RobotMafia
Banned
Gun lovers are just terrible people. That power of a gun is worth more than anything to them.
But later you state that having that right mediated by something like not being a criminal is fine.
What would be so bad about ensuring mentally unstable individuals do not have access to guns. The kind of a damage a 17th century lunatic could inflict with period weapons is but a fraction of the offensive power a modern assault weapon offers.
You guys like to talk about how criminals can get guns anyway but in a weapon less society many criminals do not want to use guns![/
They do not need them since civilians do not carry and if they get caught they get a longer sentence.
No matter how you slice it, guns cost the US thousands of lives per year. At some point having shiny toys that shoot bullets stops being worth it.
Gun lovers are just terrible people. That power of a gun is worth more than anything to them.
2nd ammendment says a well regulated militia has the right to bear arms not bobby joe has a right to go to his local Walmart and buy an assault rifle
This is a fantastic way to have a discussion with someone you disagree with!
The part about the militia isn't a per-requisite for the right of citizens to bear arms.
I disagree with your first sentence. The right to bear arms is a fundamental right. Firearms 200+ years later is still the main means of self defense for a person.
Self defense from who? from what?
Another person who has easily purchased a gun? Surely this self defense thing works both ways.
I honestly still find it hard to come up with an answer on why the general public in a civilised society need access to military grade equipment. The fundamental right argument seems like outdated nonsense.
Please take some time to read this. Seriously.
I understand that some people like to shoot guns at the range. But my question is what's the difference between owning a gun that you only use at a gun range, and RENTING a gun at a gun range and then returning home without the gun? Do you really need to OWN the gun?
You've been doing a damn amazing job of defending gun rights here. Much respect.
I support the right to bear arms for recreation and defense. I don't believe that owning a weapon designed specifically for the rapid death of many targets is intrinsically included in the category of "civil rights". Again, where do you draw the line? Is it literally only because they are projectile weapons and thus classified as "guns" that these particularly devastating arms are protected beyond even a shadow of a doubt?
I mean, in summary, please, please, please explain to me why all guns are apparently created equal regardless of capabilities. Why a shotgun is, for all intents and purposes, no different from a gun capable of killing a dozen people in a matter of seconds.
EDIT: If its not clear, I don't like several of the points that article tries to make, especially when it tries to detatch the second amendment isssue from guns when the only time the second amendment is invoked is when the issue involves guns. It also treats the second amendment as sacrosanct, it only ever once provides justification for its existence in the first place (the last point, which they simultaneously try to claim is both about and not about guns) and otherwise just treats it as an assumed civil right
I'm really not going to get an answer for this, am I?
for the record, I'm genuinely confused by this...I mean, is it like the whole 'take what you want from the bible and ignore what's not convenient' thing? Because if so, I'd be surprised. I really thought the pro-gun people had the constitutional high ground here.
I guess this is the first time I've bothered to read the actual amendment (aside from grade school) was just surprised when half of it was something I hadn't heard much of.
I'm really not going to get an answer for this, am I?
for the record, I'm genuinely confused by this...I mean, is it like the whole 'take what you want from the bible and ignore what's not convenient' thing? Because if so, I'd be surprised. I really thought the pro-gun people had the constitutional high ground here.
I guess this is the first time I've bothered to read the actual amendment (aside from grade school) was just surprised when half of it was something I hadn't heard much of.
The point it makes is that many Liberals (which I consider myself to be..I know..chuckle it up) hold the rest of the Constitution sacred but have no problem throwing the second amendment under the bus.
The last few paragraphs explain why it's still as important today as when it was written. It's a right the people, not the politicians, have reserved since the founding of the nation. Not for home defense. Not for target practice. Not for self defense. Not for hunting. But because they believed that a free people should retain the ability to fight FOR their freedom if need be. I love that about America. That the people from the start reserve the right to overthrow their Government if they deem it necessary. It's not a right I'd dispose of lightly.
I believe gun crime can be addressed with some decent legislation. In a way that doesn't ban the use of ANY of the firearms that a hundred million gun owners in the nation use responsibly each and every day.
A completely outdated thought process.
While the threat of revolution was a real thing during the writing of the constitution, nowadays a revolt is hardly anything to worry about. Even if we managed to get a decent size revolt going, they have trained military personal, jets, missiles, tanks, drone strikes, helicopters and a number of other tools to easily put down anyone who would seriously revolt. Lawyers and Lobbyist are a far better (and less violent) way to change the government to your liking.
Because we need to keep tight control of everyone with depression.
Not, you know...weapons.
It worked in the cold warHaving a 311,591,917 people mexican standoff.
The NRA's vision of absolute security.
A completely outdated thought process.
