Should The Us Second Amendment (Adopted In 1791) Be Scrapped ?

[Canary42]

Here is an example of the sort of people who support the "right to bear arms" across the pond.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/father-of-sixyearold-boy-killed-in-sandy-hook-massacre-heckled-by-progun-activists-8471178.html

How cruel, insenstive, and evil.

[Khandro]

em; Banning bullets sounds like a good idea, but how long would it take before someone would provide or illegally manufacture them. I agree about Churchill's 'fight on the beaches' speech, people buying guns in supermarkets along with their groceries are not buying with the intention of defending their country against foreign intervention.

[Clanad]

Let's be very clear here... the ownership of fully automatic "assault weapons" has been prohibited since June 26, 1934. These are the "gangster" type Thompson sub-machine guns favored by the Prohibition era 'gangsters' and any other where the trigger is pulled only once and the weapon continues to fire until the trigger is released.

Semi-automatic types require the trigger to be pulled for each separate discharge.

Look... Britain is experiencing a rise in murder's wherein the assailant is using a 'blade' type weapon, no? So, will all table knives be confiscated? I don't think so, but what, really, is the difference. It's only been a few months ago that a man in China assaulted a grade school class with a Samurai sword. Fortunately few students were harmed... but not because the guy wasn't trying... Proving what? There will always be ways for the mentally 'defective' in society to carry out murderous desires.
As I've stated in other threads... I intend to be able to protect myself and especially my family, relying only on myself during the estimated 15 to 20 minutes it takes the police to respond... what will you do, if the time comes?

[Zeuhl]

Clanad

I think it is doubly disturbing

a) that Americans are so insecure in their own political processes that they believe they should be prepared to fight your own elected government

b) that you seem to imagine ordinary citizens armed (not with rocks i grant you) but with an assortment of semi auto rifles/pistols/shotguns could take on the US Army/Air Force or even State Troopers

It all seems very ill thought through and irrational

[DangerUXD]

Yes, but as many often say here, not our business, their country their rules.

[emmie]

khandro, you are probably right about the bullets, same as the hooch in the days of prohibition. ban it and everyone wants it.

[DTCwordfan]

A different survey but I would conclude this one as simply "Bring the crime rate down".

I am also seeking out a profile ownership, as IMO, the number of machine guns and hi-power multi-loaders is relatively low, em. I am not condoning them, only putting things in better perspective, the issue being that the great largesse of Americans hold and handle guns with responsibility.

[emmie]

what on earth is this then..

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/01/30/the-gun-at-the-heart-of-the-assault-weapons-debate/

[Zeuhl]

/ It's only been a few months ago that a man in China assaulted a grade school class with a Samurai sword. Fortunately few students were harmed... /

You rather prove our point there clannad

It is much more unlikely for a group of people to be killed by someone who has to stick a blade in them than by someone who only has to point and shoot.

I'll tell you what, next time a couple of crazies goes off on one, I'll put my loved ones in the way of the one who collected a knife from the kitchen, you put your loved ones in the way of the one who collected a semi automatic rifle from their mom's closet.

[emmie]

as we have said of course, none of our business, however i doubt the family of the little British boy shot to death at sandy hook think that.

[DTCwordfan]

some interesting facts and views......

less people owning more guns - I can understand that for hunting weapons as you don't want a 12 bore to take out rabbits for the pot, there wouldn't be anything left. The crux of the article is the removal of semi-automatics, Clanad being right about machine guns being already banned by the 1934 act. One other one I would throw in the pot is that the individual states need to make enactment more univeral across them - just see the rights to transit weapons across a State. You can go from Texas to Vermont and traverse New Jersey, New York and Connecticut who have the tightest state rules with banned weapons in those 3 states if the weapons are unloaded and not immediately accessible.....

[Clanad]

Good question em... but if you read my response and the description in your article you'll see the AR-15 isn't[i an automatic rifle.

