Should guns be restricted to military, police and security guards?
51What good is the constitution if we do not enforce it ?
Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791.
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Note: The following is pure opinion and I encourage you to feel differently.
I do not believe that by restricting weapons we will reduce crime. Guns are merely a tool. The crime can not exist without a motive and action. We in society too often focus on placing the blame elsewhere.
Place a gun in one persons hand and they will use it for evil, but in another’s they may use it to protect. The right to bear arms is a privilege. Guns can be used to protect or to hunt for food..etc. If we look at guns are merely a tool, then we can see how silly it would be to outlaw them. What next? Nunchaku? a tool used for martial art, but in the hands of some.. a deadly weapon.
How do we intend to enforce this law? How are we to go about confiscating the weaponry from out citizens? Surely there will be a black market for weaponry… and weapons will be more commonly possessed by criminals if that was to happen.. I doubt your average Joe would go through great lengths to obtain illegal weaponry just so he can go out and hunt deer or whatever the motivation would be. Good people could be left more vulnerable to attack. Criminals will find other ways to commit crimes. Guns are just one of many tools that can be used to inflict harm.
It all comes down to responsibility.
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I don't know, you get these High School shootings and you have to wonder about the ease with which these teenage killer kids obtained the weapons used to shoot other innocent teenagers and teachers.
I don't know, you get these High School shootings and you have to wonder about the ease with which these teenage killer kids obtained the weapons used to shoot other innocent teenagers and teachers.
I believe the technical definition of a place where only "the military, police and security guards" have firearms is "police state."
no, not security guards or police, just the army. Works for us.
I will own guns with or without the legal right. The safety of my kids is more important to me than anyone else's opinion. I think kids snap and shoot classmates because they've boiled beyond a "call for help" and nobody was there to hear them. Definitely not a justification; I hope they burn for it. But if you look at the lives of most school shooters (the young ones) their parents were involved little to none in their lives. I believe that is the root, not tv, video games, or peer stress.
Look back at Columbine: How in the hell does a set of parents NOT KNOW that their sons' rooms are full of guns and bombs? How did they NOT NOTICE that there was an arsenal in the garage? Wake UP!
Nice hub, btw!
Amy, I hope you lock the guns up. Having guns in the house with children causes more problems than it solves.
Ralph~ For the little one, they are ridiculously out of reach. For the older ones, they are taught to use and respect guns. And they do.
When bad things happen in houses with guns and children, it's a result of parents trying to hide and conceal them - knowing there will be a curious kid at some point. Education is the key there.
Good points Josh. Murder is committed in so many manners, and always has been, shootings are what the media chooses to focus on. Guns are not the problem. People of ill intention are.
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200
http://techfragments.com/news/245/Gaming/Teen_Shoo
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090312/ap_on_re_eu/eu
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Video-
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200
Good luck, Amy. You may need it. I'm with London Girl on this one.
Thanks for the well wishes; to each his own. :)
Approximately 80 MILLION gun owners in America.
If only TEN PERCENT of the gun owners "caused more problems with children then they solved" then that would mean that there would be at least 8 MILLION accidental gun deaths for children a year.
Is there, Ralph? Of course not.
If only ONE PERCENT of the gun owners "caused more problems with children then they solved" then that would mean that there would be at least 800,000 accidental gun deaths for children a year.
Is there, Ralph? Of course not.
If only ONE TENTH OF ONE PERCENT of the gun owners "caused more problems with children then they solved" then that would mean that there would be at least 80,000 accidental gun deaths for children a year.
Is there, Ralph? Of course not.
And if only ONE ONE HUNDETH OF ONE PERCENT of the gun owners "caused more problems with children then they solved" then that would mean that there would be at least 8000 accidental gun deaths for children a year.
Is there, Ralph? Of course not.
There are about 50.
So Ralph thinks that because .00001 of children of gun owners misuse their gun, that the 99.99999 that do it correctly should for some reason follow his advice and give up their guns?
50 child deaths a year from gun misuse?
that's absolutely terrible.
Dozens of people die in the U.S. every day from gun fire.
The Cost of Firearm Deaths in the United States: Reduced Life Expectancies and Increased Insurance Costs
Published: June 01, 2005 in Knowledge@Wharton By: Jean Lemaire Research Center: Insurance and Risk Management Department
The US remains far behind most other affluent countries in terms of life expectancy. One of the possible causes of this life expectancy gap is the widespread availability of firearms and the resulting high number of US firearm fatalities: 10,801 homicides in 2000. The European Union experienced 1,260 homicides, Japan only 22. Using multiple decrement techniques, we show that firearm violence shortens the life of an average American by 104 days (151 days for white males, 362 days for black males). Among all fatal injuries, only motor vehicle accidents have a stronger effect. We estimate that the elimination of all firearm deaths in the US would increase the male life expectancy more than the total eradication of all colon and prostate cancers. Our results suggest that the insurance premium increases paid by Americans as a result of firearm violence are probably of the same order of magnitude as total medical costs due to gunshots or the increased cost of administering the criminal justice system due to gun crime.
