Why shouldn't we have guns?

[Im Neero]

I'll start thread off by saying that I am a firm proponent of the second amendment and interperet it as affirming a personal right to bear arms, not just the collective right of a state.

I am enrolled in a persuasive writing class this semester. As part of the class I have to write two papers, one on each side of a controversial issue. I chose gun control, as I already know a lot about the subject.

My question is, what are all of the arguments against the right to bear arms? I've thought of the possible increase of accidents and crimes of passion, but what are some of the other ones that you guys have hear? If you have any particularly profound ideas on why we should be able to keep and bear arms post them here as well.

I think it would be interesting to see a thread that shows the reasons that we've heard (be they good or ludicrous, most of the one's I've heard are the latter) against the RKBA as well as all of the reasons for it.

[Guest canynracer]

ok, i took the lazy way out, this is a very good article about it with both sides...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n4_v47/ai_16662283

[Guest Boomhower]

Be prepared.....

[Guest jcoyle6]

well if you want a reason the shake your head in amazement look up the Brady Campaign website and or email one of their representatives. What was that saying about Samuel Colt creating man? The only quasi original thing I have to say is that NEVER AGAIN WILL I BECOME A VICTIM. I WILL USE THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS NECESSARY TO ENSURE MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE I FIND DEAR TO MY HEART.

[molonlabetn]

The only negative connotation which can be applied to firearms is a misplaced projection upon them of the evil intentions and irresponsibility which originate from human users.

The only 'bad' aspect of any weapon is that they are necessary at all in this fallen world, for the preservation of life and liberty in the face of those who wish to remove it, from the weak.

[saintsfanbrian]

The only 'bad' aspect of any weapon is that they are necessary at all in this fallen world, for the preservation of life and liberty in the face of those who wish to remove it, from the weak.

I like that. May I quote you or are you quoting someone else?

[molonlabetn]

I like that. May I quote you or are you quoting someone else?

That one is all me... feel free to quote me

btw, you're one post away from 1K! You'll receive your super-secret decoder ring in the mail shortly...

[Im Neero]

I think I may use that quote in my pro-gun paper.

[bteague2]

GUNS R EVIL!!! SARAH BRADY IS JESUS REINCARNATE!!! GUNS KILLED MY DOG, I KNOW HE WAS GETTING OLD AND BIT THAT CHILD BUT THE COP DIDN'T HAVE TO SHOOT HIM TO GET HIM OFF!!

hope that helps

[Im Neero]

GUNS R EVIL!!! SARAH BRADY IS JESUS REINCARNATE!!! GUNS KILLED MY DOG, I KNOW HE WAS GETTING OLD AND BIT THAT CHILD BUT THE COP DIDN'T HAVE TO SHOOT HIM TO GET HIM OFF!!

I think I have a title.

[Guest canynracer]

from the article I posted above...

Ask the Felons

INDEED, felons have consistently said that banning handguns would make their lives safer and easier by disarming victims without affecting their own ability to obtain weapons. "Ban guns," said a typical convict interviewed by New York University criminologist Ernest van den Haag in the mid 1970s. "I'd love it. I'm an armed robber."

then there is this part:

Thirty-four per cent of the felons said that in contemplating a crime they either "often" or "regularly" worried that they "might get shot at by the victim." Asked about criminals in general, 56 per cent of the inmates agreed that "a criminal is not going to mess around with a victim he knows is armed with a gun"; 57 per cent agreed that "most criminals are more worried about meeting an armed victim than they are about running into the police"; 58 per cent agreed that "a store owner who is known to keep a gun on the premises is not going to get robbed very often"; and 74 per cent agreed that "one reason burglars avoid houses when people are home is that they fear being shot during the crime."

[Guest canynracer]

then my favorite part....

After research disclosed that mosquitoes were the vector for transmission of yellow fever, the disease was not controlled by sending men in white coats to the swamps with tweezers to remove the mouth parts from all the insects they could find. The only sensible, efficient way to stop the biting was to attack the environment where the mosquitoes bred.

Guns are the mouth parts of the violence epidemic. The contemporary urban environment breeds violence no less than swamps breed mosquitoes. Attempting to control the problem of violence by trying to disarm the perpetrators is as hopeless as trying to contain yellow fever through mandible control.

[bteague2]

then my favorite part....

After research disclosed that mosquitoes were the vector for transmission of yellow fever, the disease was not controlled by sending men in white coats to the swamps with tweezers to remove the mouth parts from all the insects they could find. The only sensible, efficient way to stop the biting was to attack the environment where the mosquitoes bred.

Guns are the mouth parts of the violence epidemic. The contemporary urban environment breeds violence no less than swamps breed mosquitoes. Attempting to control the problem of violence by trying to disarm the perpetrators is as hopeless as trying to contain yellow fever through mandible control.

I like that, is that you or did you get it from somewhere?

[waynesan]

Guns should be banned because we as a society have decided (through our elected representatives and our court systems) that it is good not to imprison those members of our society who have shown an unwillingness to refrain from violent criminal behavior. More often than not, when a person is arrested for a crime of violence, it turns out that that individual has a "rap" sheet a mile long of crimes commited in the past for which a minimum amount of time was given to be served in prison due to, time off for good behavior, plea bargaining, early release because of prison overcrowding and other legal manipulation of the system.

Any society that is unwilling to protect the majority of its citizens from those who have demonstrated by their actions that they cannot be trusted to live peacefully and honestly amongst us, simply cannot allow the widespread availability of weapons and firearms. To do so would be to invite the criminal element to take advantage of the proliferation of personal weapons among the citizenry, and utilize the available weaponry (illegally aquired of course)and prey upon the weak and defenseless.

So in summation, when the crimminals are running free, and our guns have been confiscated, then and only then will we see how wonderful and peaceful our great nation can be.

[Guest Tombstone]

I don't know if this will help or not, but I always think of this when I think about when people say that "guns kill people."

I am not sure if it was on this sight or another, but it was on a guys t-shirt. I don't remember all that it said but the one part that I remember is "If guns kill people then pencils miss spell words."

There were several other similar quotes on the shirt but that is the one that struck home with me.

[molonlabetn]

The phrase "Guns Kill People" is just as misdirected as saying that "Trans-Fat makes people obeise"...

Both results require the decisive (or irresponsible) action of a human-being, by either pulling the trigger or taking a bite. Unfortunately, most people (liberals especially) only see those statements at a shallow level, and assume them to be true... hence the banning of guns and trans-fats, and removal of personal responsibility for the individual to choose to use either one in a mature fashion.

[Guest Tombstone]

Nicely stated

[Guest Phantom6]

I don't know if this will help or not, but I always think of this when I think about when people say that "guns kill people."

I am not sure if it was on this sight or another, but it was on a guys t-shirt. I don't remember all that it said but the one part that I remember is "If guns kill people then pencils miss spell words."

There were several other similar quotes on the shirt but that is the one that struck home with me.

If guns kill people, spoons made Rosie O'donnel fat. -Larry the Cable Guy

Then NBC invites her to join the MSNBC team in the 9 o'clock slot.

BTW, please do not adjust your set. That loud whirring sound you here is simply the sound of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley spinning in their graves.

[Guest canynracer]

I like that, is that you or did you get it from somewhere?

sorry for the delay...I got it from the article I replied to in the original post first response to the question...