Do guns kill people, or do people kill people?

Question

I personally have no desire to have a gun. On the other hand, I would feel more comfortable in a place where I knew that there were people that had a firearm with them. It seems less likely that someone would pull a gun on a store clerk (or anyone for that matter) if there were a possibility that someone else in the store were packing heat.

Snoopy: exactly what I am trying to get at. My 10 yr old girl and my hubby go shooting regularly. She knows and respects the firearms.

Answer 1

People kill people. Guns don't load themselves. They don't take their own safety off, and they don't jump into the hands of children. If adults are responsible about the usage, care, and training of children near guns, the safety level on them increases dramatically. Kids need to be shown what the gun is, what it does, allowed to hold it while it's unloaded, perhaps even attend a safety course. Curiosity is the primary reason children pick up a gun. If it's familiar to them, this curiosity is reduced greatly.

Answer 2

People kill people, but the proliferation of firearms makes it easier for a gun to be used in a fight.
Don't get me wrong - I appreciate firearms (I was in the military) and I see they have applications for collecting, target shooting, hunting, etc.
Consider this case though - if there were no guns and you got into a heated argument and just LOST IT, the most you could probably do is beat on the guy or maybe use a baseball bat or knife to better explain your argument position. At least the guy would have a chance to run, defend....
If you had easy access to a gun, you could plug him right there and he would have no chance.

People will alwyas get crazy angry, but having the firearms makes it EASIER to kill.

You said you would sometimes like to know that you or a friend was carrying. How would you feel if you knew that everybody else was also carrying because they wanted to feel as safe as you? In some situations (like a club or party) that is a powderkeg waiting to go off.

Answer 3

Fact from fiction, truth from diction. A firearm is just a tool like anyother. To say that guns kill makes about as much sense as saying pools drown babies, and vehicles are dangerous. The pool is a pool. If the right protactive measure are taken and attention given to make sure that toddlers who can't swim don't fall in, Pools are fun, and good exercise. Same with cars etc. It is the way some fools drive that make them dangerous. Knives, the same thing. You can say the same of a span of lead pipe if people decide to use that as the weapon of choice to harm others. The firearm can not do ANYTHING on its own. What it does and how it is used, is off the mind and intent of the person holding it. Just as you can be carving a turkey with a knife one moment, and stabbing the person you think your spouse has cheated on you with moments later. The item, knife, rifle, letter opener, was just an item to help you carry out what you had formed in YOUR MIND, because the item don't have a mind at all.

Answer 4

Well, people manage to kill each other without a gun present.

Try this Gun don't kill people SUV's do. If you listen to the news you'll hear an SUV kill X number of people in accident. (I didn't believe it until I really listen to the news). But like a SUV a gun is just an object to be used or misused by people.

The other question I ask people is if we ban all gun, who would have them?

Criminals, criminals love gun control, it make it safer for them. It disarms law abiding citizens, while they get to keep their guns. After all they are already braking the law, what's one more.

Imagine this, we take all the women in the US, teach them how to use a firearm, then give them one. Now lets say half carry and half don't. How would that effect the rape rate? I mean if you are a rapist and you have a 50/50 chance of getting shot would you be willing to take that chance?

Personally, I would rather live in a state that required everyone to carry, then a state that ban guns. But that just me.

And this is just my opinion.

to SatanicYoda

Wrong JAMAICA has the highest murder rate in the world. And lots of countries have higher murder rates in the US. And some countries with the highest gun ownership have very low rates.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20050501/focus/focus3.html

Answer 5

Obviously, people kill people. A gun, whether rifle or handgun, is merely a tool, much like a hammer, a baseball bat, or a steak knife; all of which have been utilized by criminals to kill their fellow man. Mankind managed to kill one another for thousands of years prior to the invention of gun powder, and the subsequent invention of firearms. We have previously used rocks, clubs, spears, knives and swords; firearms have just effectively lengthened our reach a bit. A firearm has never killed a person of it's own volition, always there has been a responsible party behind it; whether intentionally pulling the trigger, or mishandling in ignorance, always the responsibility lies with a person.

You state that you have no interest in firearms, but your husband and daughter shoot. Have you considered joining them as a matter of spending time with them? They would surely love your company, and who knows; perhaps you might even find the experince enjoyable yourself. At a minimum, your husband would enjoy being able to share an interest with you, rather than feeling that his hobby is a wedge between you.

Answer 6

A gun is an inanimate object. It can do nothing by itself. If fact, a gun has no "self". It's a thing. It does not think, move or breathe. Criminals kill people. If guns were not available, criminals would use knives, clubs, tools, or just physical strength or intimidation to create victims. A gun is like a rock until some evil thought makes a criminal mind pick it up. A rock can kill as easy as a gun.
I own several, and one accompanies me everywhere in this time of crime and terrorists (They are already here, too.) Mine will be used for defense of my self or others who might need help. It is not carried for criminal intent and nobody has to worry about me.

Answer 7

The right to bear arms is in the constitution because the writers wanted a way for the people to fight back if ever there was a situation where the gov't becomes corrupt and needs to be overtaken. This is highly unlikely but a possibility

I think Gun laws should be stricter and that little micro chips be embedded in them so that the owner can be easily identified. I don't think a large majority of the population should have guns or are responsible enough to have one.
Let's revamp the education system! Our culture will be our downfall if we don't change.
Fight ignorance!
Fight poverty!
Fight hunger!

Answer 8

Asking if guns kill people or if people kill people is sort of like asking if Hydrogen or Oxygen makes water. You don't have much water without both.

I will say that crime is more rampant in places with stricter gun control. D.C. Baltimore and Chicago have higher crime than other cities like Dallas, Houston, and Indianapolis. Would you rob someone walking down the street if you knew the other person might be packing heat?

However, gun ownership is more popular in cities where it is legal (for obvious reasons), which does raise the amount of accidental killings by guns.

Answer 9

People kill people. It's that simple.

Cain used a club to kill Abel, not a gun. I work in a prison and the inmates use "Shanks," which are home made or improvised knives to kill one another. In Central and South America the weapon of choice is a machete'. (Equally, just as efficient in making a person dead as so with a gun.)

In Texas, we have the concealed weapons permits that you can be trained, tested, and licensed to carry a weapon on your person or in your car when traveling. Car-jacking seriously declined to the point of almost a none issue since the law was passed. I believe President George W. Bush signed that one back when he was governor of this great state.

Answer 10

I am all for qualified citizens carrying guns. Notice I said QUALIFIED citizens. If the person has been trained in the use of safe operation. When in the wrong hands, it can have disastrous results. I have had a firearm since I was about 16 years old. There have been times when I have had to use it for self protection. Luckily, I have never had to discharge it. Just having it was effective enough. I will always have one near by.