Topic: What's your opinion of gun control? - page 194. (Read 450551 times)

If you don't think that defending one's self constitutes a need, then by extension one shouldn't need police, armymen, or SWAT teams to defend one's self, either.  I doubt you would be in favor of that.

Training is a fair point (compared to areas where someone can lawfully obtain a gun without training) but can arguably be offset by the context in which they are trained.  The nature of the jobs of military and police is one where violence is anticipated.  This is why you see, for example, police officers approach a routine traffic stop with their hands on their holsters.  The psychological expectation of violence contributes to a greater likelihood that they will be more "trigger-happy" (didn't mean that euphemistically, but for lack of a better term) and make a careless mistake themselves.  

We both have surely heard of all the deaths of unarmed citizens by police and otherwise.  Highlighting this point, do you think that the recent incident where an unarmed man flagged down police was shot and killed would have ended the same way if the man had flagged down a civilian?  Nope.  Furthermore, society often approves the use of deadly force by police in situations where a criminal has a knife, bat, or other handheld weapon.  Why?  Because the police officer was defending himself.  By extension of that logic, it should be approved that any man can defend himself against similar threats with a gun.

Edit: On 2nd thought, even "training" isn't a very good reason at all.  The reason is that the only significantly important training is that which is relevant after a threat has been identified.  Mental illness not withstanding, basically any idiot will have a good idea when a significant threat exists such that the use of a gun becomes justifiable.  Unless you have some paranoia yourself, you shouldn't have much worry about your gun-toting neighbors just lighting up the neighborhood willy-nilly.  The question is instead whether you can trust them with a gun after they have identified a legitimate threat to the safety of their selves or someone else.  In a home invasion, this won't be much of any concern because the threat is isolated to that environment.  And if everyone of sane mind has a gun, the chances decreases that a legitimate threat will exist in a public space (because a criminal knows he has no chance unless he's already committed himself to going out with guns blazing).  People don't take guns and start shooting randomly while spinning in circles.

Bigger guns and better technology.  State paramilitaries won't engage unless they are highly confident that they can win.  When one's life and the lives of one's family is on the line the safest bet is to go with a winner.

You missed completely my point.
If only army and SWAT would have guns, it would be much less likely you'd end up in a gun fight.
If guns would be so much harder to be bought, the likelihood to see this often gun fights would be much much smaller.
And obviously it's the law enforcement who should take care of this, not you and your guns.

I live in a country where it's very hard to get a gun. And it's the very few things I actually like here. I've never seen a gun fight and the chance to see one in the next 5 years is almost 0, though I use to walk alone in the night on the streets.

Edit: missed a word, yeah, En is not my primary language

I agree if gun is legalized to society, but with the provision of we are living in crimes area which there are drug cartels, bad guys, or gangster around there. But, why do we need that tool if we can sleep and do activities peacefully there? There were many shooting accident in US, and I would to know what your reaction if someday you is gun pointed by a mad man or any one else. I will say it again, we don't need it if there is no threads to ours.

I am with you man.  That is the problem.  Honestly 90 some percent of the liberal I have met that I value their opinion at all feel the same way.  Liberals in the house and congress talk a big game when it comes to regulation but usually end up doing nothing.  It is commonly only used as a political stance to gain a population of their voter base.  I wish we all could just be some reasonable, fair gun control. 

I am also progressive/liberal. I totally agree with what your saying. I think people mean well, but gun control is to the left what abortion is to the right. It is a settled issue that some will not let go of. I also support background check, most gun owners I know do.

I believe some form of gun control is needed (i.e. background checks, gun restriction, etc) but nothing some extreme liberals are proposing.  I think of myself as a liberal but they often do go way overboard with gun issues.

Errrrrrrrr

Training and stuff? Having an actual need for them?

Again, I propose the challenge: Name one good reason why armymen or SWAT team members should automatically be granted more trust with a gun than your neighbors.

your funny you
ban them for sure HAVE YOU BEEN IN A GUN FIGHT SAYS IT ALL AND YOU SAY YOU HAVE 99% of people in Europe will have never had a shoot out ever most won,t even have touched a gun........ have you had a shoot out
now if you 2 had no guns you won,t be having a shoot out understand JOHN WAYNE

Really, Have you been in a gunfight? I have, and I know you have not because you think pepper spray is of some use.  Good luck with that!
Again, why would anyone listen to people who know nothing about guns? Do you ask the bag boy at the store about your investment portfolio? I know my guns, and I would hope you never pull out pepper spray on an armed person. Your best bet is trying to bargain for your life with a blow job or something. I don't know what will happen in the end. It's really not up to us, the criminal will decide what your future is.

Guns should be used only by the army and SWAT. I think that such restriction would make life much easier for all.


Most terrorist have this "hobby" too. Americans will have to let that go. For most cases a pepper spray is just enough.

In america it's seen as a hobby. You can see videos of people testing out guns and shoting out watermelons outdoors in some places that sometimes look like their backyard. It's pretty insane to anyone not living on there. I mean you can walk in on that area without knowing someone is shoting shit up and get shoot... pretty crazy.

I do not really see a reason for keeping guns, unless there are lot of crimes happening and people are keeping it for their safety. To keep it just as a hobby or interests, seems ridiculous. It is not a toy.

Just a transplant from another thread since the content is a cross-over:

I hear a lot of talk about banning guns because of what someone may do. Well here in the US we punish people for what they have done. I think all this comes from people who know nothing about gun culture. There seems to be this belief in the supernatural power of a gun. as though the gun will compel a sane person to murder. In reality you would never guess who carries everyday. Would you have guessed my neighbor, the petite nurse? Or how about my friend the college professor and concert cellist? For us the gun is no more alive than a hammer or a drill or a toaster.
A CC is not a licenses to kill, you have only the right to defend your life in an immediate situation. If you come home to find your wife being raped and soot the the assailant, you will be prosecuted for murder. In fact, even if you shoot someone in a completely legal way you will be financially ruined. I have heard that the average defense for a legal CCW shooting is about $80,000. This is why you never see our guns. God forbid, if anyone ever sees mine it will be for just a moment and it will be the last thing they ever see. Don't want to see my gun? Simple, just do not attempt to murder me.

Is it that difficult to create a pistol or revolver through 3D printing? There are thousands of 3D plans of fire-arms available, which can be downloaded by anyone, and manufactured using a 3D printer. Quality ammo will be a bit difficult to obtain, but I am sure that criminals will find a way to secure ammunition also.

A criminal does not buy his or her gun in a gun shop. They buy their guns on the street from people who don't care about gun control or what guns do to anyone.