While the threat of revolution was a real thing during the writing of the constitution, nowadays a revolt is hardly anything to worry about. Even if we managed to get a decent size revolt going, they have trained military personal, jets, missiles, tanks, drone strikes, helicopters and a number of other tools to easily put down anyone who would seriously revolt. Lawyers and Lobbyist are a far better (and less violent) way to change the government to your liking.
Hah I just heard about this, what a bunch of d-bags. The NRA is a joke.
You've been doing a damn amazing job of defending gun rights here. Much respect.
Armed guards at every single school in the country? What the fuck?
That's beyond stupid. It's like something you'd read at The Onion.
You have to think that the NRA purposely proposed this just to change the subject. It's the same reason why they brought up videogames today.
Public outcry last week: "We need to ban guns! Definitely at least assault rifles!"
Public outcry now: "No! We don't need armed guards in schools!"
Well played, NRA.
I completely understand and respect your belief on this. However I completely disagree. I will never have blind trust in Government. I've read too many history books for that and I don't believe that "Oh those bad things could never happen here ever!" Now, do I really stay up late at night thinking about this often? No. And of course I believe the best way to enact change is to vote. Be active politically. And not just on the National stage but locally as well.
But this nation was created to include the right of the People to throw out their Government by force of arms at any time the Government stopped being by and for the people. I don't believe in eliminating that right. Not now. Not ever. Not for any illusion of security. Not because of one horrific tragedy. Sorry. Because the truth is there are more guns than people and no matter how well meaning your law may be it's not going to stop criminality from utilizing their existence.
Is this true? It sounds very wrong to me. I'm Canadian though so what do I know. Specifically, what does "stopped being by and for the people" mean? Is that measurable? If it is measurable, does it mean an American could legally shoot and kill President Obama the second he crosses that measurable line? Can someone clarify?But this nation was created to include the right of the People to throw out their Government by force of arms at any time the Government stopped being by and for the people.
The gun control debate in America is over.
The debate is whether or not Americans should have the right to have guns.There never was a debate. It's our right to have guns, period.
I completely understand and respect your belief on this. However I completely disagree. I will never have blind trust in Government. I've read too many history books for that and I don't believe that "Oh those bad things could never happen here ever!" Now, do I really stay up late at night thinking about this often? No. And of course I believe the best way to enact change is to vote. Be active politically. And not just on the National stage but locally as well.
But this nation was created to include the right of the People to throw out their Government by force of arms at any time the Government stopped being by and for the people. I don't believe in eliminating that right. Not now. Not ever. Not for any illusion of security. Not because of one horrific tragedy. Sorry. Because the truth is there are more guns than people and no matter how well meaning your law may be it's not going to stop criminality from utilizing their existence.
ITT: people who are objectively wrong on the internet. (For those who can't tell, I'm referring to the people defending the "right" to carry guns. Which, to my European eyes, is frankly stupid. Nobody should have the right to carry anything specifically designed to kill as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Any potential uprising would depend entirely on getting the Army's support, and if you don't then you are dead/jailed. In an ideal world, the Second Amendment would have been repealed some time in the 1950s. Alas, the NRA have lots of cronies in high places and so while the media brainwashes people into thinking guns are necessary and gun control legislation will face a mass of outright bribes to vote against it).
ITT: people who are objectively wrong on the internet. (For those who can't tell, I'm referring to the people defending the "right" to carry guns. Which, to my European eyes, is frankly stupid. Nobody should have the right to carry anything specifically designed to kill as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Any potential uprising would depend entirely on getting the Army's support, and if you don't then you are dead/jailed. In an ideal world, the Second Amendment would have been repealed some time in the 1950s. Alas, the NRA have lots of cronies in high places and so while the media brainwashes people into thinking guns are necessary and gun control legislation will face a mass of outright bribes to vote against it).
The thing is, you need to change the constitution, or the fundamental interpreatation of it for this 'objective wrongness' to be the case. So while I agree with the spirit of those saying the US gun regs are crazy, it is not as simple as saying 'you are objectively wrong' when in fact they are right with the law as it is written.
I believe the phrase is "the law is an ass". Certainly, I think the second amendment is wrong and has no place in any civilized country.
It's not even historically true. To be faithful to the Second Amendment would require something like mandatory military service. The point was that if an army should exist, it is best that it be an army of the people. State militias were not private entities; they were organized and regulated by each state government--hence the bit in the Second Amendment about a "well regulated" militia being necessary to the security of a free state. This is just a different way of saying that a people's army is necessary to the security of a free state.
It would be more true to the original intent of the Second Amendment to require every male to serve in the military than it would be to ban the public possession of firearms for any non-military purposes.
Ironically probably to some, I do support mandatory military service. So I do consider myself faithful to the Second Amendment.
