What do you think about gun control?

[The Grand Nudger]

* consider running down a deer and killing it with your bare hands, from those peoples perspectives.  Pretty sure they'd rather we shot em.

[Divinity]

Oh, we're using gun lobby statistics?

How many people were abducted by aliens? Are we going to use those numbers too? Give me a fucking break.

Gun Ownership should be a privilege, not a right. Too many people are fucking irresponsible with their guns. Chances are, you'll never use them in self defense. And if you're ever in a situation that calls for it, you lack the training to deal with the situation anyway.

But don't worry! Nobody's actually going to implement gun control. If after 20 elementary school aged children were murdered, we did nothing, there's never going to be anything that changes anything with regards to your gun control. People will continue to be irresponsible dipshits, and we can only hope that Darwin works his magic.

[The Grand Nudger]

Trouble is, gun ownership is protected as a right by the 2nd, 5th, and 9th amendments to the constitution. They're not going anywhere. Especially, as you note, since they didn't go anywhere when our kids got shot up. As it stands, it's a politically expensive party shibboleth that the right palpably encourages the left to run on, knowing that it costs them and they have no hope of success in that regard.

It's certainly true that the mere existence of legal rights make any number of potentially dangerous scenarios inevitable, and not at all limited to guns. I don't think that the solution to that problem is to get rid of legal rights. We have an extensive body of gun laws just sitting there on the books, waiting to be enforced. Maybe we can try that.

"The family has already suffered enough" is no way to regulate firearms.

[Jehanne]

Oh, we're using gun lobby statistics?

How many people were abducted by aliens? Are we going to use those numbers too? Give me a fucking break.

Gun Ownership should be a privilege, not a right. Too many people are fucking irresponsible with their guns. Chances are, you'll never use them in self defense. And if you're ever in a situation that calls for it, you lack the training to deal with the situation anyway.

But don't worry! Nobody's actually going to implement gun control. If after 20 elementary school aged children were murdered, we did nothing, there's never going to be anything that changes anything with regards to your gun control. People will continue to be irresponsible dipshits, and we can only hope that Darwin works his magic.

Being in an extreme situation where a gun can save one's life or that of others, absent training and experience, is a wash.  You may, 1) kill the perp (who, in most instances, as I said before, is there in your home to steal your stuff and is going to leave very quickly anyways), or 2) kill a family member (has happened with professional law-enforcement snipers who mistook their target), or 3), the perp may take the gun from you and kill you (around 20% of police officers who are killed in the line of duty die from their own sidearm), or 4) an innocent bystander may be hit or killed from your bullets and/or the debris from them.

[The Grand Nudger]

Lots of people fantasize about shooting people, but the overwhelming majority of the people who do would wish they hadn't if they ever actually pulled the trigger. Even in the case of no1.

It's somewhere between 3 and 5am, you've just shot an intruder. You're having trouble hearing what he's saying through the blood he's choking on and the ringing in your ears. You can smell that he shit himself and you can see that he pissed himself. But hey, you saved your cd player. All in all a good night.

[arewethereyet]

I think having control of your gun is quite important.

[Brian37]

Oh, we're using gun lobby statistics?

How many people were abducted by aliens? Are we going to use those numbers too? Give me a fucking break.

Gun Ownership should be a privilege, not a right. Too many people are fucking irresponsible with their guns. Chances are, you'll never use them in self defense. And if you're ever in a situation that calls for it, you lack the training to deal with the situation anyway.

But don't worry! Nobody's actually going to implement gun control. If after 20 elementary school aged children were murdered, we did nothing, there's never going to be anything that changes anything with regards to your gun control. People will continue to be irresponsible dipshits, and we can only hope that Darwin works his magic.

Being in an extreme situation where a gun can save one's life or that of others, absent training and experience, is a wash.  You may, 1) kill the perp (who, in most instances, as I said before, is there in your home to steal your stuff and is going to leave very quickly anyways), or 2) kill a family member (has happened with professional law-enforcement snipers who mistook their target), or 3), the perp may take the gun from you and kill you (around 20% of police officers who are killed in the line of duty die from their own sidearm), or 4) an innocent bystander may be hit or killed from your bullets and/or the debris from them.

It is a complete myth that there is more success confronting someone with a firearm will end up like a Hollywood movie where the good guy saves the day. The truth is that introducing a firearm into a conflict is far more likely to get you injured or killed. And especially in the home. You are far more likely to commit suicide, or accidentally injure or kill yourself, or commit domestic violence.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Lots of people fantasize about shooting people, but the overwhelming majority of the people who do would wish they hadn't if they ever actually pulled the trigger.  Even in the case of no1.  

It's somewhere between 3 and 5am, you've just shot an intruder.  You're having trouble hearing what he's saying through the blood he's choking on and the ringing in your ears.  You can smell that he shit himself and you can see that he pissed himself.  But hey, you saved your cd player.  All in all a good night.

Years gone, I saw an interview with a London Metro constable who was asked what he thought about arming the police. As near as I can recall, his answer was something like, ‘I see a bloke sprinting down the street. Maybe he’s nicked a radio. Maybe he’s nicked 50 quid. Can’t see shooting him for that.’

Boru

[Jehanne]

Being in an extreme situation where a gun can save one's life or that of others, absent training and experience, is a wash.  You may, 1) kill the perp (who, in most instances, as I said before, is there in your home to steal your stuff and is going to leave very quickly anyways), or 2) kill a family member (has happened with professional law-enforcement snipers who mistook their target), or 3), the perp may take the gun from you and kill you (around 20% of police officers who are killed in the line of duty die from their own sidearm), or 4) an innocent bystander may be hit or killed from your bullets and/or the debris from them.

It is a complete myth that there is more success confronting someone with a firearm will end up like a Hollywood movie where the good guy saves the day. The truth is that introducing a firearm into a conflict is far more likely to get you injured or killed. And especially in the home. You are far more likely to commit suicide, or accidentally injure or kill yourself, or commit domestic violence.

Not only that sometimes the police will show up and shoot someone, anyone, who is holding a gun! I should have listed that as being #5.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

It is a complete myth that there is more success confronting someone with a firearm will end up like a Hollywood movie where the good guy saves the day. The truth is that introducing a firearm into a conflict is far more likely to get you injured or killed. And especially in the home. You are far more likely to commit suicide, or accidentally injure or kill yourself, or commit domestic violence.

Not only that sometimes the police will show up and shoot someone, anyone, who is holding a gun!  I should have listed that as being #5.

Amir Locke. Cops execute a no-knock warrant at the wrong flat. 22 year old kid sleeping on the sofa sits up holding his legally owned pistol and is shot dead.

Boru