I like guns.

[rhwestfall]

Why is it in places like DC, CA, NY, ect that have very restricted gun rights there is WAY more "gun" crime then places where guns are more prevalent? How come in those places more criminals have firearms then law abiding people? Laws in those places restrict law abiding people from owning guns, but does NOTHING to stop the criminals.

Living in one of those locations, all I can say is "amen"...

 

[letterboy]

Well took several months but I think we finally went political...

 

[TMHeimer]

The problem with that idea is that ANY law ONLY works for people willing to abide by the law. Criminal by nature are breaking the law, so WHO does the law effect? There are already 40,000 gun control laws on the books, not counting things like "it is illegal to kill people" and yet that does not stop it. What is one more or two more or even a thousand laws going to do to change that?

In most cases where guns are used to hurt/kill another they are either used in defense, so legal OR they are breaking not just one but MANY laws...........

Why is it in places like DC, CA, NY, ect that have very restricted gun rights there is WAY more "gun" crime then places where guns are more prevalent? How come in those places more criminals have firearms then law abiding people? Laws in those places restrict law abiding people from owning guns, but does NOTHING to stop the criminals.

Well, those 3 places you mentioned are possibly 3 of the highest crime rate places in the U.S. I know I'll eventually get back to Canada--I would guess that even with our gun control, more criminals than law abiders have guns. But as a whole, Canada has far fewer gun deaths than the U.S. There are some pretty "seedy" places here too. I don't favour gun control at all. The govt. says you can't have a hand gun but won't be on hand to save you from a home invasion. Just for arguement's sake, I wonder of gun control would get the U.S. down to other countrys' statistics?

 

[rhwestfall]

thread killer/hijack

 

[Mike]

Mike, I checked out the gun forum you mentioned. Lots to read there. Again, I understand what you are saying about gun deaths resulting from societal problems--of course. I know you don't want to get into that big discussion. Just wondering if you think that stat about the U.S. is true, and if so, do you think gun control (not that I think we should have it) would reduce gun deaths some?

Of course gun control (banning of guns, repeal of the 2nd ammendment) would reduce gun deaths.

The question though isn't gun deaths, it's criminal caused deaths isn't it? Would violent crime disappear or be reduced significantly with no guns? Or are you concerned with suicides by firearm too?

Violent crime would not go away, but personal defense and lives saved via firearm would go away.

Want an eye-opener? - I challenge you to only spend 2 minutes looking at this (it's well worth 2 minutes, and I bet you a dollar you spend more than 2 minutes reading if you expand on any of the stories)

NRA-ILA | Armed Citizen

(Keep in mind those are only the reported incidents, you need to multiply what you see there by a factor of 5-10 times for the true reality because many, many incidents never get reported, never make the news are simply happening and never making any public record, so what you see there is only a fraction of the truth.

 

[Nwcid]

Violent crime is violent crime and has been going on since before recorded history. A gun is just one tool that CAN be used for bad, but also for good. Guns are not the cause of crime, just one of the current mediums of it.

If there were NO guns ever, there could be no "gun crime", but that would not stop there being violent crime, the tool would just be different. In other countries there IS less "gun crime" BUT there is more violent crime on the whole.

 

[letterboy]

I wish SB had a place to talk about this stuff... Perhaps they could called the pub or some such name...

 

[randy88k5]

I guess it is an interesting topic if you're a hunter. If not......?

As others have said, gun ownership does not equate to hunting.
This was actually an NRA carryover from the Clinton era when there was a big push for gun control. The NRA campaigned heavily that gun ownership was necessary for the American tradition of hunting. So much that people still have knee-jerk reactions to non-typical hunting firearms.

I waited months for all these posts to accumulate before commenting

If you want actual debate, I suggest taking your views over to the current and ongoing thread in the Pub. You might actually get some support there too. With all due respect, leave this thread for the statement in the title.

 

[TMHeimer]

Violent crime is violent crime and has been going on since before recorded history. A gun is just one tool that CAN be used for bad, but also for good. Guns are not the cause of crime, just one of the current mediums of it.

If there were NO guns ever, there could be no "gun crime", but that would not stop there being violent crime, the tool would just be different. In other countries there IS less "gun crime" BUT there is more violent crime on the whole.

I could believe that. Any statistics?

Mike, I read your NRA link. Exactly why I don't favor gun control.

randy88k5, Thanks. Didn't realize there was one in The Pub. Will do.

 

[Nwcid]

Here I will help get this back on track.