Please, enough with the "assault weapon" fearmongering. Assault weapons are extremely regulated and rare. A semi-auto is not an "assault" weapon. It's a semi-automatic rifle. One trigger pull. One round. The rifle chambers the next shot for you. A single 9mm pistol contains more firepower than was known in the 17th Century. I know...I know "Get rid of those too!"
The point it makes is that many Liberals (which I consider myself to be..I know..chuckle it up) hold the rest of the Constitution sacred but have no problem throwing the second amendment under the bus.
Mammoth Jones said:See, you are I fundamentally disagree here. Criminals cost those lives. And negligent storage at the home. Yet a hundred million legal firearm owners somehow manage to not kill people today. Please get some perspective.
Mammoth JonesThere can be a bit more legislation that respects my right to own my guns without me being treated like a potential mass-murderer. I highly suggest those that haven't used a gun before to at least give it a try. Go to a range if you're of age. Fire a few rounds and talk to the people there. They're not the monsters/killers in waiting that many paint them out to be.[/QUOTE said:I actually thought the 'registry' or logging of people with mental health issues comment was way more offensive and weird. NRA types have always talked about armed people everywhere that wasn't surprising but to go full blown nazi star of david on people who are different was pretty shocking.
And there's no way of really doing that in an airtight way. Plenty of people will go undiagnosed, perhaps even unnoticed, until the day they might crack and show up at their school or job or wherever, with their weapon of choice. All we would get is another layer of Homeland Security surveillance and civil rights grey areas to our society. People, some of whom even call themselves hunters, seem to be missing the forest for the trees.
The shooter in this case was seemingly only 14 days away from owning a gun. He was only denied because he declined the 14-day waiting period, for whatever reason. He didn't have a criminal record, so chances are that it would have cleared had he waited. This could be anyone. It's not easy to know what's bubbling inside of people's minds, and it doesn't take a career criminal or a clinically insane person to do these things.
I wonder, how common are metal detectors in schools around the world? I feel like the escalation in the states is insane in comparison to other countries.
(I went to school in Canada and never saw anything close to a metal detector at any level when I was in school)
The bottom line is the NRA thinks that armed guards at schools and not pushing for more gun control measures is the way lawmakers should go after the issue.
And the thing is that it's still just a drop in the ocean when it comes to firearm related deaths. The fact is that there's a clear link between the amounts of firearms and firearm related deaths in 1st world countries. The regulation , social state of the country have a real effect too and should be the first thing to be looked at, but eventually reducing is the amounts of guns circulating should have an effect on the deaths.You know what deserves "period"? Something like: 26 innocent people were killed by a gunman last week, period.
@ mammoth jones, i avoid these discussions because i know my views would be unpopular, so i can't thank you enough for articulating my thoughts better than i ever could.
Awesome contribution.
So has the pro-gun lobby of the forum put together a cohesive set of suggestions that could help to curb gun violence or are y'all too busy defending the status quo? What do y'all want? The NRA solution is clearly don't want to do anything other than help their contributors make more money (and sickeningly, they are pushing for guards at every school in the wake of Newtown...lovely people).
On the left, it is (I think) rather stupid to fight for a ban on assault weapons...yes, they are bad and we'd be better off without them, but its too late really. The genie is out of the bottle and if we are to be pragmatic about things, we should be fighting for who should and shouldn't own guns.
If you were ever convicted of a violent crime (of any kind)- No gun for you.
If you are under the age of 18 - No gun for you (no exceptions)
Mandatory wait period everywhere for every type of gun...close the gun show loophole.
Mandatory psychological evaluation to be paid for by the person applying for gun ownership.
The NRA would (of course) fight tooth and nail to stop any of these things coming true and perhaps there are better ways of protecting our most vulnerable but banning guns isn't the answer...keeping guns out of the hands of those that do us harm is (I believe) the way to go. It's a shame that gun-lovers would see any attempt to regulate ownership as a veiled attempt to taking their freedom. :/
I wonder, how common are metal detectors in schools around the world? I feel like the escalation in the states is insane in comparison to other countries.
(I went to school in Canada and never saw anything close to a metal detector at any level when I was in school)
There are already armored children backpacks + tactical vests for children, so why not also create guns for children. Light-weight. And then train them. If you want to do something stupid, just go really stupid.
There never was a debate. It's our right to have guns, period.
Whether the US founding fathers ever intend anyone to have anything more than bayonets or pistols that fire single bullet before requiring you to manually reload it with a stick, I'd argue with you though.
You guys all suck, I am all for a guard in a school with some sort of nuclear weapon. If an attacker comes in just set it off. Its not rocket science.
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Let's just have armed guards everywhere. The mall, walmart, grocery stores, gas stations, your kids' park... Have a police state.