Poll: What is your stance on Guns?

[khy]

Yep, I strongly support the right of free people to own firearms. In fact I own several myself. I do believe in responsible ownership though, when my wife and I have our first child one of my first investments will be in locked gun safes and the like. As of now I have two firearms, loaded, within reach of my bed; that will change when the children come around.

As far as the self defense aspect goes, the world can be a pretty tough place, and I think it's better to be prepared for the worst. Just because I have a firearm for home defense doesn't mean I have to use it, or use it without thinking first.

 

[Scabious]

I think we should have more than small pistols, but that was closest to what I would put. I think everyone should have a gun, and know how to use it. I admire Switzerland's gun policy.

 

[khy]

Now that I'm reading some of the last few posts, I do have something I would like to say.

Why do people assume that solder's would be on the side of the government? If something so bad happens that the people of the United States feel they HAVE to revolt against the government, don't you think that the average American soldier would be on your side? When we enlist we don't swear an oath to the United States Government, we swear an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, from enemies both foreign and domestic...

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

[When's the last time you've had somebody try to kill you with a gun? And, do you know why if your answer is "ever", I'd assume you were lying?

Because it never happens. Nearly every single gun-related death is an accident, and those that do happen are usually against people who knew the person that shot them personally. Now, when's the last time you heard of a story where a civilian was attacked with a gun, had theirs on them, and successfully defended themselves? That never happens. There is literally no sensible reason to give a million people guns and cause thousands of deaths simply cause you've convinced yourself that the occasional life saved makes all the lifes lost worth it.

If it's an accident, then what you should be proposing is eduction so people don't harm themselves, not outright prohabition. Because that's worked soooooo well in the past. You know one of the reasons it fails? Because you are trying to remove something that's inextricable from America's history and culture.

Also, I'd like to see your sources.

 

[Trivea]

"Outlaw guns and only the outlaws will have guns." I mean, sure, it's a cliched phrase, but it's true - why do you think, here in America, that it's schools and post offices that get shot up and not police stations and gun shows? People who are the type to hold someone up at gunpoint aren't going to say, "Oh, well, guns are illegal, guess I can't do that anymore." I mean, if you ban something, then only law-abiding citizens won't have it. Just because drugs are illegal somewhere doesn't mean no one uses them.

 

[Yechezkel]

Now that I'm reading some of the last few posts, I do have something I would like to say.

Why do people assume that solder's would be on the side of the government? If something so bad happens that the people of the United States feel they HAVE to revolt against the government, don't you think that the average American soldier would be on your side? When we enlist we don't swear an oath to the United States Government, we swear an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, from enemies both foreign and domestic...

...they don't let you keep your guns when you quit though, right? So presumably in such a situation, whoever is left after all the decent soldiers defect would be the ones with the heavy weapons.

 

[TonyVonTonyus]

I think everyone passes a pschiactric test should be able to get a gun, any gun from a pistol to a machine gun...just not flamethrowers or bazookas. I know I'm pretty mentally sound but if you gave me a flamethrower first thing I would do is set the whole city and surrounding towns on fire.

 

[Inkidu]

To a point gun control works. Mostly though it usually makes it harder for honest people to have a tool for self-defense while allowing criminals to buy them hassle free.

I agree that things like I.D. checks and waiting periods should be mandatory. I would even throw in mandatory gun-safety class too. However, I would never say ban guns outright.

 

[Taunto]

I personally believe it should be kept to only small pistols and we should also have harsher restrictions on who can actually even have a gun ( police should always be allowed to carry weapons)

 

[khy]

Now that I'm reading some of the last few posts, I do have something I would like to say.

Why do people assume that solder's would be on the side of the government? If something so bad happens that the people of the United States feel they HAVE to revolt against the government, don't you think that the average American soldier would be on your side? When we enlist we don't swear an oath to the United States Government, we swear an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, from enemies both foreign and domestic...

...they don't let you keep your guns when you quit though, right? So presumably in such a situation, whoever is left after all the decent soldiers defect would be the ones with the heavy weapons.

Technically they don't let us keep our weapons at all. When we draw weapons we sign weapons cards and they are issued to us for the duration of the operation (a year the case of my OIF deployment), a day if you're going the range, or a week if you're going to the field for an exercise, for example.

My point was, soldiers have a responsibility to reject unlawful orders. If an order comes down to fire into a crowd of protesting American citizens, then it is the duty of every American soldier to refuse such an order.

Someone posted pictures of American soldiers walking around what looked like Iraq, I can tell you from personal experience what's going through their minds right then is how well their families are doing back here in the US. In the above mentioned scenario, the soldiers would be thinking about their families and friends who would probably be a part of the protesting crowd. Family is an important motivator to do the right thing sometimes.

I'm not trying to destroy your argument or anything, I just wanted to point out that soldiers are people too, and we're charged to make decisions and take the initiative. But above all we're charged with doing the right thing.

