Gun Control Anyone?

[photon555]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

Let's urge our congress critters to make the congressional buildings gun free zones; no guns at all, not even for security guards. If they don't want to protect our schools, then they sure don't deserve to be protected by evil guns!

[Polish_Silver]

6-guns in the Capital building ?

Let's urge our congress critters to make the congressional buildings gun free zones; no guns at all, not even for security guards. If they don't want to protect our schools, then they sure don't deserve to be protected by evil guns!

About two years ago the Atlantic monthly had a good article about the history of gun ownership rights. Part of the article was about the black panthers, and Huey Newton. One of them decided to "make a point" by walking into the state assembly, (in session) with a loaded rifle. He did not break any laws by doing this, and there were no security guards. I really miss those times . . .

It triggered a media firestorm, and calls for gun registration from the republicans !

[flintlock]

Re: Shooting caused by prescription drugs?

Badjuju is right. We should treat this as an isolated instance and move on. In a country of 320 million people, bad stuff will happen.

That's pretty much my take on it as well. Bigger country, bigger problems. Our society is sick and that will come out and show itself from time to time.

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

that is my grandfathers' middle school class... from his middle school yearbook....heading to the on campus range.

the problem is not the guns people. it's the people. and the fact that our society encourages freaks and discourages self reliant people with ethics and common sense.

My 78 Year old mother was on her rifle team in HS. Can you imagine such a thing today?? ..

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

When you guys get your 10 round magazine limit it won't work (it didn't last time either). You know it, I know it. Next you'll be after anything "automatic". That won't work either. Then you'll be after "sniper" rifles, "Saturday night specials", pump shotguns, revolvers and anything "cheap". It still won't work nor will a the total gun ban, so knives will be next and around that same time "hate speech" will come up as a prosecutable crime. We'll still have "too much violence" so the trouble makers will be "preemptively detained" and the police state will be complete. Of course it's all for a good cause, so we shouldn't complain (in fact it will be illegal). But, hey, if a majority votes for it it can't be wrong.... can it?

The Columbine killers used a 10 shot 9mm carbine, a Tec-9 handgun, and shotguns that hold even less to do most of the killing. And that wasn't even the plan. The plan was to set off a large Propane bomb to do the real damage. Luckily that failed. Magazine size was irrelevant at Columbine since the response by police was virtually non-existent. They casually walked through the school shooting and throwing bombs. One of the best things to come out of Columbine was the understanding of the need to move quickly on the part of law enforcement. No doubt it saved lives at Sandy Hook.

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

The line has to be drawn somewhere. Right now heavy machine guns and RPGs are illegal in the US.

A lot of people are under the mistaken belief that fully automatic firearms are illegal to possess by non military or law enforcement. I know several "citizens" who paid the tax and own fully auto firearms. Almost anyone can go to events like this and pay the fee and fire away.

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

Actually, the statistics show the most effective weapon in war is the land mine.

The most effective machine for killing in the United States today is the automobile:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm



There are 254,212,610 registered passenger vehicles in the US, and 310 million non-military firearms. As each vehicle is 11% deadlier than a gun, clearly we should be banning cars. Ooh! and poisons - definitely we should ban those. No more Drano in stores. /sarc

The most likely way to kill is to throw someone/throw yourself off a tall bridge.

A gun is by far the easiest to use - badly - but ultimately it is a tool just like a baseball bat, a bow and arrow, a sword, or CLUE game murder weapon.

Ban cars for all but government and police! There, problem solved.

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

No guns necessary here

Warning graphic violence

Unless you consider how a firearm may have protected this man from mob violence.

Anyone who questions the need for citizens to have firearms needs only to look at the outrageous violence being perpetrated against unarmed people in various African nations right now. Mass rapes, murder, necklacing, chopping off of hands and feet. Forcing sons to rape their mothers. Really vile stuff. Mostly perpetrated by armed gangs of criminals who may call themselves "Rebels" but are really nothing more than opportunists. Many of these countries were not always this violent. While not perfect by any means, these countries at one time had some element of stability and law and order where this type of event was not common. By the time these things occur it is usually too late to attempt to arm yourself. While we are by no means at this point in the US, it is rather arrogant to think we are above something like this happening here, not when we have men going into schools and killing little kids.

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

Something to look forward to...an entire nation armed to the teeth. Can't hardly wait till you folks train up every kindergarten teacher in all 50 States to defend the pupils. That'll be quite an accomplishment.

