Gun Control

[CARLHAYDEN]

Shotguns, hunting rifles etc are *not* banned (except for certain high velocity weapons, eg: pump action shotguns).

Just to take one of you assertions, where do you get the silly idea that the action of a firearm controls its velocity?  Pump actions have no higher "velocity" than break actions, or semi-autos.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I actually tend to agree that the 2nd amendment should prohibit all government regulation of gun ownership.  Maybe if we got rid of all our gun laws, people would see how ridiculous the 2nd amendment is and finally repeal it.  Then Congress could regulate weapons based on common sense and empirical evidence rather than obtuse constitutional arguments.

[Brambila]

Okay, this is really immature of me, but:

Gun Control=Holding two hands.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Shotguns, hunting rifles etc are *not* banned (except for certain high velocity weapons, eg: pump action shotguns).

Just to take one of you assertions, where do you get the silly idea that the action of a firearm controls its velocity?  Pump actions have no higher "velocity" than break actions, or semi-autos.

Semi-Automatic weapons are banned as well.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The best argument for gun control is anti-gun control fanatics

Seriously now... in the U.K handguns were banned because of a massacre in a school in Scotland which shocked and appalled just about everyone. There was a massive wave of support for banning handguns.
Very, very few people owned handguns.
Automatic weapons are also banned.

Shotguns, hunting rifles etc are *not* banned (except for certain high velocity weapons, eg: pump action shotguns).

Most gun fatalities are nowadays caused by converted replicas (although the police are trying to crack down on this) and gun deaths are far, far lower in the U.K than in the U.S

But overall crime is much higher.

And I'm sure that having some thug stealing your phone is *much* more serious than being gunned down by said thug...

The U.K does have a problem with petty crime (I blame Thatcher) and an influx of guns would make the problem worse. But I'd rather have a problem with petty crime than a problem with serious crime.

I am talking about serious crime, like burglary.

Has been falling for years. Fear of it hasn't, but that's the media's fault.

Right, I'm sure. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1-537568,00.html

That article is from 2003. And anyway the methods of recording crime have changed as well.

[opebo]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

[bejkuy]

A-MEN,

Sorry to get religious on you Opebo.

[John Dibble]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

That's right. The ONLY time what weapons a person has is someone else's business is when they use them criminally or negligently. If you want to punish those people, I'm all for it, but otherwise you should mind your own business and leave those of us that use our guns responsibly and legally alone.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

[John Dibble]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

Do I need a car to defend myself? No. I have the right to defend myself, my family, and my property, and to properly do so I feel the need to have the same advantages criminals have - weapons. No matter how hard you try, you won't stop criminals from getting them - you'll only advantage them because the innocent won't have the means by which to defend themselves available to them.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

Do I need a car to defend myself? No. I have the right to defend myself, my family, and my property, and to properly do so I feel the need to have the same advantages criminals have - weapons. No matter how hard you try, you won't stop criminals from getting them - you'll only advantage them because the innocent won't have the means by which to defend themselves available to them.

Europe has done a pretty good job of preventing criminals from getting them.  If the criminal there were so "advantaged", why wouldn't there be more gun-related crime in Europe?

[John Dibble]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

Do I need a car to defend myself? No. I have the right to defend myself, my family, and my property, and to properly do so I feel the need to have the same advantages criminals have - weapons. No matter how hard you try, you won't stop criminals from getting them - you'll only advantage them because the innocent won't have the means by which to defend themselves available to them.

Europe has done a pretty good job of preventing criminals from getting them.  If the criminal there were so "advantaged", why wouldn't there be more gun-related crime in Europe?

Regardless of whether you're right or not, don't criminals find it easier to get a gun in the UK than the law abiding citizens? I'd rather my chances of getting a gun be at least equal to the criminals' chances. In the UK, you can't get a gun if you obey the law - but if you're a criminal you can, you just have to find a black market dealer.

[Josh/Devilman88]

Guns are stupid and pointless

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

Do I need a car to defend myself? No. I have the right to defend myself, my family, and my property, and to properly do so I feel the need to have the same advantages criminals have - weapons. No matter how hard you try, you won't stop criminals from getting them - you'll only advantage them because the innocent won't have the means by which to defend themselves available to them.

Europe has done a pretty good job of preventing criminals from getting them.  If the criminal there were so "advantaged", why wouldn't there be more gun-related crime in Europe?