1998 Oxford University Press research-article
Firearm-related deaths in the United States and 35 other high- and upper-middle- income countries
EG Krug, KE Powell and LL Dahlberg
Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease control and Prevention Mallstop K60, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
BACKGROUND: The Forty-Ninth World Health Assembly recenttly declared violence a worldwide public health problem. Improved understand of cross-national differences is useful for identifying risk factors and may facilitate prevention efforts. Few cross-national studies, however, have explored firearm-related deaths. We compared the incidence of firearm-related deaths among 36 countries.
METHODS: Health officials in high-income (HI) and upper-middle-income countries (UMI) with populations greater than one million were asked to provide data using ICD-9 codes on firearm-related homicides, suicides, unintentional deaths and deaths of undetermined intent, as well as homicides and suicides for all methods combined. Thirty-six (78%) of the 46 countries provided complete data. We compared age-adjusted rates per 100 000 for each country and pooled rates by income group and geographical location.
RESULTS: During the one-year study period, 88 649 firearm deaths were reported. Overall firearm mortality rates are five to six times higher in HI and UMI countries in the Americas (12.72) than in Europe (2.17), or Oceania (2.57) and 95 times higher than in Asia (0.13). The rate of firearm deaths in the United States (14.24 per 100 000) exceeds that of its economic counterparts (1.76) eightfold and that of UMI countries (9.69) by a factor of 1.5. Suicide and homicide contribute equally to total firearm deaths in the US, but most firearm deaths are suicides (71%) in HI countries and homicides (72%) in UMI countries.
CONCLUSIONS: Firearm death rates vary markedly throughout th industrialized world. Further research to identify risk factors associated with these variations may help improve prevention efforts.
Keywords Firearms, violence, suicide, homicide, cross-cultural comparison, developed countries, epidemiology
Accepted 21 August 1997
Children and Gun Violence
America is losing too many children to gun violence. Between 1979 and 2001, gunfire killed 90,000 children and teens in America. (Children's Defense Fund and National Center for Health Statistics) In one year, more children and teens died from gunfire than from cancer, pneumonia, influenza, asthma, and HIV/AIDS combined. (Children's Defense Fund) The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
America and Gun Violence
Every day, more than 80 Americans die from gun violence. (Coalition to Stop Gun Violence) The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) American kids are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die from a firearm accident than children in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control)
Guns in the Wrong Hands
Americans for Gun Safety produced a 2003 report that reveals that 20 of the nation’s 22 national gun laws are not enforced. According to U.S. Department of Justice data (FY 2000-2002), only 2% of federal gun crimes were actually prosecuted. Eighty-five percent of cases prosecuted relate to street criminals in possession of firearms. Ignored are laws intended to punish illegal gun trafficking, firearm theft, corrupt gun dealers, lying on a criminal background check form, obliterating firearm serial numbers, selling guns to minors and possessing a gun in a school zone. To access The Enforcement Gap: Federal Gun Laws Ignored, visit http://w3.agsfoundation.com/. For a state-by-state chart of gun crimes (FY 2000-2002), click here. Studies show that 1 percent of gun stores sell the weapons traced to 57 percent of gun crimes. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the dealer that armed the DC area sniper is among this small group of problem gun dealers that "supply the suppliers" who funnel guns to the nation's criminals. (Between 1997 and 2001, guns sold by this dealer were involved in 52 crimes, including homicides, kidnappings and assaults. Still open today, it also can't account for 238 guns or say whether they were stolen, lost or sold, or if their buyers underwent felony-background checks.) As a result, these few gun dealers have a vastly disproportionate impact on public safety. The ATF can recognize such dealers based on: (1) guns stolen from inventory; (2) missing federal sales records, needed by police to solve crimes; (3) having 10 weapons a year traced to crimes; (4) frequently selling multiple guns to individual buyers; and (5) short times between gun sales and their involvement in crimes. Yet ATF enforcement is weak due to a lack of Congressional support and resources. For more details, click here.Terrorists have purchased firearms at gun shows, where unlicensed sellers are not currently required to conduct background checks or to ask for identification. According to the Middle East Intelligence Report, for example, a Hezbollah member was arrested in November 2000, after a nine-month investigation by the FBI's counter-terrorism unit. Ali Boumelhem was later convicted on seven counts of weapons charges and conspiracy to ship weapons and ammunition to Lebanon. Federal agents had observed Boumelhem, a resident of Detroit and Beirut, travel to Michigan gun shows and buy gun parts and ammunition for shipment overseas. Boumelhem was prohibited from legally purchasing guns as gun stores because he was a convicted felon. Additional cases involve a Pakistani national with an expired (1988) student visa; a Lebanese native and Hamas member with numerous felony convictions; and a supporter of the Irish Republican Army. (USA Today, Wednesday, November 28, 2001 Americans for Gun Safety)
Ralph - Thx for all articles... and if we are to make guns illegal... why not Cigarettes, as they are responsible for over 5 million deaths a year. And then Alcohol.. and then we could outlaw motor vehicles. How many motor vehicles are responsible for child deaths ? It is like I said... It is all about responsibility.