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

[When's the last time you've had somebody try to kill you with a gun? And, do you know why if your answer is "ever", I'd assume you were lying?

Because it never happens. Nearly every single gun-related death is an accident, and those that do happen are usually against people who knew the person that shot them personally. Now, when's the last time you heard of a story where a civilian was attacked with a gun, had theirs on them, and successfully defended themselves? That never happens. There is literally no sensible reason to give a million people guns and cause thousands of deaths simply cause you've convinced yourself that the occasional life saved makes all the lifes lost worth it.

If it's an accident, then what you should be proposing is eduction so people don't harm themselves, not outright prohabition. Because that's worked soooooo well in the past. You know one of the reasons it fails? Because you are trying to remove something that's inextricable from America's history and culture.

Also, I'd like to see your sources.

By your own logic, you could legalise narcotic drugs on the premise that using them responsibly is fine. It's a lot of trouble going around educating people on the use of a non-useful tool designed to kill (drug comparison ends here) others. The most common source of gun-related deaths is suicide (which I count as accidental in the sense of it being non-homicide), and then the problem is that they could aim the weapon properly

I thought this forum in particular was in agreement that the "war on drugs" was a failure. Because you aren't going to prevent people from doing drugs (or owning guns) and making them illegal only creates an illicit market for it.

If you make guns illegal, an even bigger black mardet for firearms will develop. And the kind of people who sell illegal weapons aren't likey going to do nice thing with the money they get from the weapons.

And guns ARE useful. Else you wouldn't care if people owned them. They can be used for sport, correct? Or hunting?

 

[BlumiereBleck]

We should be allowed guns the military has! Goose darn it I will not let the first 10 Amendments be changed! If people don't think a government, nay the United States of America has the power to restrict, abuse, control its citizens and suppress them we the people have the RIGHT to bear arms against said tyranny.

 

[DarkRyter]

As long as you don't harm anyone, there's no reason to keep a person from owning a firearm.

Even if it does mean that sometimes criminals get their hands on weapons, or accidents happen, or reckless misuse cause said accidents.

But hey, this is America. Land of the Free. Not Land of the safe and peaceful.

 

[TheDooD]

Pretty much don't shoot it in my direction and I won't shoot mine in yours.

 

[TheFlyingMango]

I don't think everyone needs all the big hardware and tinker toys the military has. But to be fair I am not big on guns or loud noises >_<

 

[StrixMaxima]

Well, I can say that I've learned a thing or two reading some of the comments, here.

Scary stuff, but, sadly, not entirely unexpected.

 

[Terminate421]

If someone busts into my home, or if the world goes to shit.

I want one of mans greatest inventions as my tool of survival.

The way I see it, guns should be fully allowed.

 

[Nemesis729]

I couldn't choose any of the poll options, none of them seem good to me.

I think people should be allowed to have handguns/Pump action shotguns for home defense only if they have a clean criminal record and go through proper training, I live in New Jersey where it's RIDICULOUSLY tedious to get a gun licence, and I believe that's the way it should be everywhere

I used to think civilians shouldn't be allowed to carry fire arms at all but I've started taking criminal justice classes in college and it got me feeling differently...

 

[A Shadows Age]

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Guns? Yes.
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[SilentCom]

No offense, but you're asking in the wrong place and stating limited responses in your poll. For one, much of the people here aren't even from America therefore their culture and values are different, including their stance on weaponry.

Your possible responses in your poll are pretty limited as they are basically for or against. The thing is, many people use weapons beyond handguns such as shotguns and rifles for hunting. Most people who collect guns are just that- collectors and enthusiasts therefore limiting them to just "small" handguns is like a slap in the face. Prohibiting all firearms is like a slap in the face and a kick in the balls.

I am American and I rather like firearms and not just the modern stuff. I would like to work with guns, especially a lot of historical firearms seeing that I am a history major. I'm not advocating citizens having access to all the same stuff as military because that would be stupid. Who would want to see random civilians playing soldier in their backyard with a grenade launcher or .50 caliber machine gun? That would be too dangerous.

Also, as far as defense purposes, people should have the right to arm themselves. Most of those issues where people commit crimes with firearms is often through illegally obtained firearms. This means the black market- a not so market environment in shady alley-ways through illegal smuggling of weapons (often assault class weaponry which are illegal for civillians anyways) and end up in the hands of criminals. The thing is, firearms when bought or sold are carefully tracked through serial numbers and registrations, therefore people will think twice before committing a crme with one. Also, people can't purchase or handle a firearm unless they are clean of a criminal or mental record. As a matter of fact, there is a quote about this that went something like this: "If you outlaw firearms, then only outlaws will have firearms."

Trying to limit or prohibit firearms is really about fear; fear of those who aren't afraid to hold a gun because chances are, you don't have the balls to hold one yourself.