I changed my stance on gun control!!!

[Arcangl86]

Because we are armed, we are a stable, republic...we never were meant to be a democracy.

1) There are plenty of stable counties without large swaths of the population feeling the need to be armed. 2) I am so tired of this trope. We are a republic, yes. We are also a democracy and always were meant to be one.

 

[renniks]

1) There are plenty of stable counties without large swaths of the population feeling the need to be armed. 2) I am so tired of this trope. We are a republic, yes. We are also a democracy and always were meant to be one.

Stable, free countries? I guess that depends on one's defination of freedom.
And we are armed because that's what our founders wanted.

 

[Occams Barber]

I think it has something to do with no other country having a 2nd amendment.

I can't speak for other countries but I can tell you that 90% of Australians don't want access to guns. In fact half of that 90% would like to see stricter limitations. While there is some limited access to firearms under tight controls, self defence is not considered a justification for gun ownership.

We changed our gun rules fairly rapidly following a mass shooting back in the 90s and drastically reduced the number of guns and gun owners. Since then the level of gun violence in the US has probably been one of the major factors in maintaining a high level of agreement on limiting access to guns within Australia.

OB

 

[rturner76]

I can't speak for other countries but I can tell you that 90% of Australians don't want access to guns. In fact half of that 90% would like to see stricter limitations. While there is some limited access to firearms under tight controls, self defence is not considered a justification for gun ownership.

We changed our gun rules fairly rapidly following a mass shooting back in the 90s and drastically reduced the number of guns and gun owners. Since then the level of gun violence in the US has probably been one of the major factors in maintaining a high level of agreement on limiting access to guns within Australia.

OB

The difference is that US citizens already have 300,000,000 guns. I'm going to make sure I can protect myself. Part of the rights we are guaranteed as Americans is the right to defend yourself and your family.

Do I need 5 AK-47s, no. I just want to be able to protect myself when one of these random shooters start going off. I want to be able to defend myself against a criminal or a group of criminals who mean to do me harm.

 

[Brihaha]

If you seriously believe that your government is likely to drive you to the point of armed rebellion you're either living in a fantasy or the world's biggest Banana Republic.

Why is it that Americans appear to live in fear of their own government?

OB

Americans fear our government due to the fact that we do not wield our power as an electorate very wisely. Many people vote for letters, many for incumbents who have learned to manipulate voters into believing we are enemies. We vote these people into office for decades expecting them to change and actually work for our needs. Politicians have trained voters to stay divided and only vote for one party. Now many voters are even training the politicians to lie to them and say what they want to hear or else! It is a vicious cycle of ridiculousness and some education could help.

 

[comana]

The difference is that US citizens already have 300,000,000 guns. I'm going to make sure I can protect myself. Part of the rights we are guaranteed as Americans is the right to defend yourself and your family.

Do I need 5 AK-47s, no. I just want to be able to protect myself when one of these random shooters start going off. I want to be able to defend myself against a criminal or a group of criminals who mean to do me harm.

This is the result of interpreting the 2nd amendment as it has been allowed to be instead of “well regulated” as stated. The gun manufacturer lobby no doubt has had a heavy hand in ensuring easy access to as many as possible. It’s an arms race at this point and truly absurd.

 

[Occams Barber]

The difference is that US citizens already have 300,000,000 guns. I'm going to make sure I can protect myself. Part of the rights we are guaranteed as Americans is the right to defend yourself and your family.

Do I need 5 AK-47s, no. I just want to be able to protect myself when one of these random shooters start going off. I want to be able to defend myself against a criminal or a group of criminals who mean to do me harm.

It seems to be that the problems you're having with guns were created by having guns. I suspect that there are now too many guns to make solving the problem a real possibility. The prophesy has become self fulfilling and now you're stuck with it.

Australians also have the right to defend themselves and their family. It's just that we don't see guns as necessary for self defence particularly given the greater risks and the anxiety associated with having guns freely available.

OB

 

[Always in His Presence]

I used to own a bunch of guns. I ended up in a situation where I could not store them so I end up having my lawyer dispose of them.

If you are a felon and cannot legally own a gun anymore (why else have an attorney involved in disposing firearms?), you are wise not to have a weapon in your home.

The average response time for a 911 call is 10 minutes. Departments are being defunded, or under funded and in some cases Officers are leaving in numbers. All that adds to the average 10 min response.

Your family could be injured or dead in 10 min.

I am 100% with you in that we do not need more laws - just strict enforcement of the current ones. I fully support mandatory sentences and no plea bargaining for weapons offenses.

 

[rturner76]

This is the result of interpreting the 2nd amendment as it has been allowed to be instead of “well regulated” as stated. The gun manufacturer lobby no doubt has had a heavy hand in ensuring easy access to as many as possible. It’s an arms race at this point and truly absurd.

Here's what the 2nd amendment says:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

It's one sentence with two complete thoughts.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State
A complete thought

the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
complete thought.

It does not say "the rights of the militia to keep arms shall not be infringed.

the rights of the PEOPLE.

 

[Always in His Presence]

I can't speak for other countries but I can tell you that 90% of Australians don't want access to guns. In fact half of that 90% would like to see stricter limitations. While there is some limited access to firearms under tight controls, self defence is not considered a justification for gun ownership.

We changed our gun rules fairly rapidly following a mass shooting back in the 90s and drastically reduced the number of guns and gun owners. Since then the level of gun violence in the US has probably been one of the major factors in maintaining a high level of agreement on limiting access to guns within Australia.

