Pencil has many primary functions writting,drawing,inventing... Guns has only one. Killing with pencil is harder in many ways than killing with gun, harder to
remove stains and is easier to catch the one who's done the killing. pencil wan't kill if mallfunction and won't kill cause of itchy or nervous finger. You can not kill many people with pencil, with (semi)automatic gun (more and more are automatic) you can make an massacre.

So Pirate You are Wrong in Many Many Many ways...

Wiz

With all due respect, you are so inaccurate in your analysis I don't know where to begin.  A gun never killed anyone, did you know this?  Not one person.  I have had and used guns most of my life and I never killed anyone so, I guess they must have at least one other purpose right?  I don't even need a weapon to kill someone so, are you suggesting that my hands, arms and feet be outlawed too?  Your line of reasoning, or lack thereof, is very scary.  As long as there are people that actually think like you do, I will be keeping my guns.

Bill

When I read about someone wanting to ban all guns it always makes me think of the Program "60 Minutes" that airs here in the United States. Many years ago they interviewed a former drug smuggler who was serving time in prison for bringing illegal narcotics into our country. They asked him where he obtained his illegal firearms and he replied by saying that the guns come in with the drugs.

This always made me see that no matter what laws you pass in the United States to ban firearms, they will be just as effective as the laws that ban the drugs. Logically, outside of law enforcement and the military the only ones left with guns would be criminals. I would rather that the average law-abiding citizen would have the opportunity not to be a helpless victim.

Guns are a reality here in the US. It is better that you train yourself and your family to know what to do if they see a firearm; and to know how to shoot for self-defense if necessary. Better than being a helpless sheep!

If the US situation with firearms is such a good idea, why does the US have such a huge firearm fatality rate? Regardless of the cause (accident, suicide, crime or self defense) the US is the world leader in firearm fatalities.

The Australian government banned most firearms in the mid 90's after a gunman killed 35 people. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur_massacre_(Australia)

Here are gun-related deaths per 100,000 people in the world's 36 richest countries in 1994: United States 14.24; Brazil 12.95; Mexico 12.69; Estonia 12.26; Argentina 8.93; Northern Ireland 6.63; Finland 6.46; Switzerland 5.31; France 5.15; Canada 4.31; Norway 3.82; Austria 3.70; Portugal 3.20; Israel 2.91; Belgium 2.90; Australia 2.65; Slovenia 2.60; Italy 2.44; New Zealand 2.38; Denmark 2.09; Sweden 1.92; Kuwait 1.84; Greece 1.29; Germany 1.24; Hungary 1.11; Republic of Ireland 0.97; Spain 0.78; Netherlands 0.70; Scotland 0.54; England and Wales 0.41; Taiwan 0.37; Singapore 0.21; Mauritius 0.19; Hong Kong 0.14; South Korea 0.12; Japan 0.05.

Craigslist message to a mugger ...
>>
>> I was the white guy with the black Burrberry jacket that you
>> demanded I hand over shortly after you pulled the knife on me and
>> my girlfriend. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and
>> earrings. I hope you somehow come across this message. I'd like
>> to apologize.
>>
>> I didn't expect you to crap your pants when I drew my pistol after
>> you took my jacket. Truth is, I was wearing the jacket for a
>> reason that evening, and it wasn't that cold outside. You see, my
>> girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber 1911 .45 ACP pistol for
>> Christmas, and we had just picked up a shoulder holster for it
>> that evening. Beautiful pistol, eh? It's a very intimidating
>> weapon when pointed at your head, isn't it?
>>
>> I know it probably wasn't a great deal of fun walking back to
>> wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge flopping about in
>> your pants. I'm sure it was even worse since you also ended up
>> leaving your shoes, cellphone, and wallet with me. I couldn't
>> have you calling up any of your buddies to come help you try to
>> mug us again. I took the liberty of calling your mother, or
>> "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, and explaining to her
>> your situation. I also bought myself some gas on your card. I
>> gave your shoes to one of the homeless guys over by Vinnie Van Go
>> Go's, along with all of the cash in your wallet, then I threw the
>> wallet itself in a dumpster.
>>
>> I called a bunch of phone  numbers from your cell. They'll be
>> on your bill in case you'd like to know which ones. Alltel
>> recently shut down the line, and I've only had the phone for a
>> little over a day now, so I don't know what's going on with that.
>> I hope they haven't permanently cut off your service. I was about
>> to make some threatening phone calls to the DA's office with it.
>> Oh well.
>>
>> So, about your pants. I know that I was a little rough on you
>> when you did this whole attempted mugging thing, so I'd like to
>> make it up to you. I'm sure you've already washed your pants, so
>> I'd like to help you out.
>>
>> I'd like to reimburse you for the detergent you used on the
>> pants. What brand did you use, and was it liquid or powder? I'd
>> also like to apologize for not killing you and instead making you
>> walk back home humiliated. I'm hoping that you'll reconsider your
>> choice of path in life. Next time you might not be so lucky. If
>> you read this message, email me and we'll do lunch and laundry.
>> Peace!
>>
>> Alex

