Americans - Would you change gun laws?

[Shuemue]

Simple question, two choices, just something I was wondering about.

[Senoska]

I don't want a "only big brother has guns" situation. And I myself own guns, but I also live in Detroit, and there is a lot of gun crime here. Regardless of the constitution and what not, places that outlaw guns are statistically safer then those that don't, and not by a small margin.

[Shuemue]

For the record, I'm not going to post in this thread just yet, my opinion isn't important. I just thought of this last night randomly, and seeing Charlton Heston had died, I thought it a fitting topic.

[Ace-o-fire]

I don't want a "only big brother has guns" situation. And I myself own guns, but I also live in Detroit, and there is a lot of gun crime here. Regardless of the constitution and what not, places that outlaw guns are statistically safer then those that don't, and not by a small margin.

I'm in the same type of deal. I live just out side Camden, but I have to drive through it each day. I keep a gun in my glove compartment. It's all legal. Ive had to pull it twice since ive gotten it at car jackers.

+ it would be bad for all the people who hunt. I know in my family we have 12 hunting rifles.

The only thing I think they should ban or control is assault weapons

[Julian]

fuck hunting

fuck guns >

[Lyramion]

From a Germen standpoint those weaponlaws are ridiculus. But for too many American taking away their weapons would be like cutting off their penis

[Senoska]

I don't want a "only big brother has guns" situation. And I myself own guns, but I also live in Detroit, and there is a lot of gun crime here. Regardless of the constitution and what not, places that outlaw guns are statistically safer then those that don't, and not by a small margin.

I'm in the same type of deal. I live just out side Camden, but I have to drive through it each day. I keep a gun in my glove compartment. It's all legal. Ive had to pull it twice since ive gotten it at car jackers.

+ it would be bad for all the people who hunt. I know in my family we have 12 hunting rifles.

The only thing I think they should ban or control is assault weapons

I think you misunderstood, I was in support of banning guns. I will own them until they are banned, sort of like "if everyone else has them I will have them too" type of thing, if a bitch breaks into my house im going to shoot them because I assume they already have a gun. Also, I'm waiting on my CWP but im rather sure you gotta be 21 I do how ever carry an air pistol in my car and hope it works for intimidation if nothing else (If I were to get jacked, point a gun at them and they will run.) I'm too scared to carry my real pistol in the car until I get my CWP; fuck that lol. I also always have a knife in my pocket.

[Alleya]

Owning a gun should not be a crime.

Hurting someone with a gun is.

People have a right to defend themselves by the best means possible. For every law you make, you make a black market to go with it. If you ban all guns, only people already willing to commit crimes will have guns. That just spells trouble for law-abiding innocents. It also further removes the power of the common people to stand up to a corrupt or oppressive government.

That doesn't mean I think people should have free access to automatic assault weapons, though. Leave the gun laws where they are. It's up to the states to decide.

[Senoska]

Gun's arn't legal because you need the right to defend yourself against someone else with a gun, its for military purposes.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

[noblemountain]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFRx-QoIKBM

In 1997, guns were used in 17,566 suicides, compared to 13,522 homicides.

In the United States during 1997, there were 15,289 murders. Of these, 10,369 were committed with firearms. (2)

In the United States during 1997, there were approximately 7,927,000 violent crimes. Of these, 691,000 were committed with firearms. (12)

As of 1992, for every 14 violent crimes (murder, rape, etc…) committed in the United States, one person is sentenced to prison. (62)

As of 1992, average length of imprisonment for:

Murder - 10.0 years
Rape - 7.6 years
Aggravated Assault - 3.4 years

In the early/mid 1990's, criminals on parole or early release from prison committed about 5,000 murders, 17,000 rapes, and 200,000 robberies a year.

Americans use firearms to defend themselves from criminals at least 764,000 times a year. This figure is the lowest among a group of 9 nationwide surveys done by organizations including Gallup and the Los Angeles Times.

In 1982, a survey of imprisoned criminals found that 34% of them had been "scared off, shot at, wounded or captured by an armed victim."

Washington D.C. enacted a virtual ban on handguns in 1976. Between 1976 and 1991, Washington D.C.'s homicide rate rose 200%, while the U.S. rate rose 12%.

two weeks ago my neighbor had a guy break in his house, hold him at knifepoint, tie him up, take all his money/valuables, and rape his 16 year old daughter in front of him. he got rid of his guns about 6 months ago because his wife said they made his home, "unsafe". i was in the military too long to not own a weapon. i'm not a gun nut who goes and shoots every day or anything of the sort, but i do clean my weapons fairly regularly, i do go to the range one a month or so and fire them to keep them in good condition, and i do believe that owning a weapon is something that i will do until i'm outta here for good.

