder to track). Never mind that every single dictator or repressive regime in history's first step was to disarm their populace. Never mind all that, guns are bad, mkay?


By the way, because sarcasm doesn't translate well to text, yes, I am saying that banning firearms is stupid and a bad idea.

 

[Armyguy0]

Civilians and cops with guns = stupid.

Cops with guns = stupid why?

 

[BlackWidower]

If you want to own a gun, then by all means own one. If you do anything illegal with it, then we have a problem.

 

[BlackWidower]

Civilians and cops with guns = stupid.

Cops with guns = stupid why?

For the same reason civilians with guns is stupid. Why make an exception for cops? You do know a cop is just as likely to commit a crime as a civilian right?

 

[zwoodco10]

The only issue with banning firearms outright or tightening gun control ridiculously is the fact that the people that WANT to do harm and kill for little more than self-benefit will still be able to acquire the weapons that everyday Joe-Blows can't.

It'd be like a small third-world country whose technology hadn't surpassed spears as effective combat weapons going up against America/UK/France/etc, with the third-world country representing the average citizen and the Major world power representing the armed thug (NO, that wasn't meant to mean "AMERIKANZ AND UR-O-PEANZ R ARMD THUGSZ").

 

[zwoodco10]

Civilians and cops with guns = stupid.

Cops with guns = stupid why?

For the same reason civilians with guns is stupid. Why make an exception for cops? You do know a cop is just as likely to commit a crime as a civilian right?

But a cop without a gun becomes essentially useless in any situation involving a gun. If a police officer comes upon an armed robbery, and the robber KNOWS the Officer is carrying a weapon that he/she has been trained (EXTENSIVELY) to use, then the crook is a lot more likely to simply give in, or attempt an escape. If the crook is aware of the fact that the officer is only carrying a single-shot or close-quarters tazer, then he has the upper hand, thereby putting the officer, the victim, the criminal, and anyone in the vicinity at risk for death/injury.

 

[Eadd]

If your not in a war as a soldier or debatably the police you have no good reason to own something as deadly as a gun.

 

[zwoodco10]

If your not in a war as a soldier or debatably the police you have no good reason to own something as deadly as a gun.

Except for the fact that nine times out of ten, the police won't be able to reach you before the man with the gun in your face can pull the trigger. The fact of the matter is, all weapons create a paradox: The more people own a gun, then the more people will purchase guns. If civilians were prohibited from owning/carrying guns, then they would be put at risk simply because, as I said earlier, the people that want to use firearms for the wrong reasons will still be able to get them. Hell, those that are using firearms for robberies/killings/etc don't get them legally NOW.

 

[Bullfrog1983]

In my opinion I'd rather it be illegal for citizens to own guns altogether, but that probably wouldn't solve anything because people illegally carry around concealed weapons everywhere.

 

[3 legged goat]

Let me say this first: I love being able to carry guns and shoot them. I love being able to defend my self from an attacker, but not everyone is properly trained in the use of guns. Meaning more or less some people are stupid. Not to mention that some people are mentally insane, or even just criminals with evil intent. Despite this I favor guns. I don't really feel like getting into a knife fight with some guy trying to kill me. Also guns have a recreational use(Hunting, target shooting, Clay birds). I personally think that there should be some sort of profiling on people to prevent crazies from getting guns.

 

[Eadd]

If your not in a war as a soldier or debatably the police you have no good reason to own something as deadly as a gun.

Except for the fact that nine times out of ten, the police won't be able to reach you before the man with the gun in your face can pull the trigger. The fact of the matter is, all weapons create a paradox: The more people own a gun, then the more people will purchase guns. If civilians were prohibited from owning/carrying guns, then they would be put at risk simply because, as I said earlier, the people that want to use firearms for the wrong reasons will still be able to get them. Hell, those that are using firearms for robberies/killings/etc don't get them legally NOW.

True,
in an ideal world noone would be able to get them is my point i guess.
But even with your point, you dont see many shooting in Britain(few guns), am I wrong in saying its not that rare in America(many guns)

...less guns = less shooting = :]

 

[BlackWidower]

Civilians and cops with guns = stupid.

Cops with guns = stupid why?

For the same reason civilians with guns is stupid. Why make an exception for cops? You do know a cop is just as likely to commit a crime as a civilian right?

But a cop without a gun becomes essentially useless in any situation involving a gun. If a police officer comes upon an armed robbery, and the robber KNOWS the Officer is carrying a weapon that he/she has been trained (EXTENSIVELY) to use, then the crook is a lot more likely to simply give in, or attempt an escape. If the crook is aware of the fact that the officer is only carrying a single-shot or close-quarters tazer, then he has the upper hand, thereby putting the officer, the victim, the criminal, and anyone in the vicinity at risk for death/injury.

Okay, but why shouldn't civilians have guns too?

 

[Ensiferum]

I'm definitely a hardcore advocate of the constitutional right to bear arms (meaning the US constitution of course).

Of course there's the age-old argument of having guns as self defense when it comes to defending gun rights, but something that I feel those who're against the right to bear arms fail to realize is that the fact that civilians are endowed with that right is part of what shows that the government is subject to them, they are not subject to the government, and that goes hand in hand with the idea that those in power govern with the consent of the governed. Democracy is a beautiful thing.

 

[Elementlmage]

So why is that the case? The fact that we don't have guns, and it is nigh impossible for a criminal to get his hands on a gun here (obviously gun controls won't work if you can just drive to the next state and buy one there - they work in Australia because they apply federally)? Or is the US just culturally barbaric?

Would you prefer people killed with guns were thrown out of windows instead? (Points for who ever gets the reference!)

People kill each other in the United States for a variety of reasons, but guns are not apart of any reason(unless you count accidental death, which is such a small proportion of firearm deaths its laughable). Firearms are tools, a means to an end. If we got rid of firearms, people would kill each other with knives and baseball bats instead. Get rid of those and they would use boards with nails in them. And we cant get rid of boards with nails in them because those hold or civilization together!

I am loathed to admit that the NRA is right(I hate the NRA and their Neo-Con banter), but, guns don't kill people; people kill people.