|
|
Post by lei on Nov 3, 2004 10:32:57 GMT -5
The reason is very simple. You see, if you were to ban guns nation-wide, no one would be able to get guns - criminals, or "honest civilians". That's not so. If guns were banned, honest civilians would not be able to get guns, true. BUT criminals would. If guns were banned, a black market in guns would spring up instantly. They you have a country full of armed criminals killing or threatening unarmed civilians. When booze was banned, folks made stills and whiskey out of potatoes and corn. Or smuggled it in from other countries. I think somebody mentioned a scenario where a guy breaks into your house and you need to load your gun, get it out of the closet, in the dark, etc etc. When my dad was younger, a guy broke into his house. My grandpa called the police, but they were taking their time. So my dad took a unloaded gun and held up the guy till the police came. As an aside, do you think the guy would have come in if he'd have known my dad had a gun? So you don't have to kill the housebreaker to protect yourself and your possesions. You just have to own a gun.... |
|
|
|
Post by Buddy on Nov 3, 2004 17:50:02 GMT -5
That's not so. If guns were banned, honest civilians would not be able to get guns, true. BUT criminals would. If guns were banned, a black market in guns would spring up instantly. They you have a country full of armed criminals killing or threatening unarmed civilians. When booze was banned, folks made stills and whiskey out of potatoes and corn. Or smuggled it in from other countries. Not nessecarily. Not from how I see it. See, who buys the majority of guns out there? The average civillian. And where's the biggest market for gun makers/dealers? America. So, if the American market is extinguished, there will be less guns made, and therefor, less guns to be passed around. This is a fair scenario, and I acknowledge that things like this can - and ultimately, will happen. However, they are few and far between. And I don't think the guy really cared if you had a gun or not. Obviously, he didn't think about it. Whether or not you had a gun obviously didn't stop him from breaking in. So, your argument - that guns stop people from breaking in in the first place - really doesn't pan out, as, even though the guy had no idea whether or not you owned a gun, he broke in, anyways. |
|
|
|
Post by Komori on Nov 4, 2004 9:21:29 GMT -5
... How many of those gun deaths are from gang violence? How many of those deaths are from gang fights, or drive-bys, or similar things? And those gangs, how many of them do drugs? Probably all of them. And, last time I checked, drugs are illegal. I guess it's not too hard to get a hold of them, and the marajuana market doesn't seem to be suffering too much from the ban, either. It isn't hard to get drugs, and easy to get away with it. I know a couple dozen people in this school who smoke pot. If I wanted some, I know where I can get it. Not too hard. How hard would it be to get a gun, if it was banned? Heh, not really hard at all.
So anyway, back to gang violence. It happens a lot. Gangs shoot other gangs, and people die. My mom was a cop for a few years. Most of the deaths she had to deal with were either old people with heart attacks, or gang members who were shot by rival gangs. Probably over drugs.
... I guess I'm rambling...
|
|
|
|
Post by theunorthodox on Nov 4, 2004 15:09:24 GMT -5
Actually, I remember there being some interesting statistic about people who are NRA members and how often their houses are broken into over a regular civilian. Because when you join the NRA, you can get nifty stickers on your window that say you own a gun and the such. I think if I was planning on robbing a house I'd be pretty turned off by that.
I wonder if I can find them...
|
|
|
|
Post by Buddy on Nov 4, 2004 16:31:03 GMT -5
... How many of those gun deaths are from gang violence? How many of those deaths are from gang fights, or drive-bys, or similar things? And those gangs, how many of them do drugs? Probably all of them. And, last time I checked, drugs are illegal. I guess it's not too hard to get a hold of them, and the marajuana market doesn't seem to be suffering too much from the ban, either. It isn't hard to get drugs, and easy to get away with it. I know a couple dozen people in this school who smoke pot. If I wanted some, I know where I can get it. Not too hard. How hard would it be to get a gun, if it was banned? Heh, not really hard at all. So anyway, back to gang violence. It happens a lot. Gangs shoot other gangs, and people die. My mom was a cop for a few years. Most of the deaths she had to deal with were either old people with heart attacks, or gang members who were shot by rival gangs. Probably over drugs. ... I guess I'm rambling... In 2002, just over 1,000 murders occured from gangs. So, 1,000 murders occured from gangs, 15,000 occured for some other reason. So, "all of them" is quite an over-statement, eh? www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/circumst.htmNow, as far as comparing guns to drugs... They're not the same. Period. Drugs are like food - there needs to be a constant supply of drugs coming into the country to feed the "business". It wouldn't be the same with guns. People will go out every few days to buy drugs and get high. People won't go out every couple days to buy guns - unless they happen to be very irresponsible and lose theirs all the time. You wouldn't have the continuous supply of guns coming into the country, as only the criminals would be bothering to buy them off the black market. And for that matter, you're right - some people will still manage to get guns. Most people can still manage to get (illegal) guns today, even under our current gun control laws. That's just a fact of life. But I see it like this - if I can make it so that only 4 or 5 members of a gang are armed instead of 9 or 10, we're working towards making the world safer. |
|
|
|
Post by Komori on Nov 4, 2004 19:30:06 GMT -5
In 2002, just over 1,000 murders occured from gangs. So, 1,000 murders occured from gangs, 15,000 occured for some other reason. So, "all of them" is quite an over-statement, eh? No, that's not what I meant by "all of them." I asked how many gang members do drugs. And I said "all of them," meaning, all of the gang members do drugs. I didn't mean that all gundeaths are because of gangs. Sorry if I wasn't clear. And you do have a point. Drugs have to be constantly supplied, and guns are more of a one-time purchase. I agree with you there. But that doesn't mean the gun market will die even if they're banned, necessarily. I mean, i'm sure police departments and the military are bigger consumers than individuals anyway.. |
|