Regardless of whether you're right or not, don't criminals find it easier to get a gun in the UK than the law abiding citizens? I'd rather my chances of getting a gun be at least equal to the criminals' chances. In the UK, you can't get a gun if you obey the law - but if you're a criminal you can, you just have to find a black market dealer.

They must not find it very easy to get a gun, because there is so little gun crime.  It is clearly harder for them to get a gun than for the police, which is not true in the US.  I'd guess that law enforcement officers in Europe feel much safer than those in the US because of it.  And I'll bet most European feel safer than most Americans.  And isn't that the purpose of owning a gun....to feel safe?

[John Dibble]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

Do I need a car to defend myself? No. I have the right to defend myself, my family, and my property, and to properly do so I feel the need to have the same advantages criminals have - weapons. No matter how hard you try, you won't stop criminals from getting them - you'll only advantage them because the innocent won't have the means by which to defend themselves available to them.

Europe has done a pretty good job of preventing criminals from getting them.  If the criminal there were so "advantaged", why wouldn't there be more gun-related crime in Europe?

Regardless of whether you're right or not, don't criminals find it easier to get a gun in the UK than the law abiding citizens? I'd rather my chances of getting a gun be at least equal to the criminals' chances. In the UK, you can't get a gun if you obey the law - but if you're a criminal you can, you just have to find a black market dealer.

They must not find it very easy to get a gun, because there is so little gun crime.  It is clearly harder for them to get a gun than for the police, which is not true in the US.  I'd guess that law enforcement officers in Europe feel much safer than those in the US because of it.  And I'll bet most European feel safer than most Americans.  And isn't that the purpose of owning a gun....to feel safe?

Do everyone a favor - Don't say 'Europe', because Europe is not a country. In Switzerland all males are required to own a gun, in the UK nobody is allowed to own a gun. Both are in Europe - opposite extremes. Different countries, different laws. However, it looks to me like the UK still has higher crime rates than Switzerland.

Also, you didn't really answer my question - who can more easily attain a gun in the UK, law-abiding citizens or criminals?

[John Dibble]

Another thing - violent crime in European countries have in general been lower than in the U.S. even before gun control was implemented. Also, the crime rates have been increasing faster in Europe and other areas than in the U.S.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

Do I need a car to defend myself? No. I have the right to defend myself, my family, and my property, and to properly do so I feel the need to have the same advantages criminals have - weapons. No matter how hard you try, you won't stop criminals from getting them - you'll only advantage them because the innocent won't have the means by which to defend themselves available to them.

Europe has done a pretty good job of preventing criminals from getting them.  If the criminal there were so "advantaged", why wouldn't there be more gun-related crime in Europe?

Regardless of whether you're right or not, don't criminals find it easier to get a gun in the UK than the law abiding citizens? I'd rather my chances of getting a gun be at least equal to the criminals' chances. In the UK, you can't get a gun if you obey the law - but if you're a criminal you can, you just have to find a black market dealer.

They must not find it very easy to get a gun, because there is so little gun crime.  It is clearly harder for them to get a gun than for the police, which is not true in the US.  I'd guess that law enforcement officers in Europe feel much safer than those in the US because of it.  And I'll bet most European feel safer than most Americans.  And isn't that the purpose of owning a gun....to feel safe?

Do everyone a favor - Don't say 'Europe', because Europe is not a country. In Switzerland all males are required to own a gun, in the UK nobody is allowed to own a gun. Both are in Europe - opposite extremes. Different countries, different laws. However, it looks to me like the UK still has higher crime rates than Switzerland.

Also, you didn't really answer my question - who can more easily attain a gun in the UK, law-abiding citizens or criminals?

Is everyone required to own a handgun in Switzerland?  I'm was generalizing from the UK; sorry if that is incorrect.   I imagine there are channels in which law abiding citizens can acquire guns...by joining the army, for instance.   So I don't think is is necessarily easier for criminals to get them, but I don't know the numbers.  But if the murder rate is so low that no one would be or feel safer by owning a gun, why does your question matter?

Violent crime rates in the US have been going down, but gun restirictions in the US have also been increasing.  Although there are other factors in this trendl, I would be very surprised if greater gun ownership was one of them.

[opebo]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

I also disagree with licensing of cars..

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I was told that in Britain, France, and Germany, it is possible for private citizens to legally acquire guns. From what I'm told, it's pretty hard to do, but it does happen.

