Poll: There is no justifiable reason for civilians to own modern weapons.

[HotFezz8]

this is a new link i have put on having read, and replied, to the topic about the 8 year old shooting himself with a Uzi submachin gun.

that got me thinking, and i can't think of a single valid reason for civilians to own modern weapons (thats any gunpowder weapon which is not muzzle loaded) that can outweigh the often fatal results of mistakes, accidents, and malicious criminal activity thanks to easy access to lethal weaponary.

i appreciate its written into the american constitution, and i don't want a argument about whether that is still valid, because it doesn't matter. its as part of the american psche now as mcdonalds and weed, so lets navigate around that and focus on whether anyone can justify the contiued use (and abuse) of dangerous and lethal weaponary

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

I think it would be more interesting if civilians had to use flint-lock guns instead of magazine-fed modern handguns.
It could lead to some hilarity.
And robbing banks would become harder. loading time would be a *****.

 

[PhiMed]

What makes governments so special that they should have thousands of people armed with them but "civilians" should be completely denied access to them? Governments are made up of people and their actions. They're not magic.

 

[Simalacrum]

Of course not, the idea that anyone should be able to have guns and whatnot to 'protect' themselves is a stupid idea.

Why else would America have such a high gun crime rate? Cause everyone has guns, duh. Why are the gun crime rates so low in Britain? Cause NOBODY (policemen included) have guns.

 

[joschen]

What makes governments so special that they should have thousands of people armed with them but "civilians" should be completely denied access to them? Governments are made up of people and their actions. They're not magic.

Why do you think you need a weapon?

 

[Nepeccel]

They are civilians for a reason and therefore lack all training for these weapons. So no, I think modern weapons (especially assault rifles) have no place in a civilians hands. Ever.
It's just plain dangerous! Maybe it's my upbringing in the English countryside, but I see no need for these weapons!

 

[traceur_]

I think civilians should be allowed to own all kinds of guns, but not allowed to keep ammo on the same premises. If you use them, I reckon you should be able hire an ammo locker at gun range or something.

I think civilians should be allowed to use any non-lethal or non-crippling weapon (i.e. stun gun, bean bag shotgun etc) in the correct legal circumstances.

 

[Socken]

I find the whole idea of having to own a weapon stupid.
Seriously, what do you need a freaking shotgun for at home? If someone breaks into your house you're better off just calling the cops anyway.

 

[The Hairminator]

By removing guns from the masses you also remove the need of guns from the masses.
In a gunless society no one needs a gun to defend himself.

 

[MrTrivia]

Of course not, the idea that anyone should be able to have guns and whatnot to 'protect' themselves is a stupid idea.

Why else would America have such a high gun crime rate? Cause everyone has guns, duh. Why are the gun crime rates so low in Britain? Cause NOBODY (policemen included) have guns.

Actually, gun-related violence went UP after England instituted it's gun ban. There's a saying that explains this:
"If all guns are outlawed, then only outlaws will have guns."

If somebody puts you or your family in mortal danger, it's completely absurd to expect the police or military to arrive immediately and save you. Our 2nd Amendment grants us the right to own guns in order to defend ourselves.

 

[Skeleon]

Seeing as I like not living in fear of my neighbours, I'm gonna say: "No, I don't want every idiot able to run around with guns".
But I'm not an American, so I don't have that problem anyway.

 

[cobra_ky]

By removing guns from the masses you also remove the need of guns from the masses.
In a gunless society no one needs a gun to defend himself.

but how does one create a gunless society, especially when American society is already so...gunful?

 

[The Hairminator]

By removing guns from the masses you also remove the need of guns from the masses.
In a gunless society no one needs a gun to defend himself.

but how does one create a gunless society, especially when American society is already so...gunful?

Stop manufacturing and selling guns. Then make owning one illegal.
Then wait a few houndred years until all the guns have rusted to pieces.
It will take a while to get a 100% gunfree society, but with the first two steps you're well on your way.

Or you could always move to a relatively gunfree European country.

 

[Kollega]

I don't know,really. Even if civilians won't get weapons,gonverment AND criminals would still have them. So civilians should have pepper spray,stun guns,and rubber bullets at the very least. Actually,i always thought that selling net throwers as a means of self-defence would have been awesome.

But on the other hand,automatic weapons definetly SHOULD NOT BE in a free circulation.

***

I suggest adding "only small arms" option in the poll.

 

[Nunny]

Civilians should be able to have own Basic firearms such as Bolt-action Rifles and Shotguns. They should not be able to own Semi or full automatic weopons. Justification is for use in work (farming, hunting ect) and recreational.

Works for us down here in Aus.

 

[Kayevcee]

Does armed nutters bursting into people's houses and holding their families hostage happen a lot in the States? What are they usually looking to achieve?

In Britain you read about once a year about home invasions were some maniac bursts in on a woman or an OAP and rapes them/tears shit up and takes all their stuff. The only way to stop something like that ever happening again would be for everyone to take a 12-gauge with them every time they answer the door or to have some sort of opening-scene-from-Raiders-of-the-Lost-Ark spring-loaded spear trap just inside the front door.

On the thread subject... a friend explained to me that a lot of the pro-gun chaps in the States live out in rural areas and from visits there I see that even the cities are much more spread out and the police could literally be an hour or more away in the event of a crisis. In such a place, especially with the US's history of gun-romance, I think it's not unreasonable for folk to get tooled up if it makes them feel safer from intruders. However, modern automatic weapons just seem like penis extensions and I can see no point in having them in your house, and anybody who wants to be armed like Rambo in case civil society falls apart while they're in the bath and they need to fend off hordes of anarchists/zombies/communists at a moments noticed probably shouldn't be allowed any weapons at all, and I'd think very carefully before letting them buy a set of kitchen knives.

-Nick

 

[The Hairminator]

Of course not, the idea that anyone should be able to have guns and whatnot to 'protect' themselves is a stupid idea.

Why else would America have such a high gun crime rate? Cause everyone has guns, duh. Why are the gun crime rates so low in Britain? Cause NOBODY (policemen included) have guns.

Actually, gun-related violence went UP after England instituted it's gun ban. There's a saying that explains this:
"If all guns are outlawed, then only outlaws will have guns."

If somebody puts you or your family in mortal danger, it's completely absurd to expect the police or military to arrive immediately and save you. Our 2nd Amendment grants us the right to own guns in order to defend ourselves.

But is it worth this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate

 

[CheeseSandwichCake]

Of course not, the idea that anyone should be able to have guns and whatnot to 'protect' themselves is a stupid idea.

Why else would America have such a high gun crime rate? Cause everyone has guns, duh. Why are the gun crime rates so low in Britain? Cause NOBODY (policemen included) have guns.

If guns are outlawed then only outlaws will have them.

Just because you own a gun doesn't instantly make you a murderous criminal, the 8 year old shooting himself is the fault of the parents, not the law.