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Is It Time For the US To Change Its Gun Laws?
louisev:
The proof in the pudding that strict gun control reduces gun related injury and death is the comparison between Vancouver BC and Seattle, Washington. In the same time one year time period, these two cities, comparable both in population and demographics reported the following gun related crimes resulting in injury:
Vancouver: 1
Seattle: 67
We can reduce gun related crimes by reduce the number of guns and gun registrations, and that is a no brainer. I don't believe anyone has the idea that gun control is going to eliminate all shootings - people will still be able to get them illegally, they do in Canada, Britain, and in Australia. But in the US it is falling-off-a-log simple to get any number of high power weapons - and they do. Limit the gun registrations - and limit the number of deaths from shootings. It really is that simple.
When I cited the facts about Seattle and Vancouver to some gun-lovers in Florida a few years back, the response I got from the Floridians made my jaw drop: they said that there are less shootings in Canada because "Canadians are less violent than Americans." Clearly they don't watch hockey.
moremojo:
I am a strict and reverent interpreter of the U.S. Constitution, and see little in the language of the Second Amendment to dissuade me from believing that this cornerstone of national law guarantees the rights of American citizens to keep and bear firearms.
However, I am extremely ambivalent about guns (do not own one myself), and am well aware of how much they contribute to the violence that does occur in our society. I very much am in favor of reexamining our laws and national conscience, and amending the Constitution to place reasonable restrictions on gun ownership and use, reflecting the current realities of our society, conditions that our founding fathers could probably not have imagined when they enacted and ratified the Bill of Rights. But I am very much against judges and other comparable authorities legislating the Second Amendment out of existence through judicial fiat.
underdown:
--- Quote from: Atreyu on February 15, 2008, 01:41:28 am ---It just seems to me if Australia did it, we can do it too. Whether one is pro guns or anti guns, I think nearly every American will agree SOMETHING needs to be done about this. There is no doubt these shootings are on the rise in this country. The question is, what do we do about it?
--- End quote ---
The same questions and argument for and against gun control were raised in Australia when we considered it.
The debate was long and furious, especially coming from the 'gun lobby' as it was called (and still exists), mainly sporting shooters.
There was even a political party formed to contest seats in parliament, called 'The Shooters Party'.
Eventually, the gun control laws went ahead, the Government paid out huge sums in the 'buy back' scheme and destroyed mountains of them.
The new law allowed farmers to own guns, as they lobbied that they needed them to humanely put down animals. Anyone who legitimately needed a gun in their work (such as pest control officers - and that included kangaroo shooters) could apply for a licence. Members of recognised gun clubs, and certain properly trained cash security guards, can have a licence.
In short, the only people who can't legally own a gun, now, in Australia are those who don't have a legitimate reason.
It took a quite a while for the ruckus to settle down, but now gun control is generally considered a good thing. After all, if someone doesn't have a legitimate, lawful reason to own a gun, what would they do with it? Hold up a bank? Shoot the wildlife? Shoot school students? Be a 'tough' guy?
We hear all too often of shootings in the US, and wonder why it is still happening, over and over; particularly in schools. We are horrified by it, and many here still remember a rare mass shooting of our own some years ago (a friend of mine lost his sister and nephew in that attack). Australians are very sensitive to the memory of that, and shudder every time they hear of a shooting in the US, because of the fear that some copycat here will get hold of a gun.
What would it really cost? It would only employ people who pay taxes and circulate the money.
People in the US must make the decision one day. But it's rather like converting from feet and inches to metric measure. That was hard, too, but well worth the effort. Unfortunately, yes, there are still some shootings in Australia, but nothing like the carnage and mass murder we read about happening in the US.
souxi:
--- Quote from: louise van hine on February 15, 2008, 03:01:39 pm ---The proof in the pudding that strict gun control reduces gun related injury and death is the comparison between Vancouver BC and Seattle, Washington. In the same time one year time period, these two cities, comparable both in population and demographics reported the following gun related crimes resulting in injury:
Vancouver: 1
Seattle: 67
We can reduce gun related crimes by reduce the number of guns and gun registrations, and that is a no brainer. I don't believe anyone has the idea that gun control is going to eliminate all shootings - people will still be able to get them illegally, they do in Canada, Britain, and in Australia. But in the US it is falling-off-a-log simple to get any number of high power weapons - and they do. Limit the gun registrations - and limit the number of deaths from shootings. It really is that simple.
When I cited the facts about Seattle and Vancouver to some gun-lovers in Florida a few years back, the response I got from the Floridians made my jaw drop: they said that there are less shootings in Canada because "Canadians are less violent than Americans." Clearly they don't watch hockey.
--- End quote ---
I know nothing about gun laws in the US, but your right, people CAN and do get hold of guns illegally. Over here in the UK I often watch a programe on Living TV called Ross Kemp on gangs. In some of the cities in the US, gang violence is horrific and for many people, it,s just a way of life. Some of the arms caches these gangs have is fightening. They have allsorts of guns,and they aint afraid to use them. Scary.
forsythia12:
here is a really good essay on the comparison of gun violence between candada, u.s., and the u.k.
it does back up the theory that the gun laws in canada have had a profound effect on the reduction in gun crimes, and it was quite informative; however, our canadian government still want stricter laws passed, and even a hand gun ban altogether. in canada, we tend to blame everything but the person responsible, and rarely are the held completely accountable for their actions. instead, we take away the temptations, the weapons, and the means in which the criminal used to commit the crime...but we don't punish him. our justice system pampers the criminals, and society as a whole has to pay, and our rights are adjusted or removed. so, although we have had success in stricter gun laws, as well as other factors, i do think there comes a point when enough is enough.
here is the link to the essay, with many interesting stats.
http://www.cyberessays.com/Politics/100.htm
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