The American gun Laws.....can it remain as it is?

While logistically a near impossibility to remove the guns already in circulation if it were actually possible gun laws would have to target those as well, not just newly licensed ones. Historically, most school shootings were performed using guns not legally owned by the perpetrator, generally they belonged to a close family member such as a parent, grandparent, or uncle. Increasing required training and wait periods does very little to allay these sorts of incidents.

While I agree that the US hasn't seen a modern invasion and that some part of that in the first half of the 20th century may have been due to our gun laws, our 21st century world has changed the face of war. The cost in economic impact of invading the US at this point would be so great and the claimed resources and land so diminished in value that such an invasion is increasingly unlikely regardless of gun laws.

It is true that those willing to use criminal means will acquire fire arms if they truly want them, however, it also means that the number of weapons out in the population is reduced which dramatically reduces the instance of spree and passion crime murders. Arguing that criminals will get them is a zero sum argument. They have them now, they still have them with gun laws, albeit likely with slightly diminished capacity due to cost to maintain.

Many arguments relate the notion of a black market springing up as happens any time you outlaw something and I agree this would likely happen, but its a black market with a finite supply of goods with ever increasing cost as time goes by due to scarcity. The making of firearms is a complicated machining process that requires a good amount of skill or substantial computer assistance. Unlike the creation of drugs or alcohol which can be done by almost anyone with the time and a little knowledge. The vast majority of guns in circulation are made by the US. Assuming that comprehensive gun laws covered heavy tracking/inventorying of all parts manufactured in the US it would severely limit that available guns.

So, that all said, would gun laws decrease school shootings and the random acts of violence, yes. Would it decrease or prevent criminal access? Negligibly so at first with long term impact determined by foreign importers. Does it make the US less safe from a global political/invasion angle? Hardly. The only significant negative to stricter gun policy in the US as far as I can see is the logistic angle of enforcement but I cannot see something that makes killing other people harder as a bad thing.

While I understand Lila, should guns stop being produced in the US they will simply be produced somewhere else and imported (such as the drug trade in many countries)

How many more people might die because those who would have guns cannot end the actions of someone committing crimes

But more to the point, guns also do prevent crime to a degree. If someone tries to mug you and you bring a gun on them would they continue do you think? Sure the person using it might be to scared to fire but I personally wouldn't take that chance
(just an example - but one I have read about before)

Time to article...

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/central-virginia/gun-related-violent-crimes-drop-as-gun-sales-soar-in/article_54cca13a-35ee-11e2-83f0-0019bb30f31a.html

TL;DR: Lots of guns were sold, less crime happened in the same time

This does not mean that more guns = less crime, but it does demonstrate that in the presence of more guns crime does not increase proportionally

If people want to do something they will find a way for it to be done. Even if 1 in every 10 million people manage it, even in America this can happen 30 times a year...

The President can talk about gun control all he wants, talking about it and shedding a tear will convince the masses to wait a little while longer while more innocents are gunned down. "Gun control" is a bandaid on a gaping wound in America, and like others have stated, it needs to be all or nothing. The problem with that is, the vast majority of gun owners (not all) simply do not trust their government, period. I have local malitia for neighbors, they seem to have a consensus on not only not trusting their Government, but their neighbors as well. They seem to all be prepared for the world to turn to $%&! and are taking no chances. Even if they put a ban on all semi automatics and assault rifles, there is still approximately 100 million others floating about, most un registered. Some mentioned psychological profiling be done in schools. Anyone in a town hall meeting even mentions psychological profiling being done on their kids risk getting alienated or physically harmed by a mob of angrey parents. The American people need to wake up and stop voting for the same bureaucrats they've voted for the last four decades if they truly want change.

Akkarin, the article said it wasn't available anymore but as a counter argument, CNN Article

TL;DR most pro gun ownership arguments are based on outdated studies of ambiguous authenticity. The vast majority of justified gun homicides in FBI statistics would have been only injuries on both sides and not a death.

If he didn't have access to the guns he stole from his mother...he probably would have made I.e.d's(improvised explosive devices) and the death toll would have been higher

As a gun owner I keep them locked in a safe and only I have the key, which is hidden where only I know...the best gun control is responsibilty, not over regulation...when you try to restrict something you create more desire for it...this desire creates a niche in the criminal element to provide what is desired...

They already require background checks in most states when you purchase a handgun or hv rifle (high velocity)...mental health evaluations may help in some cases, however the worst ones will still get guns from somewhere by any means necessary...

Edit: since the introduction of the stand your ground law in florida...legal gun ownership is at an all time high and the crime rate is at a record low...

since the introduction of the stand your ground law in florida...legal gun ownership is at an all time high and the crime rate is at a record low...

I think it's been established that in florida, if you carjack people with a gun you don't get arrested


The situation in the US is so extreme that I think legal gun ownership would prevent crime. difficult to attack someone in the street if there's 100% chance they're strapped. But don't trust crime, employment or economy statistics. they have funny ways of compiling them, it's highly political, and basically, meaningless.

True....both sides will always spin the stats to their favor...I'm mainly going by the local news and observation which is a bit accurate vs. Special interest group staticians

Guns are just tools, and just like cars or fireworks, kill when abused. Ultimately, blaming a gun for violence is like praising a hammer for building a house.

Get rid of the guns, the violence will remain. I had a discussion that that is ok because fewer people would die. Ultimately just a bandaid.

The one thing i cannot stand is when the actions of the minority ruin things for the majority. Because someone cannot behave right that means that no one gets to have their fun.

Red Lila wrote: most pro gun ownership arguments are based on outdated studies of ambiguous authenticity.

You live in Texas right? You'd think the contrary would be more visibly obvious out there specifically, among the rest of the southern bible belt (which I live among as well), where pro-gun societies and their justifications may be very openly expressed. If there is any other kind of study that tries to argue that, I think the study was probably botched. lol!

Doesn't texas give everyone a gun just for being born? :laugh: j/k

Yes guns are simply a tool...and any tool that isn't respected or used properly is dangerous...

Sadly it's human nature to punish the lot for the stupidity of the few...as the saying goes "a few bad apples spoil the bunch"....personally I say get rid of the bad ones instead of wasting the bunch....some is better than none