Do you think DC should keep their handgun ban?

Question

As I understand it, the DC Appeals Court overturned the handgun ban. The mayor and lawyers want the gun ban to remain in place

Their petition says, “It is eminently reasonable to permit private ownership of other types of weapons, including shotguns and rifles, but ban the easily concealed and uniquely dangerous modern handgun,”

“Whatever right the Second Amendment guarantees, it does not require the District to stand by while its citizens die.”


Mayor Fenty said, “The only possible outcome of more handguns in the home is more violence.”

What do you think???

Answer 1

The ban was enacted in 1976. Following are rough statistics on D.C.'s crime rate in conjunction:

- in 1968, 24 deaths per 100,000
- in 1978, 28 deaths per 100,000
- in 1988, 59 deaths per 100,000
- in 1998, 50 deaths per 100,000

Dosen't look like the handgun ban was such a bright idea.

The only correlation between gun ownership and violent crime is: the more private ownership per capita the less violent crime per capita. Everyone in Switzerland owns a damn machinegun and there is virtually no violent crime, following is an excerpt from a tourism article for Switzerland:

Violent crime is almost unknown, and when murders are committed it is usually between asylum seekers. Like it or not, 44% of the persons convicted of criminal offences are foreigners, half of whom do not even officially live in Switzerland.

Mayor Fenty is a moron, he has absolutely no basis for his statement. None. Statistics from all over the world directly refute his idiotic statement.

Answer 2

No. It overtly violates the 2nd Amendment.

All that gun bans do is take guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens. The criminals always get guns no matter what. If banning guns works, then why are there still gun crimes in England?

The only outcome of legal handguns is more violence from prospective victims. They then can defend themselves.

Answer 3

No. It's obviously been a failure since the day it was instituted. What is it with liberals wanting to keep trying the same failed social experiments over and over again, hoping this time they'll work.

Actually, I think if every law abiding citizen (with a clean criminal and mental record) in DC were given a gun and some ammo, you would see violent crime plummet because the crooks would be afraid of getting killed by their victims.

Answer 4

Yeah, that ban is working real well for them--what do they have, like the highest murder rate per capita? Just look at the places in the US where gun laws are strict. In every case, there is a high murder rate. Then when you look at places where gun laws are lax, you find the opposite parallel. But, then again, common sense is not a requirement for government service (obviously).

Answer 5

Violent crime and gun ownership do not correspond. Latin America has one of the lowest gun ownership rates in the world, and violent crime is an epidemic there. In the UK where almost all guns are illegal, they have a horrible violent crime problem as well.

In Switzerland, where everyone is in their Reserves and has either an assault rifle or machine gun in their house, has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the world.

Do guns equal low or high violent crime rates? NO.
It is the poverty that creates the conditions for people to turn to violent crime. Until that issue is solved, banning guns will not solve the problem.

Answer 6

I think the second amendment is pretty clear. "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.". I believe ALL gun control laws are unconstitutional. Gun control laws have not had any positive impact on crime rates.

Answer 7

Oh, so because technology changed from the 1790's when The Constitution was written, then we can pass laws that are contrary to intent of The Constitution?

Aren't you the same people that say the government can't listen in on phone conversations? Were there telephones in the 1790's?

Answer 8

I'd have to read the Appeals Court ruling in order to know whether or not that Court did its job right. There isn't very much precedent on that topic, is there? In fact, is there any?

I will not judge whether or not I agree with the Court's ruling based on whether or not I WANT any guns to be banned. I will base my judgment on the quality and legal persuasiveness of the Court's written opinion.

Answer 9

I think DC is a very dangerous place and if criminals are illegally carrying handguns then law abiding citizens should be able to protect themselves.

Answer 10

DC has an enormous number of uneducated youth that look to pop culture and gang membership, which encourages brash and violent behavior, to satisfy their interests. Unfortunately neighboring VA and MD have lax handgun laws.