Where do you stand on the debate about our constitutional right to "bare arms", do you feel citizins should be allowed to own and carry guns or not?

i think we should be allowed to

Has to be on of my favorite items on the constitution. I own a rifle, plan to own a handgun in the next year or so, just haven’ t got the money to buy a decent one yet.

We don’t have that here and, frankly, I’m happy about that. There are simply too many deaths caused by gunshot these days, and there needs to be some sort of restriction regarding them. Unfortunately, the majority of people don’t realize that bear arms means to start war and not carry a gun. Given that, I think the whole constitution needs a facelift.

personally i think we would all be better off if no one had a gun. when everyone has a gun, you see everyone as a criminal, even when there not. i live in australia and there arnt many people who have a gun here compared to america. i think one or two for protection in your house is fine. but when your at the point when its normal to carry a gun around on the street, i think thats going to far and is just a stupid way to live

well to be honest, i think, that guns should all be destroyed and if everyone had a gun then unpredictable things could happen and there would be even more death than needed. On the other hand, if everyone had a gun then we would all be a little safer because we would have a something to protect ourselves with. But if we all just lived in world peace then we could all be HAPPY!

WORLD PEACE ROCKS!!!!!!!!! xxx

I am not that familiar with the American laws on carrying guns. However people will always find a way to obtain guns illegally. That is currently a problem here. The majority of us aren’t allowed guns, but I have had friends and family held at gunpoint by people obtaining them illegally. So i’d say better to allow anyone who wants to or feels that it is necessary to carry one.

Well where I live the concept of not owning a gun is almost unheard of. But You don’t see everyone running around in the streets guns. For the most part they are kept at home, and brought out for hunting or on a rare occasion protection.

*running around in the streets with guns…… sorry I really need an edit button or more coffee before I post :P

Ok I know I posted a short bit earlier, but I was on my break at work and didn’t have time for much more. So here is something a bit more in depth on how I feel about guns…. I’ve always been of the opinion no mater what kind of gun control you can come up with, criminals will always find to get firearms and other weapons. So even if firearms are completely outlawed, now you have your average law abiding citizen without a firearm for self defense and the criminals do have them. Because well their criminals, its kinda in the definition for them NOT to follow the laws. And well I’m sure some small time criminals no longer would have a firearm, a lot would still find a way to own a firearm. And well the way I see it that leaves your average citizen in a bad position. Also (and I might be a bit paranoid here) its a lot easier to command a population when they can’t fight back. While I hopefully well never see a physco try to pull a dictatorship in the US the possibility still stands someone could try (how ever slim of a possibility it is). And in case that does happen I’m not keen on the idea of being without a way to defend myself. And of course I have heard many arguments against firearms that say your more likely to shoot one a family or friend accidentally with the firearm. and well I guess I could see where that could be true if someone had know knowledge of firearms and didn’t do a good job of teaching their children about them. If we want to do something about gun control lets add-in gun education. Educate people on proper ways of storing guns and how to teach their children about them. Their have been guns in the house since before I was born. I was given a rifle at 5, my grandpa passed it down to me. I never shot anyone up. At a very early age I was taught about fire arms. At about the age of 6 my dad showed me the hole a bullet makes in a deer. Drove home the point very quickly that you don’t play with firearms. That’s my 2 cents on the gun issues.

Well, all I can say is that we don’t allow people to keep guns without going through the proper channels -not everybody has the right to one, and yes - sometimes people get their hands on them illegally, but given our gun restrictions, there are surprisingly few deaths by gunshot in comparison. If everyone had a gun, a lot more people would die in this manner.

What’s interesting is that the old American argument of well the criminals will have guns and we wont be able to protect ourselves doesnt really stand up in any other developed country. The rates of gun deaths in the U.S. are ridiculous compared to the rest of the world. Including places where civilians arent allowed to own guns. And a large percent of gun deaths happen from the individual’s own gun. But you’re never going to convince gun owners to give up their guns. So whatever. If people want to get shot by their own guns, that’s their problem.

hmmm . . fits riight in with FA Advisors.

still love ya anyway.

