guns or no guns?

dlwyatt82

I do not understand Americans' obsession with guns. And yes, it's an obsession -- glancing over the replies here, we aren't talking about something sensible like about owning a rifle or two for hunting deer. No, we're talking about egotistical, fearful idiots who think they're Vigilante McJustice, when in reality they're one step removed from James Holmes.

What the hell are you so scared about that you need a gun to "protect" yourself from?

Here, let's look at some numbers. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm/
Leading causes of death: Heart disease. Cancer. Hey, I'll give you some credit -- being this is a fitness site foremost, you're probably doing something about #1. Great. But the rest of that? Where do guns come in against these actual, legitimate threats to your life?

I hate to break it to you, but your gun is never going to protect you from your phobia(s). Sure, arm yourself to the teeth in the meantime -- I'm sure it makes you feel really, really tough. Great job, Rambo.

You're still a paranoid lunatic.

Remember your words if you or your family are ever the victims of violent crime. It may not be very likely to happen, but if it does, your lives can be shattered in an instant. Some of us choose to be prepared for that possibility.

When I lived in the US, I had a concealed carry license. I owned a couple of pistols, and carried one of them. It was a .45 caliber with a 9-shot capacity; hardly "armed to the teeth." I spent hundreds of hours over the years practicing at the shooting range and at home, taking classes, mentally preparing myself for various scenarios that might come up, studying the self-defense / gun laws as they changed, etc. All for that slight possibility that someday, it might save the lives of me or my family. I don't feel that time was wasted in any way.

If you're afraid of guns and choose not to have them in your home, that's your decision. You don't get to make that decision for me.

Twisted_Wrister

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Pro

paulvt65

Anti gun.

As a Canadian Brit I am not surprised at the number of pro-gun responses. But as guns are not as big a part of Canadian culture I don't have an understanding as to why Americans think they are so necessary.

What if a private citizen in the Aurora movie theatre was armed with a gun and started shooting back and adding to the chaos? How do law enforcement sort criminals from those just joining in because they have the right to bear arms?

The average person on the street has absolutely no need for a fully automatic assault rifle with a fifty round magazine! At best, individuals should be limited to a small handgun.

IMHO.

fiveohmike

Pro Gun (I already answered) but for you guys who are anti-guns don't you think that regardless of whether or not there are guns out there people are going to find other ways to kill: knives, baseball bats, axes, anything that you can poke, stab or bludgeon with. Should we ban every single item that could be used against another person and cause harm or death?

Ban cars! They kill twice as many people each year, yet there are 40 million fewer cars than firearms in the US! America is so obsessed with cars! >.<

KaidaKantri

I'm obviously pro gun, but I also would like to see more background checks done in some states. Oregon for example, I got my gun the same day i bought it and very little was done to do a thorough background check. Not saying this is 100% foolproof if it happened to be more background checked, just saying it would help.

600racer

Pro gun

EmCarroll1990

Anti-Gun.

rileamoyer

pro gun hmm, if I may parphrase, I believe Chairman Mao once said invading the US would not be successful because they would find a gun behind every blade of grass. I believe in the 2nd amendment and its reference to 'well armed militia as well.

fiveohmike

Anti gun.

As a Canadian Brit I am not surprised at the number of pro-gun responses. But as guns are not as big a part of Canadian culture I don't have an understanding as to why Americans think they are so necessary.

What if a private citizen in the Aurora movie theatre was armed with a gun and started shooting back and adding to the chaos? How do law enforcement sort criminals from those just joining in because they have the right to bear arms?

The average person on the street has absolutely no need for a fully automatic assault rifle with a fifty round magazine! At best, individuals should be limited to a small handgun.

IMHO.

Whats worse.....a madman indiscriminately shooting at 150 people in a crowded movie theater, or the madman's focus on one person shooting back at him?


How does the situation get any worse than someone randomly firing into a group of people? Please tell me this.

KaidaKantri

Pro Gun (I already answered) but for you guys who are anti-guns don't you think that regardless of whether or not there are guns out there people are going to find other ways to kill: knives, baseball bats, axes, anything that you can poke, stab or bludgeon with. Should we ban every single item that could be used against another person and cause harm or death?

Ban cars! They kill twice as many people each year, yet there are 40 million fewer cars than firearms in the US! America is so obsessed with cars! >.<

America is obsessed with cars. I'm an American, I wish it wasn't that way. I would walk if I could but living 1 hour away from any real city is tough.

