Your police aren't armed? Our police have guns, nightsticks, pepper spray, tazers, etc. And those are just the walk-the-streets dudes. So if a drunk guy assaults them they are just supposed to ask him nicely to stop? This no sense makes.
Ian Tomlinson was shoved (and possibly hit with a truncheon) in a riot, how is that possibly a case that police should not have guns? Is it that the police should have know better than to ever shove someone... IN A RIOT!!?!?Hip Priest said:Ian Tomlinson and Jean Charles de Menezes say, "no".
Isn't that a bit unfair. A few out of a hundred act like total jackasses so all must be prosecuted. If that was applied to citizens then we would all be dead by now. Isay give them guns with rubber bullets but under extreme circumstances give them live ammo with orders to incapacitate. Not kill.TStormer said:When you see cops charging an innocent crowd on horseback, when you see a cop pulling a guy out of a wheelchair and when you see the hoofprint of one of their fucking bestial mounts on your mate's steel toecap boots in a fucking peaceful protest, you know that those bastards don't need guns.
Well that one isn't nessercarily true, there are quite a few martial arts that are primarily concerned with endowing students with discapline, are sports or have a strong spiritual component to them (I myself have trained in many martial arts, and the ones which train people and agree that some of them do have a morally grey area to them in regards to how they would be utilised and by who).Use_Imagination_here said:By that logic you should be suspicious of everyone who has ever learned a martial art. The only purpose of them is to hurt other people, so that must mean they want to hurt people, right?
SeanTheOriginal said:Police Kill Teenager After Shooting Him 5 Times In Back And While Laying Face Down On Street.
Undercover Police Kill Innocent Homeowner.
Police shot innocent family's puppy.
Police Raid Wrong House, Kill Couple?s Dog
North Miami Beach police kill mentally disabled man carrying toy gun
#-Shortened, you get the point, collateral damage-#
? Police chases for non-violent crimes on average kill at least 3 innocent bystanders every week in the United States.
? This number increases to at least 5 innocent bystanders killed every week when added with fatalities due to police response calls.
So what do you think? Do they REALLY need to be armed when they get fucking crazy like that?
We can do without cops in the world. Every single cop (At least in the US) should be fucking murder. Every. Single. One.
No, just no, its like being cautious of someone carrying a large bucket of hot water, something could go wrong except in the case of weapons when something goes wrong you may end up dead. Just like people should be careful of cars, or fire etc...Use_Imagination_here said:By that logic you should be suspicious of everyone who has ever learned a martial art. The only purpose of them is to hurt other people, so that must mean they want to hurt people, right?Iron Mal said:That could have something to do with the fact that killing stuff is the only function and purpose for which firearms are designed (and to their credit, they do that really, really well).Use_Imagination_here said:Why does everyone think that the absolute only way for police to use a gun is killing someone?
Overall I disagree with arming the police for the same reason I'm glad that guns are largely restricted over here (that being that it's pretty damn hard to shoot someone if you can't get your hands on a gun).
In my opinion you should have suspicion of and be cautious of anyone who is carrying a weapon of any variety, whether they're a cop or criminal.
Both can potentially be dangerous individuals and while being punched in the face hurts, odds are on it won't kill you (unlike wounds from firearms and knives which tend to be fatal most of the time).
Why would you possibly feel threatened because they have a pistol on their hip or rifle at port-arms? They aren't pointing at you? What kind of paranoia does it take? When you see your mum chopping vegetables do you get paranoid she might suddenly stab you in the face?!?!Confused_Dude said:I feel safe approaching (unarmed) police officers, if they were armed, i'd feel threatened. In a way, I would feel some of my civil liberties would be removed.
Rocket launchers, heavy machine guns, and most explosive devices are classified by the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) as "destructive devices" and are illegal for civilian sale or possession. Most assault rifles require individual registration with the ATF, along with payment of significant taxes and licensing fees. Additional State & Local restrictions may apply as well.the.gill123 said:This may be slightly off topic, but what weapons CAN'T civilians buy in the US?
I.e. I assume you can't go out and buy a rocket launcher, some M67s and a Bazooka, though it would probably make a fun 4th July.
Everything except the knife bit, there's enough violence, be it gun or knife based, anyway, without putting more scope for it out there.InfiniteSingularity said:I voted no because I don't believe in arming anyone. No one should have the power to kill someone. Not even police. It probably reduces crime, but it could increase anger at police and authorities and incite more violence.
I say give them knives. It takes guts, passion, and drive to kill someone with a knife. I figure if they can do that, then there must be a good reason for it. Otherwise they'll have to figure something else out.
If police have guns, they can kill people and get away with it. They can injure people and get away with it. "In the name of the law". I don't even trust the law itself. I don't want it to be able to shoot me if I don't agree with it.