"Gun Control" email

[Richardrfo]

America has a law saying you can own one, not that you should own one.
That's hardly saying that because you can murder someone, you should.

We as a country in the UK have coped with the public ownership of firearms being outlawed, why is it that America seems so reluctant to give them up? Yes, I understand it's a right, but as I see it it's only the fact that one person has one that another person needs their own for defense. If they were illegal and collected/handed in, there would only be the handful of the population such as criminals that would have them, lowering gun-related deaths and accidents by a somewhat large margin I'd imagine. It would also stop such stupidity as the man who tried to change his wheel with his gun.

I feel I won't say anymore as this thread already makes me feel a bit out of my depth, but felt the need to express my views and was interested to see what replies would come up.

 

[Danoff]

as I see it it's only the fact that one person has one that another person needs their own for defense.

First of all, that assumes that you can remove guns from the hands of criminals. Lemme try to put this carefully.... THEY'RE CRIMINALS!!! They're going to possess guns illegally! All gun laws do is take guns out of the hands of the people who want to defend themselves with them in order to make the job easier for CRIMINALS.

But there are more problems. Even if you could somehow wipe guns from the face of the Earth, you've now made it even easier for a 20 year old 200 lb built man to overpower, rob, and kill a 60 year old woman. Guns are equalizers, they're the only thing we have that can enable a bed ridden 90 year old woman to protect herself against a criminal entering her home.

Guns in the hands of law abiding citizens are very bad for criminals, and the statistics show it. That's why crime is on the way up in the UK, and in most categories crime in the UK (once boasting a very low crime rate) has now surpassed the US.

 

[Famine]

Well Famine, by your logic we shouldn't have laws against murder or rape. Because everyone knows they are wrong. Why do we need laws telling us they are wrong?

No, that's the exact opposite. Take care and think about it for a second.

 

[Sureboss]

Guns in the hands of law abiding citizens are very bad for criminals, and the statistics show it. That's why crime is on the way up in the UK, and in most categories crime in the UK (once boasting a very low crime rate) has now surpassed the US.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita

The 'ultimate' crime.

Say what you want about whether guns make a country safer or not, it'll never happen in the UK. Our standard coppers don't have guns and don't want them, if they don't have them then we can't. I could harshly say that guns didn't help the 30+ killed at Virginia tech. Guns can help, but you still need to realise the situation early, they aren't going to help in situations like Virginia tech, when someone is shooting at everyone and anyone. It could help in 'Home Invasion' or whatever it is called Stateside. I'd also say there's a very strong link between the increase of guns in this country and crime rates. Uk and US will never agree though.

 

[arora]

I could harshly say that guns didn't help the 30+ killed at Virginia tech. Guns can help, but you still need to realise the situation early, they aren't going to help in situations like Virginia tech, when someone is shooting at everyone and anyone.

I believe it is against the Virginia tech school policy for anyone to carry guns on campus, thus the only one with the gun was a criminal. I'm not sure if a wild west type atmisphere is a good idea but if you take the proper training and go through a background check to get a conceal and carry permit you should be allowed to carry your weapon anywhere. Perhaps if there was a responsible trained student with a gun some lives could have been saved.

 

[Danoff]

I could harshly say that guns didn't help the 30+ killed at Virginia tech.

But you'd be bringing up something that helps me make my point. Guns were banned on campus. Did the criminal care? Hell no. Did the law abiding citizens who wanted to protect themselves obey the law? Of course. Observe what happens when a criminal has a great deal more power than his victims.

Edit:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2656875.stm

But despite, or because, of this, violent crime in America has been plummeting for 10 consecutive years, even as British violence has been rising. By 1995 English rates of violent crime were already far higher than America's for every major violent crime except murder and rape.

You are now six times more likely to be mugged in London than New York.

6 times.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

It could help in 'Home Invasion' or whatever it is called Stateside.

My criminal justice professor mentioned that 60% of burglaries in England are hot burglaries as opposed to 10% in the US. A quick check on the internet gave me 45-50% versus 13% from a book written in 1997. I thought that was pretty interesting.