We'd also have to ban knives and swords in that case. Heck, we'd have to ban everything, trees, dirt, water, etc. Pretty much everything could be used to kill someone.

k8blujay2

I do not understand Americans' obsession with guns. And yes, it's an obsession -- glancing over the replies here, we aren't talking about something sensible like about owning a rifle or two for hunting deer. No, we're talking about egotistical, fearful idiots who think they're Vigilante McJustice, when in reality they're one step removed from James Holmes.

What the hell are you so scared about that you need a gun to "protect" yourself from?

Here, let's look at some numbers. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm/
Leading causes of death: Heart disease. Cancer. Hey, I'll give you some credit -- being this is a fitness site foremost, you're probably doing something about #1. Great. But the rest of that? Where do guns come in against these actual, legitimate threats to your life?

I hate to break it to you, but your gun is never going to protect you from your phobia(s). Sure, arm yourself to the teeth in the meantime -- I'm sure it makes you feel really, really tough. Great job, Rambo.

You're still a paranoid lunatic.

Zombies... gotta protect ourselves from Zombies... I mean come on... they are starting to pop up everywhere... So don't come running to me when there are Zombies trying to eat your face off...

foxyforce

I find this mind-boggling.

I live in the UK where we aren't allowed guns (except for some specific circumstances such as farmers with shotguns, etc).

We have, on average, 50 deaths from firearms per year in the entire country (we have 60 million inhabitants so a fifth of the US population).

Maybe some criminals have guns but I have never, in the UK, seen a pistol. I have seen the army carrying some weapons (I live near an army base) and some armed police at airports but that's it.

If someone wants to go mad/beserk and kill a load of people they have to do it with knives or some other manner.

It completely boggles my mind that people would want to own these things.

FYI, as of 2006, you are more than twice as likely to be a victim of knife crime in the UK as you are to be a victim of gun crime in the US.

the rate is much worse now, since UK knife crime is rising rapidly.

Ban knives in the UK!

Then forks, pens, pencils.... while we are at it lets just put them all in straight jackets... (I'm being facetious by the way)

you guys MUST know how flawed this argument is. but i won't get too into it with fear of this being shut down.

if someone was going to go into the theatre and start stabbing people with knives and forks and pens and pencils, i am PRETTY CERTAIN most people would have gotten out alive. source: common sense.

paulvt65

Remember your words if you or your family are ever the victims of violent crime. It may not be very likely to happen, but if it does, your lives can be shattered in an instant. Some of us choose to be prepared for that possibility.

Have you given any though as to how you would deal with the emotional fallout? Say Johnny Crackhead breaks into your house to steal you PlayStation and you put a bullet in his head. How do you live with that?

yankeethootiedandy

Pro gun

2143661

like omgz guns kill people!

NO guns do NOT kill people. A gun cannot pull it's own trigger. The person pulling the trigger on a gun kills people.

In other words, people kill people.

'

no ****...smh

DrMAvDPhD

Pro hand and hunting guns, anti assault rifles. Nobody needs a frigging assault rifle.

Problem is...If you give the Anti-gun people an inch, they will take EVERY GUN.

Doubtful. Just educate them. I myself was anti-gun until this year, when my husband decided to obtain a CCW, and I took the course with him. No I am pro-CCW just about everywhere. But I repeat, there is no need for an ordinary citizen to carry an assault rifle.

JoolieW68

Pro being able to shoot anyone who breaks into my house.

Anti criminals, psychos, and stupid people.

fiveohmike

Remember your words if you or your family are ever the victims of violent crime. It may not be very likely to happen, but if it does, your lives can be shattered in an instant. Some of us choose to be prepared for that possibility.

Have you given any though as to how you would deal with the emotional fallout? Say Johnny Crackhead breaks into your house to steal you PlayStation and you put a bullet in his head. How do you live with that?

How do you live with the emotional fallout if said situation was. Johnny crackhead breaks into your house, and rapes and kills your wife while you have no way to protect you or your family as you were not prepared in the slightest.

SarahElizabeth416

anti-guns

600racer

Anti gun.

As a Canadian Brit I am not surprised at the number of pro-gun responses. But as guns are not as big a part of Canadian culture I don't have an understanding as to why Americans think they are so necessary.

What if a private citizen in the Aurora movie theatre was armed with a gun and started shooting back and adding to the chaos? How do law enforcement sort criminals from those just joining in because they have the right to bear arms?

The average person on the street has absolutely no need for a fully automatic assault rifle with a fifty round magazine! At best, individuals should be limited to a small handgun.

IMHO.

To set the record straight fully automatic rifles have been illegal since the 1930's unless you are able to obtain a class III firearms permit which is extremely hard to come by.