Gun Control

[emujo]

Got into a heated debate with a co-worker inre..guns. He thinks guns should be banned, period, for all non military/police US citizens..As a supporter of the 1st ammendment I support his right to hold this opinion, however, I think he's an idiot...


I am not a drug runner/ dealer, nor am I involved in any organized crime so therefore, I would never expect to be in a situation where multiple bad guys with fully automatic weapons are after me..Not saying it couldn't happen, but the possibility is very low...I also don't believe the average US citizen should be allowed to own a true military style fully automatic weapon. I don't own any weapons, but I do occasionaly get the oppourtuntity to go to the range and do a little target shooting, we shoot 9mm, .38, .22 cal and 223 ARs and .360s. The latter 3 all look just like the media's description of "assault weapons", but, reflecting back on my Navy days and having to qualify using truly "full auto" weapons, I can assure they are not. They are excellent weapons for target shooting, hunting, and maybe some close in defense, but against a well armed Mexican cartel, the Mafia, or a paramilitary group they are pretty useless. So here's my opinion....

The 2nd ammendment gives us the right to bear arms...I don't think the founding fathers really meant for us to use this right to defend ourselves against a "Crazed" government, the mob, or the cartel, but to protect us from the average criminal with the same type of weapons. No amount of executive orders are going to stop the insane, but determined bad guy from shooting up a mall, church, school. If you have enough money, or the skills to steal one you can obtain what you want. What banning guns from the average US citizen will do is make it impossible for that same average US citizen to defend him/herself from that average criminal. So, possibly in the future, if guns are banned, the average criminal that wants to rob you at gunpoint will have nothing to worry about..You no longer are leagaly able to own that little handgun that may have saved you, or a friend/family members life...If we had banned the manufacture of guns around the time of the musket, then maybe this would be a piontless discussion today, but we didn't.
Background checks OK, I'm even OK with banning private sales, to easy to fool the seller. Previous problems with the law?? OK, no gun. A little mentally unstable?? Certainly, no gun for you (Soup Nazi style).
But, if you are a law abiding, responsible US citizen, then if you want a gun, then I'm Ok with it. EMujo

[JR2ALTA]

funny how thousands of black on black gun murders happen every year and we tolerate it. every crook and felon breaks gun laws and the charges get thrown out or reduced.

when whites kill and get killed democrats want to go after every gun and law abiding gun owner in America.

Obama thrives on crisis to remake America,.this crisis is to neuter the gun culture that we embrace, keeps us safe, entertains us, controls animal population and protects us from tyrants foreign and domestic.

oh by the way, I've never owned or even held a gun in my hands.

[Rob Sandberg]

Re: Gun Control

funny how thousands of black on black gun murders happen every year and we tolerate it. every crook and felon breaks gun laws and the charges get thrown out or reduced.

when whites kill and get killed democrats want to go after every gun and law abiding gun owner in America.

Obama thrives on crisis to remake America,.this crisis is to neuter the gun culture that we embrace, keeps us safe, entertains us, controls animal population and protects us from tyrants foreign and domestic.

oh by the way, I've never owned or even held a gun in my hands.

But it sounds like you would not deny me my 2nd admendment rights.

Rob S

[JR2ALTA]

of course not. just saying i advocate guns/rights without any self interest in the matter. unbiased in other words.

God bless

[JustManuals]

Re: Gun Control

1 mortgage, 1 gun. period.

[ZOOTECH]

Re: Gun Control

Gun control is hitting what you're aiming at.

[copiman]

Re: Gun Control

Gun control is just another political move. Even though I live in the USA, I still have a need and a right to protect myself. Banning guns is just a knee jerk reaction to the real problem. Shoot someone outside of self defense, make a plea deal, and the punishment for that is a joke. Make people responsible for thier actions. If you own a gun, be responsible. Keep it out of anyones hands but yours. Does the gov't really think they can control guns in this country? Hell no they can't. If you want a gun, you can get a gun. The gov't will take away the right to bear arms from the law abiding citizens and allow the thugs and idiots to prey on them. Have you ever heard of a home invasion? Ever here of it happening by only one individual? No. I need fast stopping power. I do believe that all gun purchases should go through the same process. There are people who should never touch a gun.

I am PRO life. Senseless death is a shame. I think there could be some things done to help the situation. But denying people the right to protect themselves is stupid. Since the gov't cannot protect me, I must do it. And I will. One way or the other. I have the right to the persuit of happiness and to bear arms. Therfore, having the means to protect myself makes me happy. There, problem solved. In the words of Forrest Gump, thats all I have to say about that.

[Jules Winfield]

Re: Gun Control

Jesus...

All this time I thought "gun control" was being able to hit your target.

[TheOwl]

Re: Gun Control

While I don't live in America, I do live in Tasmania where Martin Bryant killed 35 people and injured another 21 in the Port Arthur massacare.

Our gun laws where quite lapse at the point which this occurred and we went through something to which you are all going through now. We categorized firearms as follows:

Category A
Air Rifles, Rimfire rifles other than self loading, Shotguns other than Pump Action or self loading and shotgun and rimfire combination.

Category B
Muzzle loading firearms, centrefire rifles other than self loading and shotgun and centrefire combination.