For Ralph's sources to get that many deaths from "children" by guns they have to count the 25 year old gangbangers shooting it out over drug wars.
The reality of it is, and Ralph cannot deny it, is that there are only about 50 deaths of children a year from accidents with guns.
Each and every one of them is a true and great tragedy to the family and community... but again, let's let Ralph explain why the misuse of firearms by .00001 percent of the owners should affect the other 99.99999 percent who use their guns legally and safely.
ralph sez:
Terrorists have purchased firearms at gun shows, where unlicensed sellers are not currently required to conduct background checks or to ask for identification.
Jack replies...
Maybe we should ask Ralph why he doesn't admit that ALL sellers/buyers of guns in a gun show MUST abide by ALL state and federal laws concerning the selling/buying of a gun.
Because Ralph DOES know this. It has been explained to him before. But Ralph is the kind of guy who'd rather complain about the way unicorns are being mistreated at the circus rather than admit that there are no unicorns at all.
Does nothing for his crediblity but when others have their eyes opened to the way that gunbanners are willing to distort the truth it gives the pro-freedom side many more converts.
Well said Jack, well said Josh.
I totally agree, if we outlaw guns, we need to outlaw smokes, booze, and motor vehicles. After that we can make it illegal for the kids to play outside, since the sun could kill them someday.
Ralph, everyone understands your position on this. You understand that gun ownership is a personal decision. It's not one that you can either make or sway for anyone. The articles you posted were well written, but inaccurate.
I have responded to the scene of many, many shootings in my career. In those injuries involving children, it was a result of misuse about 98% of the time. The other two percent were gang related. Let the thugs shoot eachother, by the way. Surely you have issues with that, too. If you have kids and you have guns, educate them. You'll teach them how to drive a car, and fix a pipe - what's wrong with teaching them to fire a gun?
Don't make a political and statistical issue out of guns in the U.S. I could give a shit what anybody else says - my family is safe.
Jack, according to this source, 3,006 children and teens died of gun violence in 2006. We're pretty far apart on the facts for some reason.??
http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0609-11.htm
Here's another article with figures closer to yours, but note the conclusion that the study showed that "guns are not protecting children. Gun deaths of children are higher in states where there are more guns due to suicides, homicides and accidents.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/ar
Because I noted, very specifically, accidental deaths. But let's go with your number that accounts for all deaths.
We're still waiting for you to explain why you believe in the concept of taking away the rights of 99.9999 percent of law-abiding citizens rights for the misbehaviour of .00001 of the people.
You do know that there is an obesity epidemic that is threaten the health and life span of our children, don't you? Killing many more children a year than guns. Why don't we hear you calling for a mandatory 1,500 calorie a day diet for everyone; young, old, skinny, fat, male, female, east coaster, fly over country?
And while you're at it, let's take a look at the sad story of a child who was just killed with a gun.
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/708475.html
Perhaps you can tell us if you prefer to see this 17 year old alive today... but the innocent, hard working pizza guy dead... or disabled from the beating by four teens. Which is it, Ralph... teen... or pizza guy.
And if you ~really~ believe that "guns are not protecting children" then please explain how the news magazine fell for this obviously made up story.
BTW, I've never said that I believe in taking away the rights of 99.9% of Americans. Number one, I would like to see the gun control laws already on the books enforced more effectively. Number two we need stricter control over sale, licensing and use of handguns. Number three military type weapons with large magazines should be illegal. They are designed to kill people and serve no useful hunting or target shooting purpose.
I've been reading lately about the gun dealers along the border in Texas who are supplying guns to the drug gangs in Mexico to the point where they are better armed than the Police and the Army. This should be stopped. So should the gun dealers in Virginia who are supplying the illegal gun market in New York City. Our current gun control laws are filled with more holes than a sieve.
I certainly am in favor of protecting the rights of sportsmen--hunters and target shooters. I grew up hunting and I still own a Remington .22 bolt action repeater and a Model 12 Winchester shotgun. I'm not in favor of banning all handguns, but I believe that the sale and licensing procedures should be tightened up to keep them insofar as possible away from the mentally ill, children and drug lords and other criminals.
Dear Ralph you write like a college professor, whoa! That was an amazing collection of studies and statistics, I bow to your greatness! I am a hunter and I only own hunting rifles and shotguns and they are for sport. My son .was taught early if he touched them without me being there I would drop-kick him off the planet. I don't think he took me seriously about the trip into space but he did respect the serious aspects of gun ownership. I believe responsible behavior starts with Mom and Dad. This is reinforced by overseeing the company they keep. We aren't always politically correct but we are serious about parenting . Maybe if we tested the results of homes with strong moral convictions vs those without the numbers would be even more lopsided. I bet the same could be said for crime statistics .
Ralph, regardless, you rock! Peace.
RKHenry says:
9 months ago
You should join in the fun at the forums. There are two guns issues on the board. 1 on the 1st page and another on the 2nd or 3rd pages. Your input would be benefical. Good luck.