Gun Laws - arguments for and against?

Question

I'd like moral/social/pragmatic arguments

Just because something is set out (and from what I've read in the constitution it may have been meant in a different context could someone straighten that out) in LAW does not make it right

Laws are reformed for a reason

An inability to see right and wrong beyond what is legal and illegal is indicative of a lack of moral development. I dont mean that to be insulting thats what psychologists and philosophers postulate.

It seems to me that if you dont have any guns, then you wouldnt need guns to defend yourself!!!! The US has startlingly high mortality rates from guns compared with other countries who have strict gun laws so clearly the system is breaking down somewhere.

What do you guys think?????


And please dont resort to making slurs about the country I live in or my intelligence like a lot of you did with my last question - that is not an argument and I find it insulting and immature.

Im honestly interested in your opinions.

Surely having guns increases gun crime
just as having more gun control would reduce gun crime

to use America as an example - they have the highest rate of gun deaths amongst developed nations - at the same time have the highest rate of guns per capita!!!!

Thats relationship has to mean something surely....

Answer 1

It is a right in my constitution as an American.

Answer 2

Yeah homes, You might as well pull your head out of the clouds and find yourself a different report to write. If I feel the need to kill somebody, I'll stuff a spoon down their throat, run them over with my truck, blow them up with a Drano bomb, or heck, I could even stab them to death. Does that mean that we should make spoons, automobiles, Pop bottles, toilet bowl cleaner, aluminum foil, and knives all illegal too? Naturally, since they could all be used for weapons, we should start a movement to make them illegal, right? Driving a car is more dangerous than walking around waiting to get shot at. Because people die driving cars everyday do we want to make driving illegal? Wait, we already established that we want to make automobiles illegal because they can be used as a weapon. How are you going to differentiate between the gun that is used to hunt with and the gun that a criminal uses to kill a person? That is the dumbest thing I've read on Yahoo Answers; and there is some pretty dumb stuff on here. For most of the law abiding world, target shooting and hunting is the only kind of guns there are. Why don't you just say "We should make any gun that is going to be used to kill a person illegal"? I would say that you need to not worry about combating the second amendment; but rather worry about how you're going to make up lost time on this assignment. There isn't an argument that works.

Answer 3

A murderer is a murderer whether their weapon of choice is a gun or a knife or barehands. I own several guns. I dont carry them around with me because I am a law abiding citizen therefore im not a threat nor are my guns. This country is flooded with guns and there is no way to get them away from crooks or thugs. I live in a low crime area so I dont feel the need to pack a weapon. But I feel safer going to bed at night knowing that if there is a break in I have a fighting chance.

Answer 4

There is a problem with any prohibition type laws - the buisness prohibited goes into the hands of organized crime. Bans on gun ownership will not keep guns out of the hands of those who want them. Such laws will only make the gun sales part of the underground economy.

Have the drug laws worked? NO. Did booze prohibition work in the 20's? NO.

I am not a gun owner, and don't care to own one, but I am smart enough to support freedom for others to own guns legally and openly.

Answer 5

Constitutional arguments aside... guns are a reality. There is no magic wand to wave to make them all disappear. Doesn't matter how many laws are written, how stiff the penalties, the bad guys will always have guns. The good guys, however, won't. That means the bad guys will always win; maybe not in the long run but that won't mean anything to the shot dead good guy.