Category C
Category C firearms licences are only avaiable to primary producers or a person employed or engaged in primary production, or a bona fide collector subject to certain conditions.

Selfloading rimfire with a magazine capacity of no more than 10 rounds, self loading shotgun with a magazine capacity of no more than 5 rounds and pump action shotguns with a magazine capacity of no more than 5 rounds.

Category D
Category D licences are only available to professional shooters whose principal occupation is the controlling of vertebrate pest animals or a bona fide collector subject to certain conditions.

Selfloading centerfire rifle, self loading shotgun with a magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds, pump action shotgun with a magazine capacity or more than 5 rounds and self loading rimfire rifles with a magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds.

Category H
A category H licence is only available to members of pistol clubs, persons employed as firearms dealers, security guards and security agents or a bona fide collector subject to certain conditions.

For Sports/Target shooting - Pistols and air pistols which do not exceed .38 calibre with a magazine capacity of 10 rounds or less.
For Security - Pistol that does not exceed .38 or 9mm calibre and must use factory load ammunition.

For bona fide collectors, the firearm must be blocked, firing pin removed and a legitmate reason for collecting such as a family heirloom.

Guns can only be transferred to another licence hold via a firearms dealer so that the registration of the firearm can be transferred to the new only and all paper work correctly given to our Police - Firearms branch.

Our laws may seem strict, but they work. It is extremely hard to get hold of firearms outside of the law. While this doesn't stop un-registered and illegal weapons, it makes it increasingly harder for criminals to acquire a gun. When you go for your licence, you need to have a full Police Check and only if you fully pass that, will you be allowed to sit through the firearms course which you must pass for each category.

I myself am a shooter with Category A and B licences, even though I have done some culling work, I never applied for a Category C licence as everything I had in the Cat A and B range did the job just nicely. I fully support the laws that we have, even though I lost the chance to own a family heirloom in the form of a Category D SKB Semi-Auto shotgun.

Remember, gun control isn't about taking everything away from you, it is about making the country a safer place to live in.

[brewster67]

Re: Gun Control

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Ben Franklin

[BVulgaris]

Re: Gun Control

First of all....

Men armed with assault rifles walk through Portland to 'educate' public on gun rights | Fox News

I think people should be allowed to buy whatever gun they so wish. I feel that if the gun is secured in a home, that the method of storage must be inspected.... too many third parties in the past finding ways to access those guns. Optimally they would be stored at a "bank" much like high end jewelry would. You would check your gun out for the allotted time required (if hunting for the weekend or holidays it would be for more than a day) and the ammo and then travel to your hunting lodge or firing range, etc. (where at the lodge you would have an inspected hold, or the property owners would provide a certified holding container when its not in use in the field).

I have heard valid arguments for having a .50 cal hand gun.... often revolving around people who live in areas where wild boars or workers who have to deal with polar bears (canada etc.).

there is a huge problem with a blanket gun ban because there are gun collectors and historical gun collectors who have created a market for safe consumerism, though that is often spoiled by a few rotten apples so to say.

We should approach this issue intelligently and look for opportunities rather than direct draconian restrictions. Even the addition of higher grade safety installations in new guns (though judge dredd issues come to mind considering cloning if its DNA based locks).

Also.... too much emotion on this subject when discussed it seems...

[mojorolla]

Re: Gun Control

They can pass any laws they want, it will not change a thing. If the unsuccessful war on drugs has taught us anything it is that supply and demand runs the show, period. Selling organs and children are illegal, but there are black markets for both.

While I do not own a gun, I support the right to do so.

[Iowatech]

Re: Gun Control

The trouble with gun control laws is that they blame the people who can handle firearms in a safe and responsible manner for the crimes of people who don't. And they are proposed by people too timid to handle firearms in any way.

[nmfaxman]

Re: Gun Control

They can take my weapon when they pry it from my cold dead hand.

I refuse to be disarmed with all the looney tunes in this world.

Take my weapons and all I have left is bad language and sharp objects!

When all the nukes are gone from the world I will think about it.
Deterrence is deterrence.

Take away personal defense and only the evil will be armed.

Take away defense and all the crooks know they can do what they want anywhere they want, because there is no defense.

Nuff said.

[Shadow]

Re: Gun Control

I believe in your right to own firearms, as it is written in your Constitution, I have American Heritage and follow this closely.
All that the current and proposed firearm laws will do is affect the law abiding responsible firearms owner.
Here in Canada we went through our own trials with firearms rules and regulations.
Hand guns have had to be registered for a very long time now, long guns on the other hand have been through a lot of controversy over their registration.
As long as we keep our firearms locked in a secure location, with the ammunition in a separate location securely locked then all is fine.
The law abiding citizen will adhere to the laws and be just fine in the long run.
However the criminal and, for lack of a better description, the nut job don't give a rats ass about those or any other laws concerning firearms.
The right to protect one's family and property are unquestionably at the forefront of this current discussion.
Self preservation is a natural instinct, to protect one's spouse and offspring is also instinctive.
The means to protect them have changed from that of a big stick to the modern day boom stick.
I support you with responsible ownership in your pursuit to have a resolution to this matter.