Back when I worked for Big Oil, one of the company's regional offices was in New Orleans, and I had a chance to spend a bit of time there in the late 1980s, including Mardi Gras one year. My wife and I had been with some friends in the French Quarter and were walking the few blocks back to the Hyatt Regency when a policeman stopped us near the corner of Canal and Chartres, asked where we were going and then told us to get a taxi as it was "too dangerous to be walking in that direction at night". One of my brothers, who used to race Olympic class Star boats, had an identical experience after a race weekend and regatta party at the Miami Yacht Club when he tried to walk back to his hotel. In his case the cop called the cab. Sad commentary...

I agree its a sad state. But its unfortunately a reality of our own making. We reward irresponsible behavior, are soft on criminals, and create an economic environment that breeds more of the same.

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

That part hurts. Because I have known and loved victims of car violence and, specifically, drunk drivers.

That's what led to my misreading of another's post earlier.

But those incidents are totally unrelated to guns, which can be concealed, and aimed, and... well, if you need me to explain the difference between a gun and a car then you probably need a better counselor than I.

Now that you bring up alcohol, there is something to be compared between it and guns. Both have their uses, but its the misuse of both that leads to tragedy. Yet we know how banning alcohol in the US worked out. The criminals still had it. Organized crime grew because of it. Imagine what a gun ban would do for the illegal gun trade. And we think the war on drugs is out of control. Picture Mexico levels of violence.

I can completely respect your decision not to arm yourself. That is certainly your choice. Despite being raised around them since childhood, and an occasional hunter, I never owned a firearm until shortly after a man broke into my house while I was asleep. That was a real reality check. There had been a recent unsolved murder of a woman just two doors down. It gave me a lot to think about. I was also a victim of a thorough beating with baseball bats by a gang of thugs out for a cheap thrill, which left me with a mild case of PTSD. I can still not fully enjoy any event with crowds like a baseball game, concert, etc, even 30 years later. I'm just curious about your experience with violent crime and how that factors into your argument. It's one thing to be a pacifist when you are talking about theoretical episodes, another when reality sets in.

[flintlock]

Re: Gun Control Anyone?

But only because that looks to be a M1 carbine, which doesn't hold 30 rounds!

[LorenS]

Re: 6-guns in the Capital building ?

The most effective machine for killing in the United States today is the automobile:

Nearly all motor vehicle deaths are accidents. If people were using cars to intentionally kill the numbers would be far, far higher.

Consider these facts:

Gun accidents are becoming vanishingly rare and most gun "accidents" result in prosecution.
Car accidents have declined, but not nearly so much and most car "accidents" result in a small civil fine.

Gun crimes are punished much more severely than a similar crime of violence.
Car crimes are seldom prosecuted even close to a similar crime of violence with similar injuries.

AND FOR THE RECORD:

"Military Style Assault" rifle = cheap, light, plastic handled, ergonomic, mass produced firearm that typically feeds from a box magazine and shoots a light weight projectile from a low energy, low recoil cartridge.

There is nothing particularly sinister about these things except that the cheap plastic has no style compared to old fashioned wood.

[bart]

Re: 6-guns in the Capital building ?

...
"Military Style Assault" rifle = cheap, light, plastic handled, ergonomic, mass produced firearm that typically feeds from a box magazine and shoots a light weight projectile from a low energy, low recoil cartridge.

There is nothing particularly sinister about these things except that the cheap plastic has no style compared to old fashioned wood.

Assuming that an assault rifle ban goes into effect, and for irony points, I wonder how long it will be until some manufacturers assemble the exact same action and barrel etc. into a rifle that *looks* just like a regular hunting rifle?

[LorenS]

Re: 6-guns in the Capital building ?

Effective weapons for self defense, for those with physical limitations:

Light weight.
Low recoil
Easy to sight/aim.
Easy to control.
Easy to load
Operable with minimal dexterity.
Ammunition can be stored separate from firearm.


Basically you have a light weight, semi automatic, box fed rifle.

The military did not develop the M-16 to be maximally effective in "killing" they had Napalm, 500lb bombs, 8" artillery etc to do the "killing".

The military developed the M-16 because it was accessible to the maximum number of troops with the least amount of training. {{ AND THEY ARE CHEAP, THANKS TAXPAYERS!! }}

Really, the AR is NOT the best, not even close - thanks America, for your support.

[LorenS]

Re: 6-guns in the Capital building ?

Assuming that an assault rifle ban goes into effect, and for irony points, I wonder how long it will be until some manufacturers assemble the exact same action and barrel etc. into a rifle that *looks* just like a regular hunting rifle?

Feinstein and her cronies are doing ther best to cover that "loophole". They are crafty and sneaky. The buried details will be key points of the legislation, those are the parts that will get no media coverage and will be buried in page xxx in small print.

If you look to England, you'll see that there is never "enough" gun control. Airsoft is next on the list there.