I am A Gun owner. I hunt, and I carry a concealed handgun which I have a permit for. I think guns in the hands of law abiding citizens is a good thing for a couple reasons: 1.) Cops are not body guards. 2.) cops are good at showing up at the scene of the crime. I carry everyday and know one knows any better. When I get home it goes in a safe place. Hopefully I never have to use it.

Countless millions of people have been killed after having relinquished their guns by tyrannical mandate in the last century. I’ve given the statistics numerous times at similar questions… these death rates far exceed the numbers of those killed outside of gun restricted zones. Shooting sprees almost always occur in gun free zones… a correlation should not be so hard to discern. As with all statistics… we are at the mercy of those who perform the studies to provide an accurate accounting. Personally… I am of the opinion that there is prejudice skewing the numbers in an effort to support gun restriction laws… and I doubt the accuracy of this typical sort of study.

Notwithstanding those people who advocate a heavy handed police state… where law enforcement outnumber civilians… where we are all subject to routine searches… it is impossible to eradicate gun possession. The notion that we can all be safe by entrusting a cadre of career politicians to safeguard our well being is the epitome of altruism… and connotes a naivete that is best observed in the saying… the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The Hegelian dialectic depends on this kind of paranoia to stir up the nanny state sentiment that has given us the Patriot Acts… the Banker Bailout… whichever name our escapades in the middle east are currently bestowed with… generally all the governance we have come to rue in hindsight. The anti-gun propaganda is a fact of life…

Guns are a fact of life… there is no magical wand to be waved that can erase the technology. I suppose if the establishment were as afraid of molotov cocktails we would be inundated with the studies on the hazards of drinking. Gun control is the horse of a different color… sanguine after ages of abuse.

If guns were outlawed, only outlaws would have guns.

i think the uk way is good because the amount of checks that you have to go through is ridiculous and is probably going to get worse soon :/ but it makes sure that your going be sensible with the gun when you get it :)

E

This is a part of the US constitution that many non-Americans find baffling. But, it does reflect a part of US culture and history. Well armed, well drilled militias were a reality of colonial life.

I dont’ see the issue just in individual terms. The more I read about the 2nd Amendment and study early American history, the more I see the keeping and bearing of arms having a collective purpose in the minds of founders. The individual’s right is spelled out in the constitution, but the purpose is protection of the community. I suppose my stance on the issue is that community organizations, watch groups, and other citizen-run groups that police neighborhoods would be the modern interpretation of a militia (certainly not militias that carry out illegal, anti-Fed activities).

Toward that end, this puts responsibility on those groups as well as on the individual to be properly trained in the handling and use of weapons, and certainly that involves some kind of regulation by the government, whether state or federal. I don’t believe anybody should be allowed to carry around any weapon they want, any time they want, with no licensing laws, permit laws, or the like. Guns needs to be regulated, and regulated heavily. But until the 2nd Amendment is overturned, it certainly does legally give Americans the right to have armed, citizen groups. No amount of statistics on crime is going to change that. And, studies have not been all that decisive on a link between crime and gun laws anyway.

I don’t think there will ever be world peace, but thats just my opinion :)

Touche

You know, my mother used to use those exact same words, “…a large percent of gun deaths happen from the individual’s own gun.” I was able to find several different statistics compiled by several different organizations that showed otherwise. Not very many arguing your point actually had any credible statistics to back up their claim.

Yes: they’re replaced by deaths from other deadly weapons, and an increase in petty crime.

Trust me, if someone wanted to, they could kill someone with an ink pen or a straw. Yes, as in the thing you drink out of. Someone with proper training in knife handling can easily maim or kill several people in the course of a minute. And someone that crazed is someone that you do NOT want to engage on equal or lesser terms. Never bring a knife to a gunfight, but always bring a gun to a knife fight.

If even herbivores can’t stop fighting, what kind of hope can humanity ever have? We’re selfish, cheating, and using by nature. Oh, and vengeful. That one always gets us.

I often go around with bare arms in the summer. I don’t know what the fuss is about.