If Britain suddenly allowed everyone to own a gun, who else thinks that gun related crime would sky rocket?

Question

And if that's the case anyone think that banning guns in America would reduce their gun crime?

And before all the rednecks start harping on about the constitution, if a single innocent life could be saved yet 'the right' to bear arms is removed wouldn't it be worth it?

If there was a competency test for gun ownership, surely this would eliminate a large proportion of the US armed forces who do have a tendency towards blue on blues

Christopher - I can't believe you think that 1,500 accidental gun deaths a year is acceptable - how much of this tragedy could be avoided if people didn't have guns?
As for only criminals retaining firearms, were the guns used at Columbine legally held?
Was the firearm used in the shooting in Utah yesterday legally held?
Surely if all gunshops are closed and all legally held guns are handed in that will make it harder for criminals to get hold of them. In addition it would reduce people shot in disputes and domestics as well as gun accidents (how stupid do you have be to shoot yourself?)

And despite being a Brit, I am familiar with a full range of firearms from handguns, assault rifles, light machine guns through to light anti tank weapons

Answer 1

Pffft, in an ideal world, in my opinion, no one would have guns, except the Armed Forces etc. (I don't object to Farmers having a shotgun, as long as they don't use them on trespassers)

I do feel, however, that as much as I dislike the idea, if the criminals in this country have guns, (which it seems most do, now), its unfair to send our Police after them, only armed with batons. It's a sticky situation. I don't think there is one answer.

And as for the American obsession with The Constitution, I'm pretty sure that somewhere in the depths of UK law, I'm allowed to take my sheep down to the local common to graze. It doesn't mean I'm going to get some sheep and "claim my rights". Just 'cause you're allowed to do something, doesn't mean you HAVE to do it.

Answer 2

It's a bit like saying that all day drinking causes a rise in drink related crime and alcoholism. That was the fear but so far it hasn't happened. There will always be people who will commit gun crimes regardless of whether or not guns are illegal and those who wouldn't own a weapon no matter how easy it was to get one. If it was legalised, maybe all applicants to buy a gun should undergo strict psychological profiling before being granted a licence but gun crime seems to be on the up without the law being altered.

Answer 3

Let's see,
In my career as a Police Officer, I have seen more people killed by drunk drivers, trains, and knives than by guns, not including suicides. If you want to include suicides, then ropes, drugs, razors, and car exhaust still beat guns as weapon of choice.
I don't really think guns are a bigger problem than anything else, I think they draw the most attention, though. I hear lots of arguments for and against gun control, and from my experience banning guns won't stop any crime. Gangsters do all kinds of gangster stuff, no matter what the law states.
Crack cocaine is illegal, I still find it every week, along with other numerous drugs, drunk drivers, and wives with their faces caved in because their husband had too much alcohol (which is legal to drink but causes WAY more problems than marijuana).
The saying goes that if guns are outlawed then only outlaws will have guns. It is pretty much the truth. I only find contraband on lawbreakers. It's like a universal law. I think we should outlaw stupid people.

Just my .02

Answer 4

Nope. Not now, not ever. Never have. Washington DC and New York City have the most restrictive gun control in the USA, yet have the highest crime rates. The simple and incontrovertible fact is that the Government has no legal obligation to protect you, only to find and convict criminals. They can and will no nothing until after a crime has been committed, so if you can not have a means of self-protection, then by the very nature of the system, more crimes will be committed because a higher percentage of the people will be unable to protect themselves and stop crimes. Before long, that portion of the criminal world that may not have committed certain acts because of the possibility of encountering resistance, will be out in full force, and the crime rates will spiral out of control.

Answer 5

Gun related deaths in america are higher than the whole of europe put together. A large number of these deaths in america are not caused by criminals but 'accidents' and disputes say between neighbours or couples arguing.
If the criminal thinks you're carrying a gun they're more likely to shoot you first if you make any movement they consider threatening.
You people are killing each other at an alarming rate and quite frankly if your that dumb you think everyone owning a gun makes for a safer world you carry on, maybe it'll improve the I.Q. rate in your country and you'll vote for a president with a brain in the future.

Answer 6

I don't subscribe to the concept that "everyone" can/should own a gun. Some people aren't even fit to drive a vehicle. We have basic vehicle tests where we try to weed out potential problems.

If you were able to magically eliminate all "guns" from the world, then obviously gun crime would go down. But we would still have stabbings, vehicular homicide and so on. Crossbows might make a comeback.

People have free will, and there is no license for that. Violence of man against man is mentioned in every volume of recorded history. We have just gotten fancy with the tools we can level against one another today. If this were biblical times, we'd be discussing banning stones.

Answer 7

There would be many "crimes of passion" where domestic rows become more deadly because guns are to hand, and there would be many tragic accidents were children get hold of guns.
A deranged person with an assault rifle is much more dangerous than with a knife or an axe. Remember the Hungerford massacre which led to automatics being banned in UK? Criminal gangs get hold of guns anyway so I don't think it would make much difference to that type of gun crime. More community based policing and tough sentencing is needed to weed out those people.

Answer 8

Here's a conundrum for you. Why is it that when virtually every frontier household had a least one gun in the house there was so few deaths to accidental use of firearms? The facts are when everyone is allowed to wear weapons openly, courtesy becomes the order of the day. That indicates to me that confiscation is not the answer but advocation is. You don't rob a person, when with the flick of wrist, he can blow your head off.

Answer 9

Owning a gun in this country is illegal.
As far as I am concerned the only use for a gun is to shoot someone and that makes a gun owner a potential murderer and if/when caught with a gun they should be tried as such and with a minimum sentence of at last 30 years .
And .......a person convicted of murder with a gun should be imprisoned for life .
A person has to be a bit inadequate if he/she needs a gun to give them status .

Answer 10

When Florida passed a liberal concealed carry law, violent crime was about cut in half. So how about if lives were saved by allowing law abiding people to own a gun? Would that then be a good idea? Or would the liberals just ignore the facts and keep focusing on what they want to, what supports their agenda of disarming the populace. (That was only outlaws will have guns)