Heart of Oak

As an interloper from across the pond and having read a rather light weight discussion on which gun was "cool".
Tell me why the majority of folk in America are still in favour of wide spread gun (especially assault weapon) ownership? Particularly in respect of recent (and not so recent) gun outrages.
Interested in an objective discussion.
Cheers
HofO

Heart of Oak

Have I struck upon a Taboo subject on this forum??
Come on someone must have a view even if it is to say "Mind your own business"!!!!!

superbug

For the most part open gun ownership, that's what I've noticed. So long as you meet the requirements there is no problem.
I'm looking to get an AR-15 (civilian version of the M-16) before a silly ban on assault riffles happens.

Right now I own a Beretta 9mm, a S&W 38 special, and a Remington pump action .22. I have them for home protection, personal protection, and because it's just fun as hell to shoot.

emptypepsi

There's my reason. There should be proper education on their usage and danger by the society that harnesses them (which begins in the home). But I don't mean gun control, which is a whole other topic.

__________________
"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov

Ygorl

Like to have a gun or two in the home so if some thugs invade our home we can protect ourselves. Like to have them to CARRY on rare occasions when I go places where it MAY come in handy.

The fact is, there will always be dangerous nuts among us. Most of us can get lucky and go through life and never encounter one. It's nice to be prepared if that chance encounter HAPPENS.

That's all it is.

In MY case at least :-)

Heart of Oak

Some interesting replies, thanks.
I find it difficult to understand the facsination of owning large numbers of guns just for the fun of it.
I am a country boy, I fully understand the point of having a shot gun or rifle for hunting game birds or animals or for controlling vermin. I understand the sport of target shooting and clay pigeons (skeet?). I can even understand the feeling that one might like a small hand gun in ones house if there is a severe risk of murderous intruders. However why does a country that won't allow a married naval officer of twenty years old buy a bottle of beer or a glass of wine, allow it's citizens to amass private armouries that would do credit to a Columbian drug baron?
I take the point that there are some nutters about, but isn't it more worrying that said nutters might have easy access (legally)to such fire power.

I know about the 2nd Amendment of the US constitution but that was written in 1791 just after a long and bloody struggle to free the land of the tyranny of an "Evil Empire"
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Certainly the way I read that is in the lack of a standing army it allowed for folk to have arms to preserve their freedom against the return of subjugation.
Why do the same reasons apply now in a country with far and away the most powerful military machine on the planet.

I get the impression that to many the dreaded term "Gun control" is anathema.
Your views please.

HofO

superbug

The Constitution was written that way because that was what was needed then as it is needed now.
Put it this way, he who controls the guns makes the rules.

emptypepsi

Oak --
No offense, good sir, but it is downright myopic to think the government would not try and impose tyranny through other means again. These are human beings we're talking about.

Also, while the US may be a 'military machine', this does not mean people with guns are not able to fight it off. Cases in point: Vietnam, Iraq. Our 'military machine' is there yet many people with nowhere near our capabilities give them hell everyday.

__________________
"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov

Heart of Oak

Hi Mr Pepsi (or can I call you empty?)
It is difficult to offend me and I am niether good or a sir (as in knight of the realm)
Anyway, I have obviously lead you the wrong way as the tyranny I was refering to was the filthy British not your own democratic government.
In these days when the focus of US foreign policy is to spread freedom and democracy around the globe is it still neccessary for all you folks to sleep with an M16 under your pillow??
How do you think very stable and mature democracies in the rest of the world manage without a free for all in the small arms market?
And you're right about the myopia but I put that down to age
Cheers
HofO

emptypepsi

Not all British are filthy. Actually, I only know one Englishman. He's got some rank breath but he's generally in pretty good hygiene.

To the US being a spreader of "democracy", etc. The US is also trying to be a spreader of other things within it's own country. I say that tyranny can exist anywhere, even under the guise of democracy and "the greater good". Like I said, so long as humans are in charge (checked or unchecked by the people), there is chance for corruption and abuse. That abuse (as history shows numerous times) grows when left unabated. The government knows that not all of it's people are always educated. However, if they know the people have the right and invoke the right of defending themselves, it will think twice before enforcing "the greater good" on them. "He who fails to plan, plans to fail".

The only problem with guns is, as I opined previously, left uneducated with the populace there will be massive problems. If you ban them or try to limit their numbers, only outlaws will have guns. Are we supposed to depend on the government to do all of our defense for us? That's another reason I am for home-ownership. Indeed, if one aims to attack you or hold you up, I believe he will be less inclined to do so if he knows he have a gun, or finds it out the hard way.

__________________
"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov