I cant really say anything that no one knows already on this issue particularly being that i don't live in the States, so i know less on this issue... but i think i know enough to realize it's become an epidemic in the US

I suppose it all boils down to opinions and ideologies, and basically thats why this evil is continuing states-side ... I guess some very powerful Republicans in congress, with their right wing agendas don't want change in gun laws

Owning a gun for protection argument: Very laughable. Some years ago teenagers were knifing each other to death at an alarming rate in London. When reporters interviewed these teenagers and asked why they carried a knife - most of them said for protection. The fact is that if no one carried a knife (if they are banned) you wouldn't need a knife to protect yourself from a person without a knife.

Same for guns... hmmm... i know that sounds too simplistic... ...but in my own opinion the solution is not too far behind

One can argue that guns could be obtained illegally if laws are tightened , but is that shortsightedness, because you need to start some where and gradually illegal guns would be eliminated (or minimised).

When lives are lost political ideologies should take a back seat

Maybe the actual truth is that guns have been freely around in the States for so long that people are addicted to owning one

Just fully implement the constitutional right to bear arms and let the problem solve itself -- allow the citizenry to hold the same class of weapons as the military (which seems to be the original intention -- allow the people the means to challenge their own rulers, removing the state's monopoly of force?)

Either America would revolt and "regime change" itself into freedom, or it's military would have to de-arm and stop trying to take over the world. Either way... :D

I cant really say anything that no one knows already on this issue particularly being that i don't live in the States, so i know less on this issue... but i think i know enough to realize it's become an epidemic in the US



I suppose it all boils down to opinions and ideologies, and basically thats why this evil is continuing states-side

Your proposition is quite clearly manipulated by some intense propaganda. In my country you can have a weapon if you want very much, but you cannot wear it or take from allowed place away, that would be another higher license, and it is impossible to get an automatic weapon total. Countries with extreme difficulties aimed at owning a weapon are countries with big development of crime, law unexecutivity, and privileged people. You don't believe me? Look at swiss, everyone has weapon there since recruit army time, and look at rest fo europe (Czech, Slovakia, Germany...). Also, such countries are prone to government terror any time, or some other strong group terror (mafia etc).

Owning a gun for protection argument: Very laughable. Some years ago teenagers were knifing each other to death at an alarming rate in London. When reporters interviewed these teenagers and asked why they carried a knife - most of them said for protection. The fact is that if no one carried a knife (if they are banned) you wouldn't need a knife to protect yourself from a person without a knife.

Disclaimer: I also don't live in US, but too often I can see governments trying to solve problems with restrictions of some form.

The example you gave is very touching but lets be honest, kids killing each other is not a result of law allowing to own a knife (there is a knife in every house, so as long as there are families with more then one kid we would hear about such killing at least once o month). Someone clearly failed to teach those kids what can happen if they stab someone. Banning knives would make it even worse as less parents or teachers would be willing to tell kids about such consequences. And bad guys don't care about laws anyway. Bad people (kids, teenagers, adults) will carry weapons whenever it is legal or not.

As they said they have it "for protection", what else they could say? To stab others for fun? To make lunch outside? They probably hear it somewhere anyway, maybe even in TV.

I can also understand people who may be affected by such new law. From their point of view it is taking away rights they ever had. You would also be upset if proposed law would be you can't shop anymore after 6pm because someone know better what you should do with your time.

Drugs are illegal in almost every country with very strict law enforcement and still one can buy them. Even in US and Europe. I wouldn't tell they are less available than 10 years ago either.

If bans can prevent death among children, lets ban cartoons! Especially the ones where people jump out of windows or through walls :)

Countries with extreme difficulties aimed at owning a weapon are countries with big development of crime, law unexecutivity, and privileged people.

...and America will freeze over before they even think about addressing their inequality problem! At least they talk about the gun issue...

Drugs are illegal in almost every country with very strict law enforcement and still one can buy them.

Drugs are actually useful for individual use though, and there's an insatiable demand for that personal use.
Many guns are specifically designed for the purpose of killing other humans... which is a much easier satiated demand.
Prohibition of a culturally normal activity is just a bit different to prohibition of a specifically designed murder weapon.
It's culturally normal here for people to risk a legal slap on the wrist for drug possession.... but absolutely no one in their right mind will risk 5 years in prison for useless gun possession (or 20 years for a gun-toting robbery). I'm quite happy to live in a place where the unequally desperate folk perform muggings without weapons. Heat-of-the-moment suicide and homicide unfortunately still occurs, but took a massive dive when we got rid of most of our guns. Most people who attempt suicide don't attempt it a second time. Farmers here are still allowed to own guns for pest control, and many of them unfortunately succeed in using them on themselves the first time... in the rest of the country, those stats have improved with such easy killing tools becoming so time consuming and/or risky to obtain.

