Handguns and self-defence

Agree2Disagree Forum

A survey including all the schools in my area was taken not that long ago. One question asked if you or anyone you knew had brought a gun to school in the last quarter.
The results came back. About three of every four kids checked yes.
Yes, the police force is ill-equipped. But noting that we are one of the biggest cities in this state, it's frightening to think of how many ill-equipped police forces there really are.

(1)I don’t know the situation in the US, most probably you take all the mentioned measures:
- Any main part of a weapon (e.g. barrell, lock) has an unique number coined on it. It’s about all the weapons produced, including those for military and law-enforcing use.
- A check shot is done from every newly-produced firearm. The used shell and bullet is stored in custody of the authorities.
- Government officials monitor all the factories do the practices or do them themselves.
- A country-wide database of gun numbers, shells and bullets, used in check shots is maintained.
- Every police force should pass bullets, firearms, shells found on crimes scenes to be stored in a criminal gun database.
- Every sale, gift of firearms owned by the public should be recorded by the authorities. A survey of the firearm to be sold or gifted is done during registering process.
- Firearms’ owners should keep the firearms in metal boxes fixed to concrete wall and floor by not less than 6 screws. The boxes and their locks should meet certain standards. A security system should be installed in every building where firearms are kept. Actual keeping of firearms should be regularly checked by visits of the police officers.
- Neglect keeping, misusing of a firearm should lead to withdrawing of gun license.
- Unauthorised manufacturing including significant changes in construction leads to criminal prosecution.
- Loss of firearm without immediate notification of the police will leads to criminal prosecution.
An institution is founded to maintain the databases, provide access to it and so on.
When all these is exercised, using a legal firearm will be leaving your business card to the police.
(2)
If your child knows that you won’t deny him to shoot your firearm (in proper place and at proper time and under supervision) he won’t try to steal it.

Hm, 4%? That's a nice statistic, but then again, so is this:
The majority of all gun deaths involve handguns, mainly because 79% of the gun homicide deaths involved handguns. Guns were involved in 1.5% of all deaths, from all causes, in 1985. They were involved in 59% of suicides, 60% of homicides, and 1.8% of accidental deaths in 1985.

4% is big enough. 10% means a lawless country.
Do you really think that once there’re no handguns there will be less deaths? Not at all. A suicider will always find his or her means... And a criminal will find a way how to get a gun: stealing from military arsenals, factories, smuggling.
Moreover the handgun is the most humane firearm. Given that a person is shot at 5 meters (16 2/5 feet): gunshot wound will lead to death with probability 90%, automatic fire 70%, handgun 40%.

Never did I say that I thought if there were no guns in this country that there would be less deaths. I am not that naive. No one here is.

But just think about it. Think of all the angry, depressed people, drunk people. Then think about how many of them are carrying a gun, or have easy access to a gun. Sure, people that really want to commit suicide are going to do it either way, but what about kids who stumble upon daddy's gun and accidently kill themselves or someone else?

We've had a second grade boy shoot a second grade girl during class for no reason. He had just found the handgun at his uncle's house, got up, and shot her. There is something wrong with that. If you have these problems, why would you make guns so accessible? Or go the extra mile, actually pass a state law that requires every citizen to own a gun, or a law that states you can carry a concealed weapon?

So will the total elimination of handguns stop crime? No. Will it make a dent? You better believe it.

There are no guns, there are no drive-bys. There are no innocent bystanders. There are no drunken fights that end up with one person shot. There are no more DC snipers. There are no more school shootings. Unfortunately, there is no way to presently filter out all unnecessary gun use in this country.

All you are doing is arming yourself while everyone else arms themselves. We kinda had a little thing going on between your country in mine during the 60's that was like that. I believe it was called the cold war, and in place of guns there were nuclear weapons.

Whoever strikes first we both loose.

And now if you'll excuse me, I am done with this thread.

http://ascendancy.net/tribalwar/threadeject.jpg

There's a procedure to change the Constitution. It should be followed. Otherwise, anti-gunners should stop advocating unconstitutional infringements on the rights of others. However, you are free to not own a gun.

I would just like to note, that I am a gun owner, several actually. And YES, all bought legally, I am a bit of a collector, I go to the range about 4 times a week, I even went so far as to obtain a concealed weapons permit...I have a daughter, a very nice house, collectibles...more importantly...I have plenty of bullets that I would unload into ANYONE that came into my house univited! I think that there SHOULD be more methodical ways of obtaining weapons, less people should be allowed to sell them, (granted, we cannot stop all of the people on the street selling them out of the trunks of their cars). Why do PAWN shops get to sell them? That seems ridiculous to me. Even Walmart seems like a bad idea. Only a shop that specializes in weapons should be allowed to sell the damn things. Maybe I am the only one who feels like this?

My brother's friend brought a gun to high school on a couple of occasions. He never used it. He was being picked on and sometimes when we went to the mall, brother's friend carried numb-chucks. He never had to use them.

It is not guns or knives that are the problem it is criminals. If kids did not start fights in school many shootings would not occur. If many adult criminals commited no carjackings or robberies, they might still be alive.

Blame the bullies. carjackers and robbers - not guns! We need to deal with real issues and take responsibility.

I DO agree with Vito9 to a point...the ONLY flaw is that, sometimes...guns have a tendancy of giving a normally frightened person...even a head-strong person for that matter...the feeling of invincibility! What I mean is...someone who is frightened might think that NOW...NOONE WILL MESS WITH THEM!!! Guns don't kill people...people who think that they are tough because of a gun and aren't educated on the safety and will power of owning a gun kill people.
People who carry a gun JUST because they are frightened or bullied are usually the stereotypical type that is quick to draw and fire without using common sense.
Self preservation is the number one human condition, but look at how many people snap and fire a few rounds into a crowd of people that they went or go to school with, or work with, just because they are picked on! There is not a very fine line between self defense and an act of pure violence or aggression.

Kids get picked on, always have, always will. It's just the Happy Meal generation doesn't want to break their X-Box fingers while raising a fist and defending themselves.

-HECK!