[Alleya]

Gun's arn't legal because you need the right to defend yourself against someone else with a gun, its for military purposes.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

I'm not talking about constitutional rights, I'm talking about human rights.

And anyway, what the hell that passage even says is still under debate 200+ years later. Fucking founding fathers need to throw some periods in that shit.

[Maxxthepenguin]

Gun's arn't legal because you need the right to defend yourself against someone else with a gun, its for military purposes.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

A) Let's talk about what makes sense now
B) They imagined that there was no way that the US Army could ever more powerful than the combined militias of the US. They were wrong.
C) Does this poll imply that guns would magically disappear as the result of a banning?

All I think is that we need to make gun purchasing a far slower process, with stronger background checks. No 'gun show laws'. Then we should have some sort of tracking system for the guns (not GPS or something, maybe renewal of licenses every 5 or so years.) Possibly ban handguns.

[Vinen]

I am so happy I live in NH. I felt like I wanted a gun for Range / Self Protection one day... walked into a Gun Show, walked out with a Glock and dropped by the Town Hall to register for my license to carry concealed.

(The above is a true story of my own... BUT, this does not mean I don't think Gun Laws need to be changed slightly- In addition to a background check people should be required to undergo a mental evaluation. Gun Tracking should be outside eliminated minus serial numbers- It's useless. ESP the shit Cali has or recently proposed which requires every gun to place a mark on the bullet which can be uniquely identified... one day the range can wear that away!)

[Senoska]

Gun's arn't legal because you need the right to defend yourself against someone else with a gun, its for military purposes.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

A) Let's talk about what makes sense now
B) They imagined that there was no way that the US Army could ever more powerful than the combined militias of the US. They were wrong.
C) Does this poll imply that guns would magically disappear as the result of a banning?

All I think is that we need to make gun purchasing a far slower process, with stronger background checks. No 'gun show laws'. Then we should have some sort of tracking system for the guns (not GPS or something, maybe renewal of licenses every 5 or so years.) Possibly ban handguns.

A) Thats my point
B) I don't think the army is stronger then what a usa militia would be.
C) Of course not, but again, other countries have done it, why not the USA?

Why support guns? What's the point of having them? You create a paradox almost with this shit. "We should allow guns, and the reason we should allow guns is because we allow guns and you need to defend yourself from those that have them" its retarded. And of course there will be a black market for this, but much like there is a black market for grenades, rpgs, high explosives, and every other weapon, but it would cut down on the average shmoe going out and shooting someone, or the random gang banger in detroit wanting to rob someone. These people don't have the connections, and if they did it wouldn't be on the same scale it is now.

[Fhqwghads]

We don't need to ban guns. We need people to stop glorifying violence and murder in the media. It's the way American society has violent tendencies ingrained in its fiber that makes guns dangerous. I'd be willing to bet that if countries who have outlawed guns suddenly had the freedom to purchase them, they more than likely wouldn't run around shooting one another.

[Maxxthepenguin]

We need to people to stop glorifying violence and murder in the media.

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5619/sigjl6.jpg

Gamer says wut

[Fhqwghads]

Meh... it's early, my brain thinks way past where my fingers are typing sometimes. Typos aren't what my sig is about. =P Brb, need more coffee.

[noblemountain]

banning guns in no way would stop gun related violence. pot is illegal...but methinks that a lot of BG'ers find ways to partake in that...and it doesn't take "connections" as you so dubiously titled it. any idiot can walk to any random place in any random town and score weed or coke...why wouldn't they be able to do the same with guns? it's silly to think otherwise.

[Maxxthepenguin]

Meh... it's early, my brain thinks way past where my fingers are typing sometimes. Typos aren't what my sig is about. =P Brb, need more coffee.

I was more saying holy crap violent sig.

[Demosthenes]

I am not American, nor am I down with guns, but it is ingrained in the foundation of the country. The right to bear arms was for protection against tyranny. For Americans to be able to answer the call to arms and defend themselves when needed to do so, by America. The Right still carries weight and merit today. The possibility of losing America to it's military and a military dictatorship is not impossible. Slim, but not impossible. The only kind of check in place for that kind of tyranny? The people of America rising up to defend themselves if the need arises.
I'm not down with guns in the least, but it is a big part of this country's history and future. Tighter gun control laws? Sure! Getting rid of them? Impossible.