Should guns be outlawed?

Question

Should guns be outlawed?

Answer 1

I don't think it would help.  History has shown us that just because its illegal doesn't mean the activity will stop.  Prohibition?  Just made crime worse.

Answer 2

Jessica-

The question that you are asking deals with the object itself, and not the person who decided to commit the crime with it.  I understand the point of view, but Gun Control solves no problems, but rather makes them bigger.

Gun Control Laws are not designed by the folks who legally own guns and/or collect them such as myself and many of the other people in this section.  Some would say that my collection of guns would indeed contribute to the crime problem, but they say this not knowing that most of the ones that I own are restored antiques.

The current Gun Control Laws have made criminals out of Law Abiding Citizens, where there were none before, furthermore have also created a trade and commerce issue for this state.  The removal of guns from civilians does not stop the crime that will happen in your neighborhood, nor will it stop the criminals from obtaining them and using them.  What this does do, is allow the criminals an upper hand in the fight against crime.

The 2nd Amendment to our Constitution, in effect levels the playing field by allowing you or anyone else the ability to defend themselves in an emergency situation.  You might say that you could do this with a Baseball Bat or a Knife in your own home, or wait for Law Enforcement.  But the reality is that Law Enforcement is a reactive force not a proactive force in our society.  

Let me help you understand something before you, consider taking away a right that was given to us by this country's Founding Fathers.  

In your home, all of the rooms in that area are really no larger than 12 feet by 12 feet.  This is a relatively small area.  Even your dining room is no larger than 21 feet by 21 feet.  A person who is intent on harming you or your family can cover that 21 foot distance in 3 tenths of a second.  This does not matter if he has a knife, club, bat, gun or any other deadly weapon.  The point is you got out of bed because you heard a noise in your home, and needed to respond.  The likely hood of you grabbing the phone while you are going to investigate is not very good.  Probably because you have pets, (like me; cats), and they often knock something over at night with a clunk.  So your first reaction, is its one of the cats again.  Ooops, that is not the situation this time.  Now you are faced with getting back to the phone, dialing 911 and in about 10 minutes the police will arrive, provided you were undetected by the intruder.

Again this is normally not the case, your first normal reaction, (rightfully so), is "Who the heck are you, and what are you doing here?"

Now the fight is on.  What are you going to do at that point?  You have 3 tenths of a second to make a choice that will save your life.  What are you going to do?

I will give you the benefit of the doubt, and say you managed to get to the phone and dial 911.  Now the police are 10 minutes out, and you still only have 3 tenths of a second before the assailant is on your person doing severe physical injury, with the intent of killing you.  What are you going to do?

This is part of the instruction in my NRA Home Defense Class and I also incorporate this in my Security Firearm Courses.  This is a very important aspect to understand.  3 tenths of a second is time enough to blink your eyes.  This is how fast it really is.

So here is the answer to your question.  No guns should not be outlawed.  The laws that are currently in place for crimes committed with them need to be regularly enforced and executed.  Criminals who commit violent crimes should be put to death, not allowed a life long jail sentence where my tax dollars are wasted on their demise in a cell.  These violent offenders, should not have an appeal system, and they should not get special benefits for their good behavior, for it was their poor behavior that landed them in prison.

When you outlaw guns, your are outlawing your very own ability to defend yourself in an emergency.  The firearm is an equalizer for every man, woman and child, including yourself.

Sam Colt said it best, "God Created All Man, Sam Colt Made Them All Equal."

And... Personally, I would rather have defended myself with Judge Colt and his jury of 6, rather than my court systems jury of 12.

Edit for the Thumbs Down Contributor:

The person who decided to give the thumbs down, has obviously never been placed in a situation where they had to defend themselves against physical harm.  Though they do indeed have a right to their opinion.  However, this indicates to me they would rather be a part of the continued problem in this country with our revolving door legal system.  For those who have been in this type of a situation, these are people who have chosen to be a part of the solution, rather than remaining a part of the problem.

I have been in Armed Security and Executive Protection for nearly 12 years.  I have also seen the change in my company's policy from unarmed response to armed response.  When large companies make these changes, it means they too have seen a change in society and have decided to respond accordingly.  Is this an unfortunate example, yes I would definately state that it is.  However, whether you agree with it or not, they are a necessary evil, and in some cases in order to maintain peace and order, guns are a necessary response.

Believe me when I state, I do not believe that a firearm should be the only solution to every situation.  In the 12 years that I have been in this profession, I have talked my way out of more situations, but in the same breath, I have had to make an armed response 3 times to quell an unstable event.

In closing, should they change some of the regulations about how firearms are purchased, my answer would be a most positive yes.  However, there is a correct way to do this and an incorrect way to do this.  At this point in time, the politicians are not interested in the correct way.  They are interested in the incorrect way that does more damage than good for the people as a whole.

Answer 3

Rifles and shotguns - needed for wilderness survival and protection(Canada), more so than for hunting food

Hand guns - questionable.  Handguns can only be used at a licensed firing range in Canada and no where else.  

Canada has a problem with gangs using them (killing too many innocent people in drive-by-shootings).  I understand that gangs will get guns no matter what.  My concern is inexperienced homeowners or women using them for protection when they don't need to be.

In Canada, I'd like to be able to use pepper spray against human, intruders and combatants but, we can only use them against aggressive dogs and predators.

Answer 4

Nope. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. I personally like the security I have knowing I am armed.  When guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns. I would officially be an outlaw. Why would you come in here and ask such a question?  