Answer 6

it is a constitutional right. here's why i think our forefathers did intend it as a right for its citizens. they were attempting to create a government that was equal to all and in europe weapons were not allowed to be owned by all citizens, allowing for those who ruled to do so with impunity. because we did not have law enforcement persons available throughout the U.S. there was a need for every household to have weapons for the following reasons to protect livestock from theft and predators, indians as they felt threatened by them (sorry and i am indian so leave me alone), to hunt in case their food supply ran out over the winter, they did not have a ready militia to defend against invasion threats. you might feel that all these things no longer exist. many of us do not feel the same way and here are my reasons, probably others reasons too. criminals will always have guns that is why they are criminals however criminals do not like the prospect of a gun being stuffed in their cowardly face when they try to victimize someone. example there are two places in my town who have never been robbed and they both wear visible sidearms while on the job they are the gun shop and a large jewelry store. since we armed our pilots how many people have forced their way into a cockpit? to not know who has the guns and where they are and who will shoot first and ask questions later keeps all of us safer. back to the pilots they are not all armed but just to know that the possibility exists that if you force your way into the cockpit you will be gunned down is a deterrent. when our people are fighting away from home (like iraq) it would be an excellent opportunity for another country to get cute and invade our country (like mexico boy are they out of line with us right now). why do you think they don't? how often do we get invaded? we don't. lets not forget what governments do to their own people. because we are the most armed country in the world 90 guns for every 100 households, we live primarily in peace. also when you or anyone else is going to interpret a writing you have to think of when the document was created, what led up to it and what was happening at that time. you must find the intent behind the writing as the words do not always measure the same through time. most important it has to makes sense. to allow only for an armed militia in those times under those circumstances, the circumstances that brought us to this great land makes zero sense. i never thought too much of the whole gun thing never wanted to own a gun until my government started trying to take them away. i still wonder why they think it is a good idea. the only reason i can think of is so they can rule with more impunity. then my favorite show law and order tried to sell the garbage that most early americans did not own and never wanted to own guns/rifles. all of this was based on some guy by the last name of bellesilles and the phony research (it was proved to be phony) he did on gun ownership in early america. it was amazing the number of people who just bought it without any thought as to whether it made sense. it made me realize that people have to think because whether out of ignorance or due to an agenda the government and media will try to sell you whatever. your job is to find the nuggets of truth amongst the turds!

Answer 7

Banning guns decreases gun crime, but Ive yet to see proof of it actually lowering the crime or even the murder rate. The strangulation rate in London exploded after they banned guns. Id rather be shot...

Crime has been proven to go down in the US in counties that require all citizens to have a gun. Not just gun crime, but all crime decreases. Why should we chose no guns over mandatory guns?

The Swiss have very little crime, how many Swiss citizens have guns at home?

I own a gun for a few reasons.
1. Easier to teach my kids gun safety, I want them familiar with guns at the youngest age possible just like I was. Its not something exotic or a toy, it is a tool like a knife with very specific rules for use.

2. Relaxation-shooting is very relaxing. I have enough land in the back to shoot there or go to the range. Either way it is done safely.

3. Protection. That means protection from home invasion and protection from the gov't.
With freedom comes responsibility, the inverse of that is that any freedom being taken away takes away some of your responsibility. I dont want or need the gov't to take care of me in most cases. I dont expect the police to be up my butt protecting me.

If you look into gun crime in the US, it is rarely done by people who legally own the gun. We dont need more hurdles in legit ownership, or less guns. All we need is controll over illegal guns. Most offenders in gun violence issues are not first time offenders-these are people who have already shown they cannot handle the responsibility. Take away their freedom, not mine.

Answer 8

I have several rifles in my home and don't regret one of them.
I would also like to be liscensed to carry a gun. There are too many things going on and me here alone, I feel safer.
I know some particular people that might do anything and I sure want to be prepared. Can't go into more detail.
Here if someone enters your house it is legal to shot.

Answer 9

Highest home invasion stats: Cities that ban owning guns.

Zero home invasion stats: Kennesaw, GA, where all homeowners are required to have a gun in the house.

Bad guys don't like the idea of being shot back at...they will go where the pickings are easy.

Answer 10

There is no way to make our country 100% gun free, so if you accept this fact and agree then the only way to protect yourself and your family is to have a gun and the education on when to use it. If you depened on police for your protection then you will probably be a victim at some point.

Answer 11

If you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns. Gun control does not stop or reduce crime. You state that having more guns will increase gun crime and gun deaths. However there is no evidence that banning guns will reduce crime overall or deaths overall. Knives kill people too. So do cars. More people are killed by inattentive drivers than by guns. Lets ban the cars first.