US Gun control

[kirottu]

Shame on you all.

 

Wait, what?

[Morgoth]

Shame on you all.

 

Wait, what?

Women are like that when they get emotional...

[Walsingham]

I'd agree with Monte's assessment of why we are interested in the UK, and add that gun crime is growing enormously. We also have armed police officers routinely at train stations, public events, and airports. We think YOU are where we might end up. obviously that's going to interest us.

 

Again, I have to clarify. I don't agree with the notion that people can only get by in life if they are carrying concealed handguns. I can empathise with that view, mainly because I've held it at various times when my life has been threatened! My opposition now is so complex I've written and re-written my next sentence seven times. I simply don't believe that the majority of people - even law-abiding people (actually ESPECIALLY law abiding people) have the self-control and judgement to manage access to lethal force at all times. The smaller the gun, the more often you can carry it, and the greater the likelihood of using it in error. I would honestly feel safer with everyone owning .50 MGs than everyone owning .40 automatics.

[Gorgon]

It's a constitutional relic. Maybe it made sense after the war of independence, or in the wild west. In the modern metropolis, not so much.

[Walsingham]

It's a constitutional relic. Maybe it made sense after the war of independence, or in the wild west. In the modern metropolis, not so much.

 

You may be deliberately ignoring my central thesis, but i'm interested in what you think, Gorgo. Large disparate polities tend towards central dictatorships. An armed polity discourages this trend from progressing too far - albeit more in the mind than it would in reality.

[Gorgon]

How does it discourage it ?. The federal agencies seem to have little trouble dealing with militias, it would be even less of an effort for the army. Unless we are counting on mass waves of volunteers.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Gorgon

[Guard Dog]

You guys do realize that the Washington D.C. V Heller decision pretty much put the brakes on confiscatory gun control for good and all. As for crime prevention I'll simply point out that where I live (rual western Tennessee) 99% of the home owners are armed to the teeth, myself included. Out here there are few restrictions on gun ownership and home invasions and robberies are almost unheard of. In Memphis there are many restrictions, most people do not own guns and home invasions, murder, and robberies are commonplace. Yes there are other factors but, would you break into my house knowing I was armed?

 

As for the role of guns in politics, allow me to simply quote George Washington "An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed man is a subject".

 

I know most europeans get in a twist about our gun laws but allow me to speak for all Americans when I say, we do not care what you think. You don't get a vote here (Thank God) and you can kiss off if you don't like how we do things.

[Moose]

would you break into my house knowing I was armed?

 

The real question would be would I break into your house knowing you weren't armed; and that's a no. If you can't expect that much from your neighbourhood you're already screwed.

[Gorgon]

You guys do realize that the Washington D.C. V Heller decision pretty much put the brakes on confiscatory gun control for good and all. As for crime prevention I'll simply point out that where I live (rual western Tennessee) 99% of the home owners are armed to the teeth, myself included. Out here there are few restrictions on gun ownership and home invasions and robberies are almost unheard of. In Memphis there are many restrictions, most people do not own guns and home invasions, murder, and robberies are commonplace. Yes there are other factors but, would you break into my house knowing I was armed?

 

As for the role of guns in politics, allow me to simply quote George Washington "An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed man is a subject".

 

I know most europeans get in a twist about our gun laws but allow me to speak for all Americans when I say, we do not care what you think. You don't get a vote here (Thank God) and you can kiss off if you don't like how we do things.

Where have you been, the Tennessee legislature is on the verge of buckling under the weight of European popular opinion.

[Guard Dog]

You guys do realize that the Washington D.C. V Heller decision pretty much put the brakes on confiscatory gun control for good and all. As for crime prevention I'll simply point out that where I live (rual western Tennessee) 99% of the home owners are armed to the teeth, myself included. Out here there are few restrictions on gun ownership and home invasions and robberies are almost unheard of. In Memphis there are many restrictions, most people do not own guns and home invasions, murder, and robberies are commonplace. Yes there are other factors but, would you break into my house knowing I was armed?

 

As for the role of guns in politics, allow me to simply quote George Washington "An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed man is a subject".

 

I know most europeans get in a twist about our gun laws but allow me to speak for all Americans when I say, we do not care what you think. You don't get a vote here (Thank God) and you can kiss off if you don't like how we do things.

Where have you been, the Tennessee legislature is on the verge of buckling under the weight of European popular opinion.

 

That would make a great conspiracy theory.

 

Speaking of which we have not had a thread on those in a long time. I've heard LOTS of new ones since our last one. The only bad thing about conspiracy theories is too many people fail to find humor in them and take them wayyy to seriously.

[Walsingham]

As for the role of guns in politics, allow me to simply quote George Washington "An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed man is a subject".

 

What if the unarmed man was Chuck Norris?

 

Jumping to Gorgon's point, I don't see it as a problem that the Govt routinely whups militias. I used to argue with a militiaman waaaaay back at the start of the internets and he was as mad as LoF. Only unlike LoF he used to put in hours of training each week, and made the commitment to actively purusing his goals, in addition to putting in some time working for charities by organising sponsored abseiling and shooting competitions.