Answer 5

Our right to bear arms is absolutely necessary and should never be outlawed, either through an outright ban or through regulation out of existence.

If your really asking this question because your unsure of the answer...then you need to really research what the founding fathers meant when they wrote up our second ammendment. It sure as h**l isnt there so we can go hunting and go shooting at a range...It has a much deeper purpose than that, and every red blooded American should know it and arm themselves accordingly.

Answer 6

No, GUNS should not be outlawed.

the proper use of guns,  includes harvesting food, as well as protection, against criminals, dangerous animals & to protect ourselves from an  oppressive government

Answer 7

nope

Answer 8

no...if they get outlawed criminals will take over.

Answer 9

NO!!!!!

Guns should never be outlawed. Cars kill more people than guns each year, how about outlawing them?!

Did you know falling kills more folks than guns? Maybe ban falling?

Answer 10

NO GUNS SHOULD NOT BE OUTLAWED! if we oullaw guns you no what that would mean? it would mean that we dont have guns and the bad guys do have guns. i mean if you wanted to murder somone its not like you would say "a rats! i wanted to shoot him but i cant cause guns are illeagle". do not outlaw guns!

Answer 11

If the gun itself does the actual killing of someone. h**l yes. Lock the d**n things up with out a trial. Until we could find a way to capital punish it. lethal injection or volts lots of volts. Other than that guns should have a right to life too, cause they were created.

Answer 12

No, that is unconstitutional and outrageous.  

Answer 13

No.

The only things too be outlawed are trolls in the hunting section and Dumbass americans that think guns are banned in the UK.

Answer 14

Only if you don't value your freedom. Private ownership of guns is the only thin, red line that has kept the governement from going completely totalitarian over the past 200 years.

Answer 15

Do you know any history? Do you know what happens in countries when they outlaw firearms?

NO, guns should never be outlawed.

Hitler outlawed guns in Germany before he started slaughtering the Jews.

Polpot outlawed guns in Cambodia before he started slaughtering his own countrymen!

Stalin outlawed guns in Russia before he started killing MILLIONS of his own people.

Since you want guns outlawed, who are you hoping will be slaughtered?

Answer 16

Question:  should guns be outlawed?

Answer:  Should outlaws be outlawed?  Oops!  They are outlawed and guess what?  We still have outlaws. We don't need any more laws only to enforce the ones we do have.  When guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns.  However then shall we protect ourselves from those with murderous intent?  The police react to crime.  They don't always prevent it.

H

Answer 17

No only Outlaws should be Outlawed.* Gun's are inanimate objects which can do no harm in an of themselves, until a irresponsible person misuses it to harm themselves or others.*

Answer 18

No.  Maybe handguns one could argue, but certainly not hunting rifles and shotguns.

Answer 19

Outlaw guns, and only the outlaws will have guns.

DC tried this. Their murder rates soared. Cook County, IL tried this, and their murder rate soared.

Your question is intended only to stir up trouble.

Answer 20

NO ITS IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND WHY SHOULD THEY BE OUTLAWED ANYWAY

Answer 21

Emphatic NO!  It is our constitutional right to bear arms!  Taking guns away from law abiding citizens WOULD NOT keep the guns away from criminals.  I would bury my guns before I would willingly hand them over to the government.  Or they would have to pry them from my cold dead fingers.  The government tries to take away our guns and chaos will rain down on this country.  

Answer 22

Should Slavery remain outlawed?  The right to keep and bear arms is one of the defining rights of a free man, one of the rights by which a man's freedom and ability to be a citizen was legally determined.

Answer 23

Look what happened in the UK when they outlawed guns.

Only outlaws are able to get them:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/dec/09...

Just shows that even if you make them illegal and are a country that's an island criminals will find a way.

Answer 24

  Absolutely NOT!

  " An armed man is a citizen, and unarmed man is a subject. "  

Answer 25

You should outlaw alcohol first. Alcohol is responsible for lots of domestic violence as well as untimely deaths from car accidents and such.

Conceal carry laws actually reduce the crime in states that have these laws. Don't just rely on all of us, go research yourself, then decide.

Answer 26

No guns should not be outlawed, The criminal element will still use guns to do there dirty work.

Good Hunting & Shooting All....

Answer 27

No - cars should be outlawed. As we all know, cars kill.  And very little training is required for them to be driven.  

Next, food should be targeted.  We need to ban food, because every year people die from choking on it.  I'm aware of no training in eating propertly, and think we should start requiring all infants to attend food intake training.

Next, I would target swimming.  Many people drown each year.  

Ultimately we can all sit in a circle and hum, knowing we've avoided every possible risk in life - and missed out on life itself.

Answer 28

"The laws that forbid the carrying of arms ... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity ... will respect the less important and arbitrary ones ... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants, they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." — Thomas Jefferson

How many other items are "outlawed" but still being sold, bought, used, abused, carried, made, transported, and whatever I missed...If you outlaw guns only outlaws will have them...current outlaws and former law abiding citizens tired of putting up with liberal nonsense.

Answer 29

nope. the outlaws and criminals would run over everyone. whats next? knives outlawed? how would one cut up veggies?

Answer 30

Should freedom of religion be outlawed?

Should freedom of speech be outlawed?

Should protection from illegal search and seizure be outlawed?

Should the 13th amendment be outlawed (it abolished slavery)?

If all those constitutional protections were abolished along with our right to keep and bear arms, it would be a totally different country would it not.

Now you answer your question.