You know that gun-related violence and mass shootings in the US are decreasing in frequency, right? Don't let a sensationalist media desperate for attention shape your entire worldview. Hodgman hypothetical scenario does actually exist in some places. The area where I live is approx. 85% owner, and the only incidents of gun violence in the last 15 years was one hunting accident and one shooting of an out of state by another out of stater. If guns were as evil as advertised, I think the numbers would be somewhat higher.

Your comment regarding guns being addictive is a non sequitur. They're just a tool. No more addictive than a garden rake.

I think that such incidents of violence speak more to the character of the people involved, than the nature of guns themselves.

You know that gun-related violence and mass shootings in the US are decreasing in frequency, right?

Citation Needed =)

(It's great if it's true, but this link seems to imply it's really not)

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/mass-shootings-increasing-harvard-research

Look at swiss, everyone has weapon there since recruit army time, and look at rest fo europe (Czech, Slovakia, Germany...). Also, such countries are prone to government terror any time, or some other strong group terror (mafia etc).

How each culture handles react to liberal gun laws varies, but US is in a class of it own. So you can't can't compare ratios: gun crimes rates / liberal law with another developed country

Banning knives would make it even worse as less parents or teachers would be willing to tell kids about such consequences. And bad guys don't care about laws anyway. Bad people (kids, teenagers, adults) will carry weapons whenever it is legal or not.

Humans by nature need to be told certain lines should not be crossed everywhere- at home, at work and the by law.

Since Laws/Legislation is part of what creates or forms a culture in a country, Whatever death-by-gun-crime rate exist in any country can be improved by stricter laws

Banning weapons of any sort can never eliminate crime but would significantly minimize it, At least statistics between countries verify that.

I'm quite happy to live in a place where the unequally desperate folk perform muggings without weapons. Heat-of-the-moment suicide and homicide unfortunately still occurs, but took a massive dive when we got rid of most of our guns. Most people who attempt suicide don't attempt it a second time. Farmers here are still allowed to own guns for pest control, and many of them unfortunately succeed in using them on themselves the first time... in the rest of the country, those stats have improved with such easy killing tools becoming so time consuming and/or risky to obtain.

... and for these reasons too

You know that gun-related violence and mass shootings in the US are decreasing in frequency, right? Don't let a sensationalist media desperate for attention shape your entire worldview. Hodgman hypothetical scenario does actually exist in some places. The area where I live is approx. 85% owner, and the only incidents of gun violence in the last 15 years was one hunting accident and one shooting of an out of state by another out of stater. If guns were as evil as advertised, I think the numbers would be somewhat higher.

Your comment regarding guns being addictive is a non sequitur. They're just a tool. No more addictive than a garden rake.

I think that such incidents of violence speak more to the character of the people involved, than the nature of guns themselves.

Actually i think its the opposite! I believe gun crimes is seriously under-reported. If a single person or 2 people are killed in a gang related shooting, because it such a common occurrence and only few people are killed- it never makes the headlines

You say guns are tools, but what are these meant to be used for? (apart from a small percentage of riffles for game hunting/shooting animals)?

In the heat of the moment when anger boils/ depressions/whatever... because a guns is easily available it is used - it seems like, I will take it out on others is a sweet revenge

Over here, in the spur of the moment ... you could punch your walls , throw chairs around ... because no guns are available . That's the DIFFERENCE

You know that gun-related violence and mass shootings in the US are decreasing in frequency, right?

Citation Needed =)

(It's great if it's true, but this link seems to imply it's really not)
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/mass-shootings-increasing-harvard-research

You're quoting a very biased source!

I'm totally opposed to U.S. gun laws.

There has however been a notable number of similar shootings in other countries like germany, though its nowhere near as high as U.S. So its not just an US problem. One might even argue that it might just be that high in the US because US has a vastly higher population, making it more likely for those indiviual shootings to happen - though there is no denying that lax gun laws are very likely to increase the chance of something like this happening.

Even in those cases from non-US shootings, from my information there has always been legally owned guns in play, I can't really recall many (school) shootings in non-US western countries that where conducted primarly with illegal weaponry, so I think there is a good point in restricting the possesion of guns to combat this problem.