Private Gun Ownership

[Docfeelgood]

**** that! There are easier ways.

Duh? its gun not c0ck!

[Joseph]

In Sydney, a few days ago: "The 66-year-old truck driver was killed by a stray bullet as he drove past a shoot-out in Sydney's south-west on Thursday night, a freak occurrence his family said would have thrilled him if he had seen it on a crime show."

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...t/1552520.aspx

Now wait a minute, We were told here in the USA that all of the guns in your country were pick up by the Gov. so no one could be shot by a gun.

[SlowwHand]

Legal guns.

[ricketyclik]

No, it was the illegal ones. Of course there are still a heap out there. But the less legal ones there are out there (by making them illegal and having them handed in) the less there are to

a) make their way in to criminal circulation,
b) be used in anger, and
c) accidentally kill someone.

We had a .22 rifle in our family for fifty years or so (legally, for agricultural use). During that time it killed hundreds of nuisance rabbits, a few feral cats and foxes, and two humans.

Of the humans, one was a suicide (would the moment of despair have passed if it weren't so easily acted upon in such a short moment of time?) and one was an accident - one child pointing at another and pulling the trigger, thinking it was not loaded.

These aren't uncommon stories in Oz, but last I heard our most common murder weapon is scissors - ie, most murders are moments of passion between people who live in the same house. If guns were more commonly in our houses, I think we'd have a lot more murders.

I can think of at least two occasions when I was a young man where if I'd had a gun on me I would have used it, would have been correctly imprisoned, and my and many other's lives would have been ruined. The actual result at the time was a few cuts and bruises and some hurt pride.

Oh, in case you're wondering, I'm in favour of strict gun control. But then I don't have hundreds of millions in sales to lose by convincing people they are safer with a gun in their house or on their person.

[Felch]

Guns aren't toys. Not even 22s. Apparently Aussies have trouble with that concept.

[ricketyclik]

Yeah, kids don't shoot each other in the US

[ricketyclik]

Enumerating the Toll Guns Take on American Lives

Gun Deaths -- All

In the last five years, more than 148,000 people have been killed by a firearm in America, 14,500 of them children and teens.
29,569 people were killed in America by gunfire in one year, according to the most recent data, which averages to 81 people a day -- or a person killed by a gun every 18 minutes.
The U.S. has the highest rate of deaths from gunfire in the industrialized world.


Gun Deaths -- Children and Teens (0-19)

2,852 children and teenagers were killed in America by gunfire in one year, according to the most recent data, which averages to 8 children and teenagers a day -- or one child or teen killed by a gun every 3 hours.
Every three days, we lose a classroom of children as a result of gun violence.
The number of children killed by gunfire in a year has been reduced by 16% in the last six years.
The overall firearm-related death rate among U.S. children under the age of 15 was nearly 12 times higher than among children in 25 other industrialized countries combined.


Gun Injuries

In 2005, there were 69,825 people injured by a firearm in America -- that's more than 191 injuries per day. And 23% of the injuries (16,298) were incurred by children and teens.


Ownership and Storage

34% of children in the United States (representing more than 22 million children in 11 million homes) live in homes with at least one firearm. In 69% of homes with firearms and children, more than one firearm is present. Among homes with children and firearms, 40% had at least one unlocked firearm and 13% kept their unlocked firearm loaded or stored with ammunition.


Suicide -- Children and Teens (0-19)

On average during each of the last 10 years, 1,076 children/teens committed suicide with a firearm each year; more than 115 each year were younger than 15-years-old.


School Shootings

Two-thirds of the 41 students involved in 37 school-shooting incidents from 1974-2000 got their guns from their own home or that of a relative.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/kay24/gGxnYz

[Felch]

Of course we have the highest rates of firearm deaths. We have the most guns. We also have the highest rates of kicking ass and chewing bubble gum. What's the problem?

[RGBVideo]

Would I trust my neighbor Jimmy the tap-dancing moron with a handgun? No. Do I think he can pass some rubber stamp concealed carry test. Unfortunately yes, he's only functionally retarded. Would I feel safer if he was waving a 12 gauge? Probably not, but I least I could see him coming and get the hell out of Dodge.

This has been really the focal point of gun control legislation since it was started in medieval Europe as longbow-control of peasants, to get ignorant and stupid "common folks" (ie., the people) not to get their hand on any guns and to "protect them" by ensuring that they won't hurt themselves / each other.

Sure, bring facts into the discussion. Cheater. I was thinking of the oft used argument "I need this handgun to protect my family, because if I don't who will". Yeah, that's why I need it under my sport coat while I'm at work and at happy hour after work and on the drive to and from work etc. etc.

Concealed carry just makes me nervous. Sure, criminals are always going to get/carry guns regardless of any laws. But with legalized concealed carry, you've got a bunch of additional "average americans", many of whom are functionally retarded, half-drunk, racist or looped out on prescription drugs) packing heat. Would I trust my neighbor Jimmy the tap-dancing moron with a handgun? No. Do I think he can pass some rubber stamp concealed carry test. Unfortunately yes, he's only functionally retarded. Would I feel safer if he was waving a 12 gauge? Probably not, but I least I could see him coming and get the hell out of Dodge.

In order to find out the true hilarious-ness level of this post, we would have to find out where you live.

[bc1871]

Firearms are the right of every citizen of a democratic nation. The only thing, that keeps us from total government tyranny is our right to bear and keep arms.

[Japher]

I don't think any guns should be private, they should all be made public. That way if I want a gun I can just check one out, like a library book, and return it when my anger has be squelched...

[Lorizael]

Firearms are the right of every citizen of a democratic nation. The only thing, that keeps us from total government tyranny is our right to bear and keep arms.

So in the nearly three years between the beginning of the United States and the ratification of the Bill of Rights, what was preventing the government from becoming tyrannical?

[Felch]

Only problem I see with that Japher, is you're going to have a lot of people who fire cheap and dirty ammo, like Wolf, and then never clean the guns.

Think of public toilets versus private.

[Japher]

Only problem I see with that Japher, is you're going to have a lot of people who fire cheap and dirty ammo, like Wolf, and then never clean the guns.

Think of public toilets versus private.

Good point. If you get a gun that's used by kids they might be mended with duck tape and have crayon all over it. There would definitely have to be a catchy slogan to make sure people clean their guns and use proper ammo. Along the lines of how 'be kind, please rewind' revolutionized the DVD industry.

[Felch]