- Messages
- 958
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 402
Well, I couldn't read the whole thread; too much water under the bridge. But - I thought I'd post my POV and see what it stirs up.
Firstly, the argument "Guns don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people" is flawed. It takes no account of consequences and likelihoods. It's glib and too often quoted. Imagine the scenario where two armed people approach one another. One's the aggressor, the other just wants to finish his day. in Scenario One, they both have knives. Aggressor attacks with his knife, other defends with his knife. It's long, it's messy, and someone might actually give up and stop before there's a death.
Now make the weapons guns. I give you a maximum of five shots before there's at least one death. I also give you at least three ricocheting bullets either injuring or killing other people in the area. What about if only the defender has a gun? Out comes the knife, aggressor attacks... out comes the gun and BLAM - another life lost and still danger to the bystanders.
Now - I don't advocate a total ban on guns. It's (a) unachievable, and (b) inneffective... for reasons already given. i.e. people will get them anyway.
What you have to do is legislate to make it MUCH MUCH HARDER to come by guns LEGALLY. How does that help? Well, it means that some bozo can't go into a shop, put down his ID and $200, and walk away a week later with a gun. He has to go through checks, applications, system searches, suitability tests. He has to have a license and three referees "of reasonable standing" in the Community. and because guns are so hard to come by legally in this scenario, they're bloody expensive.
Next, you legislate to make it illegal to own, or posess, or even handle, a gun without one of those licenses. Next, you make it so that if someone buys a gun, they have to go to a different place to get ammo - a gun club or suitably licensed premises.
All these measures won't STOP illegal guns being around... and they won't STOP legal or illegal gun owners going nuts and blowing people to bits. But the measures will significantly reduce both gun ownership and deaths. That can only be a good thing.
Never forget - if someone attacks you, and you retaliate, that's not defence, it's counter-attack. It's also counter productive. If the weapons used are guns, the potential for loss of life and/or serious injury are VASTLY increased over other non-projectile weapons.
Firstly, the argument "Guns don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people" is flawed. It takes no account of consequences and likelihoods. It's glib and too often quoted. Imagine the scenario where two armed people approach one another. One's the aggressor, the other just wants to finish his day. in Scenario One, they both have knives. Aggressor attacks with his knife, other defends with his knife. It's long, it's messy, and someone might actually give up and stop before there's a death.
Now make the weapons guns. I give you a maximum of five shots before there's at least one death. I also give you at least three ricocheting bullets either injuring or killing other people in the area. What about if only the defender has a gun? Out comes the knife, aggressor attacks... out comes the gun and BLAM - another life lost and still danger to the bystanders.
Now - I don't advocate a total ban on guns. It's (a) unachievable, and (b) inneffective... for reasons already given. i.e. people will get them anyway.
What you have to do is legislate to make it MUCH MUCH HARDER to come by guns LEGALLY. How does that help? Well, it means that some bozo can't go into a shop, put down his ID and $200, and walk away a week later with a gun. He has to go through checks, applications, system searches, suitability tests. He has to have a license and three referees "of reasonable standing" in the Community. and because guns are so hard to come by legally in this scenario, they're bloody expensive.
Next, you legislate to make it illegal to own, or posess, or even handle, a gun without one of those licenses. Next, you make it so that if someone buys a gun, they have to go to a different place to get ammo - a gun club or suitably licensed premises.
All these measures won't STOP illegal guns being around... and they won't STOP legal or illegal gun owners going nuts and blowing people to bits. But the measures will significantly reduce both gun ownership and deaths. That can only be a good thing.
Never forget - if someone attacks you, and you retaliate, that's not defence, it's counter-attack. It's also counter productive. If the weapons used are guns, the potential for loss of life and/or serious injury are VASTLY increased over other non-projectile weapons.