A discussion about Guns

**Sombeech** · 10-03-2005, 08:36 PM

Here it is, let us have it!! This thread is inspired from a discussion that started in the "Who are you?" thread, that was kind of hijacked.

Feel free to give us your opinions on Firearms.

Are you against them? Do you like them? Fill us in on some viewpoints we may not have seen before.

State your opinion, and share your feelings, weak or STRONG.

Just keep it PG-13. Thanks.

**Sponsored Link** · 10-03-2005 08:36 PM

**Sombeech** · 10-03-2005, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by TreeHugger

Here's some statistics for ya: (sorry for the thread hijack, but I'm only replying to the original hijack)

* Sixteen children are killed with guns each day in the US.
* Every six hours, an American between 10 & 19 years ol commits suicide with a gun.
* More people between the ages of 15 and 24 are killed with guns than by all natural causes combined.
* Guns ar the number one killer of African American men ages 15 - 34.
* Gunshot wounds are the number two killer of all Americans ages 10 to 34.
* A recent survey found that more than 1.2 million elementary school age latchkey children hav household access to a gun.
* A recent survey found that 18% of suburban high school students own a handgun.
* Another survey found that 35% of hight school students from high crime areas carry guns regularly.
* The gun you own for self protection is 43 times more likely to kill an innocent acquaintance than to be used for self-defense.
* In one recent year, there were 18 handgun homicides in Australia, 33 in Great Britain, 36 in Sweden, 60 in Japan, 97 in Switzerland, 128 in Canada and 13,495 in the United States.

Interesting points. I have a tendancy to not believe statistics of any topic at first, but I don't think these are that far out of range.

Originally Posted by Superriffic S*

yeah, yeah, yeah... because the United States has a high number in homicides committed with guns does not mean that we are the leading country in homicides. If someone wants to kill somebody else they will, period. I love the mentality that somehow when you take away the gun then the problem or the crime will go away. It just so happens that the capitol of our great country that indeed has the most strict of gun laws in it, has the highest crime rate in the counrty. Huh, I guess all those laws didn't amount to a hill of beans in D.C., eh?
Here is an article about the knife crime rate in Britain and how they had somewhere between 16,000 to 19,000 knife incidents in 2003. I guess it doesn't matter whether you have a gun, knife or anything else... if you want to kill or harm someone you will find a way to do it.

http://www.spiked-online.com/Printable/0000000CA825.htm

On the other hand, this is a good point also. I've lived in the British Isles for a couple of years, and went back again. I have seen the "knife" culture there as well.
There was/is plenty of crime to go around over there, and guns were hardly mentioned. There have been many bank robberies at knifepoint.

**accadacca** · 10-03-2005, 09:09 PM

I am pretty neutral on this. But I voted "I'll never give up my guns!!" Not quite as liberal as that statement or this picture.

But I do value FREEDOM and feel that we all benefit from living in this country. I try to respect the freedoms that others choose.

**rock_ski_cowboy** · 10-03-2005, 09:26 PM

Heres a good case study for you on gun bans:

Guns are absolutely and completely illegal in Mexico (surprising considering it is a country where pretty much everything else IS legal). Virtually none of the general public owns them. The only people that own them are Policemen and Criminals who get them regardless of legality.

What is the situation like? Corrupt policemen and criminals who are very confident and malicious.

I have a friend who was on a bus in northern mexico that got Hijacked and robbed. Would you feel safe hijacking a GreyHound?

Is the crime rate in Mexico lower? Are Mexican cities safter places to live than American cities? Would society be safer if we took guns away from the general public and then spent millions trying in futulity to take them away from the criminals? Do I need to answer these questions?

**rockgremlin** · 10-03-2005, 11:19 PM

Good points about Mexico. I spent a few years down in Ecuador on a mission, and it was a pretty common sight to see a guy murdered on the front page of every newspaper, every day. The weapon of choice used in the homicide? A MACHETE!! In Latin America, the Machete is one of the most commonly used murder weapons.

If people are gonna commit murder, they'll find a way -- guns or no guns.

DickHead · 10-04-2005, 06:37 AM

* Every six hours, an American between 10 & 19 years ol commits suicide with a gun.

Okay, this is the problem with this kind of statistic. It leaves nothing to comparasion. How many kids kill them selves with a drug overdose? How often does that happen?

* More people between the ages of 15 and 24 are killed with guns than by all natural causes combined.

Yet another bullsh*t statsitic. How many 15-24 year olds do you know that have died of natural causes? Most 15-24 year olds die from motor vehicle accidents.

* Gunshot wounds are the number two killer of all Americans ages 10 to 34.

The CDC doesn't break it down into this age group. Obviously, someone is twisting the statistics to prove a point.

* A recent survey found that more than 1.2 million elementary school age latchkey children hav household access to a gun.

how many latchkey children have access to a pool or chemicals? Both kill more than guns.

* A recent survey found that 18% of suburban high school students own a handgun.
* Another survey found that 35% of hight school students from high crime areas carry guns regularly.

How many of those 18% resonpsibly own a firearm? Live in rural areas where they grow upw ith them.

* The gun you own for self protection is 43 times more likely to kill an innocent acquaintance than to be used for self-defense.

Probably because people who don't own guns don't shoot people. Accidentially or not. No mention of how many crimes like home invasions are stopped by firearms.

* In one recent year, there were 18 handgun homicides in Australia, 33 in Great Britain, 36 in Sweden, 60 in Japan, 97 in Switzerland, 128 in Canada and 13,495 in the United States.

And yet, all of those countries with the exception of Great Britian have higher suicide rates per capita. So people there still find a way, and in greater per capita numbers then the USA.

DickHead · 10-04-2005, 06:40 AM

Rock_ski
Very good point. I'd bet money Mexico has a higher muder and crime rate.....

DickHead · 10-04-2005, 06:55 AM

http://www.gunfacts.info/pdfs/gun-fa...4-0-Screen.pdf

Good info there, with government facts and stats to back it up.

**James_B_Wads2000** · 10-04-2005, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by rock_ski_cowboy

Heres a good case study for you on gun bans:

Guns are absolutely and completely illegal in Mexico ... Are Mexican cities safer places to live than American cities?

Wow, your right! Mexico is a piece of sh*t country. That means guns are cool. I

DickHead · 10-04-2005, 07:38 AM

You're funny. Guns are just a tool. Just like a car, a chainsaw, or a pocket knife.
You can call me a pu**y all you want. I've been called worse in the last 24 hours.

**TreeHugger** · 10-04-2005, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by JamisJockey

* Every six hours, an American between 10 & 19 years ol commits suicide with a gun.

Okay, this is the problem with this kind of statistic. It leaves nothing to comparasion. How many kids kill them selves with a drug overdose? How often does that happen?

* More people between the ages of 15 and 24 are killed with guns than by all natural causes combined.

Yet another bullshit statsitic. How many 15-24 year olds do you know that have died of natural causes? Most 15-24 year olds die from motor vehicle accidents.