 

Anyway, the point is that it small armed groups could challenge government that would mean an effective end to democracy, not a protection of it. But large mobs of a size which would be democratically significant but are refused democratic process MIGHT be.

 

Personally I think that in the USA mobility and sustainability would count for far more than raw lethality, but that's not my point. It's what the greedy dunderheads in Washington think that matters.

[Rosbjerg]

You guys do realize that the Washington D.C. V Heller decision pretty much put the brakes on confiscatory gun control for good and all. As for crime prevention I'll simply point out that where I live (rual western Tennessee) 99% of the home owners are armed to the teeth, myself included. Out here there are few restrictions on gun ownership and home invasions and robberies are almost unheard of. In Memphis there are many restrictions, most people do not own guns and home invasions, murder, and robberies are commonplace. Yes there are other factors but, would you break into my house knowing I was armed?

 

Generally there's less crime in rural areas compared to cities .. and my guess would be that on top of that you live in an area that is mostly populated by middleclass people with comparable income, right? You see, we have the same tendencies in Europe - the bigger the population and the bigger the economical difference between the higher the crime rate.. guns don't really have anything to do with - desperation however is a pretty big motivator when it comes to crime. People don't do crimes just for fun you know, unless they are psychopaths of course..

 

I know most europeans get in a twist about our gun laws but allow me to speak for all Americans when I say, we do not care what you think. You don't get a vote here (Thank God) and you can kiss off if you don't like how we do things.

 

This isn't about anyone getting a say where no say is due, it's merely about opinion - just like you have an opinion on European politics.

[Guard Dog]

This isn't about anyone getting a say where no say is due, it's merely about opinion - just like you have an opinion on European politics.

 

I did not mean to imply otherwise. I've been saying it on this board for as long as I've been posting here that most Europeans forget how different the US and Americans actually are from you. We have so much in common historically, culturally, even in language in many places, that you guys often forget that we are a different animal all together from any nation in Europe.

 

Gun rights are not so much about guns as they are about rights. Many people who do not even own guns oppose gun control simply because the government has no right to prevent a citizen from enjoying a Constitutionally guaranteed right. It may sound like a slippery slope argument but we believe it 100% that is a single right is lost, they all are as good as lost.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Guard Dog

[Orogun01]

This isn't about anyone getting a say where no say is due, it's merely about opinion - just like you have an opinion on European politics.

 

I did not mean to imply otherwise. I've been saying it on this board for as long as I've been posting here that most Europeans forget how different the US and Americans actually are from you. We have so much in common historically, culturally, even in language in many places, that you guys often forget that we are a different animal all together from any nation in Europe.

 

Gun rights are not so much about guns as they are about rights. Many people who do not even own guns oppose gun control simply because the government has no right to prevent a citizen from enjoying a Constitutionally guaranteed right. It may sound like a slippery slope argument but we believe it 100% that is a single right is lost, they all are as good as lost.

You forgot to add that is one of the few forms of entertainment that rednecks enjoy. Not a holiday passes by without shooting at some cans.

[Walsingham]

Hold on. Cans have it coming. The filthy weasels.

 

EDIT: I am against shooting weasels.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Walsingham

[mkreku]

...would you break into my house knowing I was armed?

Yes. If I was a house robber, I would simply wait until you were out and then steal your guns. The vast majority of house robberies are done on empty houses (at least in Sweden). It is very rare that someone breaks into a house while the owner is actually inside.

[Aram]

Every post, pro or anti, in this thread just makes me tired. What the heck happened to me?

[Gorgon]

I know the feeling. It's like I have done it a million times already, although it must only be a couple of hundred.

[~Di]

Shame on you all.

 

Wait, what?

 

Yeah, my bad. I should never post when I'm pissed, when it's past one a.m. or when I've been drinking. I should really never post when all three have occurred simultaneously. Apologies to those of you who have not been rude, aggressive or condescending... which is most of you, actually. Mea culpa.

[Walsingham]

Every post, pro or anti, in this thread just makes me tired. What the heck happened to me?

 

Even mine? I only just switched!

[213374U]

...would you break into my house knowing I was armed?

Yes. If I was a house robber, I would simply wait until you were out and then steal your guns.

Hahaha. Sweet, sweet irony.

[Guest The Architect]

I hope they don't stop outlawing guns in Australia, because if they do, how am I suppose to keep beating up nerds and taking their lunch money?

[Rosbjerg]

I hope they don't stop outlawing guns in Australia, because if they do, how am I suppose to keep beating up nerds and taking their lunch money?

 

Why not use your fists?

[Guest The Architect]

Why not use your fists?

 

Who says I don't already do?

Edited April 22, 2010 by The Architect

[Walsingham]

Why not use your fists?

 

Who says I don't already do?

 

Actually I always assumed you used your groin.