Guns and Gun Rights

[Bill]

After some very contrasting opinions came up over guns in the recent Conservatism thread, I thought the subject could stand its own discussion. So, what do you think of guns in society, and where do you stand on gun control?

I live in the United States, where the right to own a gun is protected by the constitution. I'm from New York, and here very few private citizens own or carry guns. However, I do support the 2nd amendment and consider it among our most important constitutional rights. What do you think?

[Latch33570]

MAYBE better as a whole but not better for individuals who live in fear. If someone is wanting to kill you it is better for you to have a gun. 

[Vertigo_One [Ops Mod]]

Except that we shrink the number of individuals who live in fear far more if we remove more guns. And also, we do not base legislation on what people fear as much as what the reality is.

[Latch33570]

It brings us back to the individual who lives in fear and IS unsafe. If it was me I would get a gun. That's it. It is a circular argument.

[Vertigo_One [Ops Mod]]

Yes, but BY having a gun, you're making others feel unsafe. This is why you are wrong. Your position leads to everyone having a gun and everyone being afraid of each other, a mexican stand off.

[Latch33570]

And yet I would have one. I don't care if the bad guys feel safe. In some situations there is no right answer. If you came across a slave market would you buy one just to set them free at some safe place? There is no right answer to that. If you buy the slave you are supporting the system that put the slave there. If not you have to look at that kid in the eyes and say I refuse to buy you cause I don't want to support the system that put you there. The kid won't care it just wants to be free. No winners there.

[Vertigo_One [Ops Mod]]

And yet I would have one. I don't care if the bad guys feel safe.

You're still not getting this. It's not the bad guys I'm thinking about. It's everyone. If I go into a neighbourhood where I know everyone has guns, I am not safe. I don't care if they are good guys or bad guys, I am not as safe as I am in a neighborhood where no one has guns.

[Latch33570]

No you are only unsafe around bad guys whether THEY have guns or not. That is why if you are in a neighborhood of bad guys get a gun.

This is going nowhere. I am done with this topic. We just have to agree to disagree.

[Vertigo_One [Ops Mod]]

No, I am unsafe around everyone with guns. You are assuming we live in a very nice and pleasnt world where the good and bad guys are easy to define. A) That isn't easy, good guys can turn bad for many reasons B) accidents happen.

[Latch33570]

If they turn bad then they are bad guys and I need a gun to defend myself. Round and round we go. And I am not assumeing that. All I know is that I need to protect my family.

[Vertigo_One [Ops Mod]]

You're being massively over simplistic if you really think there are "bad guys" and "good guys" out there. Everyone who has a gun is a potential danger in a way people without a gun are not. You are not going to eve have a situation where everyone is a "good" guy because everyone is potentially a bad guy. Given that potential, allowing anyone to have a gun is dangerous. Not to mention the fact that they don't even have to have a gun to be bad. Accidents happen all the time, accidents with a gun are going to be more dangerous.

[CD]

Knives kill too but can be used for other things. Maybe that's the difference?

[Johanna]

It's also a lot harder to stab someone to death.