You want a country where it's almost impossible to acquire a gun? Try Singapore. Yes, the same Singapore whose government conservatives are always defending.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

I also disagree with licensing of cars..

How would you make sure that everyone is insured?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

How would you make sure that everyone is insured?

Who cares if drivers are insured?

Car insurance is a big scam. I wouldn't shed a tear if it went away for good.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Shotguns, hunting rifles etc are *not* banned (except for certain high velocity weapons, eg: pump action shotguns).

Just to take one of you assertions, where do you get the silly idea that the action of a firearm controls its velocity?  Pump actions have no higher "velocity" than break actions, or semi-autos.

Semi-Automatic weapons are banned as well.

I'm sorry, but your post was non-responsive.  I repeat, where did you get the silly idea that the action of a firearm controls its velocity as you previously asserted?

[John Dibble]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

Do I need a car to defend myself? No. I have the right to defend myself, my family, and my property, and to properly do so I feel the need to have the same advantages criminals have - weapons. No matter how hard you try, you won't stop criminals from getting them - you'll only advantage them because the innocent won't have the means by which to defend themselves available to them.

Europe has done a pretty good job of preventing criminals from getting them.  If the criminal there were so "advantaged", why wouldn't there be more gun-related crime in Europe?

Regardless of whether you're right or not, don't criminals find it easier to get a gun in the UK than the law abiding citizens? I'd rather my chances of getting a gun be at least equal to the criminals' chances. In the UK, you can't get a gun if you obey the law - but if you're a criminal you can, you just have to find a black market dealer.

They must not find it very easy to get a gun, because there is so little gun crime.  It is clearly harder for them to get a gun than for the police, which is not true in the US.  I'd guess that law enforcement officers in Europe feel much safer than those in the US because of it.  And I'll bet most European feel safer than most Americans.  And isn't that the purpose of owning a gun....to feel safe?

Do everyone a favor - Don't say 'Europe', because Europe is not a country. In Switzerland all males are required to own a gun, in the UK nobody is allowed to own a gun. Both are in Europe - opposite extremes. Different countries, different laws. However, it looks to me like the UK still has higher crime rates than Switzerland.

Also, you didn't really answer my question - who can more easily attain a gun in the UK, law-abiding citizens or criminals?

Is everyone required to own a handgun in Switzerland?

No - only able bodied males, and they are required to own a full-auto weapon. They are each provided with a sealed tin of ammunition for their weapon when they are issued, to be opened only in the event of a foreign invasion. Opening this container under pretty much any other circumstance is punishable by imprisonment. However, attaining ammo isn't hard - gun ranges sell it(there's a lot of gun ranges in Switzerland, about 3000). Though technically ammo attained at a gun range is supposed to be used only at the gun range, it is a rule that is barely known and almost never obeyed.

I'd like to note that the high amount of guns in Switzerland was one of the reasons that the Nazis did not invade them during WWII(at the time, each household had a rifle). They realized it would be of great cost to invade, so they didn't.

I'd also like to point out I feel very safe knowing my neigbors have guns. At one point, our two of our bad neigbor's(who had something to do with the manufacture or sale of illegal drugs) akitas(huge fighting dogs) got loose and attacked one of our dogs. Fortunately, our good neighbor came to our aid and put a 9mm round into one of the dogs(and this was after firing two warning shots). Fortunately for myself, my family, and my neighbors, our bad neighbors were evicted some months later. Just showing an example of a use for a gun even if there isn't another gun involved. I'd also like to say that my family has been a victim of gun related crime - my father was killed a little over 10 years ago in a car jacking. Had he had a gun with him, he have lived through it. My mother shortly after took a gun course(and believe me, you don't want her pointing a gun at you, she can fire lethal shots). So, all in all, having guns on my side make me feel much safer.

[opebo]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

I also disagree with licensing of cars..

How would you make sure that everyone is insured?

I wouldn't.  I don't care if they're insured, and its none of my business.

[ATFFL]

It is my own private business what sort of weapons I may own.

Why should you have more right to own a weapon than to own a car, for instance?

I also disagree with licensing of cars..

How would you make sure that everyone is insured?

I wouldn't.  I don't care if they're insured, and its none of my business.

You a trial lawyer?  They would LOVE this.

Every fender bender leads to a lawauit.