 

And there is a fairy at the back of my garden who is very liberal with head jobs. (They don't call her the tooth fairy for nothing.)

Dream on.

Hans von Lieven

Well here's a nice pretty chart for you which agrees with my statement.  Just incase your too busy with your "tooth fairy" in your back yard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_corruption

The ten countries perceived to be least corrupt, according to the 2007 Corruption Perceptions Index, are Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, Iceland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, and Norway.
Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_International an international non-government German organization.

IMHO the above are not major governments and here is a source that agrees.
http://www.globalfirepower.com/

Here are gun-related deaths per 100,000 people in the world's 36 richest countries in 1994: United States 14.24; Brazil 12.95; Mexico 12.69; Estonia 12.26; Argentina 8.93; Northern Ireland 6.63; Finland 6.46; Switzerland 5.31; France 5.15; Canada 4.31; Norway 3.82; Austria 3.70; Portugal 3.20; Israel 2.91; Belgium 2.90; Australia 2.65; Slovenia 2.60; Italy 2.44; New Zealand 2.38; Denmark 2.09; Sweden 1.92; Kuwait 1.84; Greece 1.29; Germany 1.24; Hungary 1.11; Republic of Ireland 0.97; Spain 0.78; Netherlands 0.70; Scotland 0.54; England and Wales 0.41; Taiwan 0.37; Singapore 0.21; Mauritius 0.19; Hong Kong 0.14; South Korea 0.12; Japan 0.05.

Lets not forget, MORE THAN HALF of the 14.24 ratio is suicide by gun.  And in that act, having a gun is just convenient. 


Gun suicides outnumber gun homicides. In 1999, there were 16,599 gun suicides compared to 10,828 firearm homicides (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control). Guns were the most common method of suicide (57% in 1999). http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvsuic.html

Just a few months ago, a Wallgreens Pharmacy opened up down the street from where I work and the new manager decided she didn't want to run the place.  She stepped out of her car on Interstate 82 and ran in front of a Semi-Tractor trailer.  The found parts of her in 4 different vehicles.  I guess she didn't have the convenience of owning a gun.

Hi all,

This is something I have thought about in the past.  In the UK all guns are banned and you cannot even buy an airsoft rifle without licence from a registered club.

Also our Police do not carry guns because they just don't need to!  Imagine that!  A few votes have been held in the past about if the police should carry guns and most of the police vote no.  They vote no because if they start carrying guns, more and more criminals will carry guns to up the anty and soon we will have shootings all over the place like the USA.

Of course, if you vote to ban guns after it was law to have them in the first place and millions have them it will be very hard to get them all back and of course the criminals will keep them hidden, but you have to start somewhere.  In the UK we dont need guns in our homes as there are no guns out there for criminals to use against us as it has always been illegal so they just are not in circulation at all.  If there is gun crime it is bank robbery using farmers shot guns as they just cannot get automatic weapons in the country, there is the odd gang shooting too of course...


Regards,

Dave.

I respectfully disagree.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1576406/28-gun-crimes-committed-in-UK-every-day.html

The crime may look to be tapering off, but it will rise again.  With Immigration and Recession...crime will rise all over the world.

History will ALWAYS repeat itself.  When you disarm the populace, you enable hostile takeover.  Rome, Sparta... They fell when the populace was disarmed.

The UK hopes it can curtail crime with technology.  Camera's everywhere in the cities, Bobbies with their tazers and other less than letheal arms.  Face recognition.  All cool stuff that is completely ineffective from an invading force/people/government/mafia.  I love the irony in the movie Demolition Man.  All I see is a calm before the storm...

So you create laws that say nobody except the gov can carry firearms.  YAAAH!.   Now you do is create a black market (which by the way will always exist).  Plus you disarm the good people making it all to easy to mug, rob, murder.....control