OB

What is interesting is that, yes gun violence went down after forced confiscation - In fact, according to the Australian government’s own statistics, a number of serious crimes peaked in the years after the ban. Manslaughter, sexual assault, kidnapping, armed robbery, and unarmed robbery all saw peaks in the years following the ban, and most remain near or above pre-ban rates. The effects of the 1996 ban on violent crime are, frankly, unimpressive at best.

 

[dogs4thewin]

It seems to be that the problems you're having with guns were created by having guns. I suspect that there are now too many guns to make solving the problem a real possibility. The prophesy has become self fulfilling and now you're stuck with it.

Australians also have the right to defend themselves and their family. It's just that we don't see guns as necessary for self defence particularly given the greater risks and the anxiety associated with having guns freely available.

OB

People who can be trusted with guns do not need the regulation and people that cannot be trusted with guns will get them or something deadly one way or another. I have NO problem with guns here in the rural south most households have at LEAST one and the funny is in this county ( what most states call their local districts it is a rare week we see more than drugs in the sheriff's report.

 

[rturner76]

If you are a felon and cannot legally own a gun anymore (why else have an attorney involved in disposing firearms?), you are wise not to have a weapon in your home.

I did that because I was in the hospital and didn't trust anybody to dispose of them properly. My lawyer is sure to act in my best interest.

I

 

[comana]

Here's what the 2nd amendment says:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

It's one sentence with two complete thoughts.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State
A complete thought

the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
complete thought.

It does not say "the rights of the militia to keep arms shall not be infringed.

the rights of the PEOPLE.

And that is the interpretation that has led to our current situation. I don’t care how many constitutional experts agree or Supreme Court justices. It is detrimental to our well being and has caused this over abundance of firearms and the resulting arms race, fear and desire to increase arms to defend the hypothetical threat.

 

[rturner76]

It seems to be that the problems you're having with guns were created by having guns. I suspect that there are now too many guns to make solving the problem a real possibility. The prophesy has become self fulfilling and now you're stuck with it.

Australians also have the right to defend themselves and their family. It's just that we don't see guns as necessary for self defence particularly given the greater risks and the anxiety associated with having guns freely available.

OB

I wish it was like that here but there are so many guns out there, I just assume anybody could be carrying a gun mostly because anybody could be in the US. In the country, city, and suburbs, guns are everywhere.

 

[rturner76]

And that is the interpretation that has led to our current situation. I don’t care how many constitutional experts agree or Supreme Court justices. It is detrimental to our well being and has caused this over abundance of firearms and the resulting arms race, fear and desire to increase arms to defend the hypothetical threat.

I'm assuming that you live in a safe neighborhood. Not everybody does. Anybody could have a gun. It's too late to try and take them all away. There is a gun for every man woman and child.

I'm not saying I need a closet full of assault rifles but basically something to carry and something to hunt with. That's not excessive I don't think.

 

[Occams Barber]

What is interesting is that, yes gun violence went down after forced confiscation - In fact, according to the Australian government’s own statistics, a number of serious crimes peaked in the years after the ban. Manslaughter, sexual assault, kidnapping, armed robbery, and unarmed robbery all saw peaks in the years following the ban, and most remain near or above pre-ban rates. The effects of the 1996 ban on violent crime are, frankly, unimpressive at best.

There was no '1996 ban on violent crime'. In 1996 gun laws were changed and a million guns were (largely voluntarily) removed from circulation and crushed. As you have noted above, the result was a reduction in gun related violence.

I have no idea why you are talking about non-gun related crime rates but I note that you provided no links to support your claims.

OB

 

[dogs4thewin]

And that is the interpretation that has led to our current situation. I don’t care how many constitutional experts agree or Supreme Court justices. It is detrimental to our well being and has caused this over abundance of firearms and the resulting arms race, fear and desire to increase arms to defend the hypothetical threat.

Again a person either can be trusted with a gun or they cannot. Those who can do not need the regulations those who cannot do not care. Moreover 2/3 gun deaths in this country are by the shooter's own had that sounds like a mental health issue not a violence issue.

 

[dogs4thewin]

There was no '1996 ban on violent crime'. In 1996 gun laws were changed and a million guns were (largely voluntarily) removed from circulation and crushed. As you have noted above, the result was a reduction in gun related violence.

I have no idea why you are talking about non-gun related crime rates but I note that you provided no links to support your claims.

OB

Here good luck getting many folks to do it voluntary, moreover you say a million we have 300 million plus guns BIG difference that is literally about one gun a person (including children.).

 

[renniks]

I can't speak for other countries but I can tell you that 90% of Australians don't want access to guns. In fact half of that 90% would like to see stricter limitations. While there is some limited access to firearms under tight controls, self defence is not considered a justification for gun ownership.

We changed our gun rules fairly rapidly following a mass shooting back in the 90s and drastically reduced the number of guns and gun owners. Since then the level of gun violence in the US has probably been one of the major factors in maintaining a high level of agreement on limiting access to guns within Australia.

OB

And now you have detainment camps for unvaccinated people....

 

[Occams Barber]

Here good luck getting many folks to do it voluntary, moreover you say a million we have 300 million plus guns BIG difference that is literally about one gun a person (including children.).

As I said in post 29 I think the US gun problem is a lost cause. There are far too many guns in circulation and I hear the numbers are going up. Given the American attitude to guns, the chances of a voluntary solution through regulation or reduced numbers is somewhere between zero and nothing.

OB