Secondly, the caliber is .223... but I've owned a Remington .223 for years... in fact the first hunting rifle I gave my oldest son was a Winchester, Model 88 in the .223 caliber so it wouldn't have as much recoil for a 13 year old. The Model 88 is 'clip' fed holding 5 rounds. But a larger clip can be purchased (for what, I don't know) if wanted. So... on one hand we have nearly exactly the same rifle as the Winchester on the other hand... they only [i]look] differently... but one is branded an 'assault weapon'.

[DTCwordfan]

em - you can ban everything but they (guns or bullets) will be smuggled in....from Canada, Mexico or Cuba.

JFK banned Cuban cigars with the 62/3 crisis (and after ensuring he was stocked up for life) but they are easily found across the States. As an aside, the finest cigar I have ever had was a 1962 Cuban cigar, a Trinidad.......an absolutely wonderful one and so smooth.

[emmie]

clanad, for those of us who know little of weapons, wouldn't know one from another, they all seem incredibly powerful, can and do kill indiscriminately, and you are unlikely to survive from being hit with sprays of bullets. Why anyone needs an arsenal of weapons to supposedly defend their homes, families, then i really have to give up on this thread.

[Clanad]

I agree em... no one is going to have thier mind changed... but, I have a collection of odd tools in my shop that only fit a specific automobile. They're essentially useless for any other purpose... yet I keep them. If I ever do need them, they're right there in the back of my roll-away tool box.

I, and most other owners of firearms see them in the same light. They're useful if needed but rarely so... in my case so far, only for fall hunting... I've never known anyone to use one in fashions we see on the news, and the common thread we see running through such reports is that the perpetrator was mentally deranged by anyones description.

So... in answer to your position, any mentally deranged individual(s) that want to challenge my family will meet Mr. Ruger's fine 9mm handgun by way of at least (potentially) 10 rounds of Mr. Winchester's always dependable ammunition. You, on the other hand are welcome to your $9.95 set of Chinese made steak knives... You know.. the ones with the loose handles and rust spotted blades...

[DTCwordfan]

em, you are wrong in your assumption that every US house is a walk-in arsenal (excuse my melodrama!).

Most families have a pistol and possibly a rifle (single bore) or shotgun for family defence (I had none but my Millie and Sillie had pistols).

There may be a hunting gun or two in rural communities depending on what is being taken out; deer, rabbits and ducks all requiring different weapons. But to implicitly suggest every house is an arsenal is a little exaggerated.

I bet 5% of the ownership has 30%+ of the weaponry.......

[emmie]

DT please re read my posts, i didn't say everyone had a gun.

as to the rest who think that it's only crazy people who kill


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/14/nine-facts-about-guns-and-mass-shootings-in-the-united-states/

[emmie]

if the reports are to be believed, and who can say, there are over 300 million guns in the USA, now we know that not every person will have one, some have many, but that doesn't come close to explaining why so many are needed, wanted. The day after this school shooting, a gun shop owner was being interviewed, he said that they had their busiest day ever, why?

[Khandro]

clanad; In the rather unlikely event of a mentally deranged individual breaking into you house and confronting you (God forbid) Unless you wear a permanent holster, at meals, watching TV, and in bed, would you be able to get to your gun and ammo and load up quickly enough?

[emmie]

no, no more than had the police or security been on the doorstep on the school, no more if the teachers had been armed, heaven forbid.

[DTCwordfan]

Read my posts to that question, em!

I didn't say that you were saying every house or person......take out kids and you are looking at say 200 mln people as potential owners.

After 40% ownership, that equates to 80 mln people with at least a pistol.

Shave of 5% (10 million with 10 guns each - and that allows for police and gun clubs etc), then that means 70 mln owning 3 guns on average......pistol/ a rifle or shotgun and your hunting arms then you may have the spread of ownership, "grosses modaux" as the French say (first finger estimate).