Guns: Allowed or Banned?

[Aurora Merrythought]

I thought I should brings this up, because we were taken out of class the other day to watch this presentation, and I have to say it made me cry, and all the ickle seventh years to at our school. The presentation was about the Dunblane Massacre, it very much disgusted me, what evil lurks behind the people that have control of guns. People like Thomas Hamilton who killed a teacher trying to protect her class children, and after killing her shooting at point black range at the children, if you want to find out more about this then please follow the link that will be provided at the bottom of this topic.

After that tragic incident hand guns were banned in the UK, now who's to say that this can't happen anywhere else in the world, guns shouldn't be used outside of military grounds, if you must need protection use a base ball bat or what have you, not a gun. What do you guys think?:

The Lost Bairns of Dunblane: The Massacre

 

[Arisa Havishmen]

thats horrible ;'( ( :-0
those poor people


he's an evil monster who shouldnt have felt the relief of killing him self he should be rotting in jail!

 

[Marko Prince]

My parents told me about that incident Lexi and I once watched a documentary about it too.. wasn't that man like a friend of the school or something?

 

[Arisa Havishmen]

he was a flippen scout leader!

im in scouts, now im even more pissed off


GUNS SHOULD BE BANNED

 

[Aeon Summers]

That made me feel sick
and I agree
Guns should be banned

 

[Marko Prince]

That made me feel sick
and I agree
Guns should be banned

I agree that Ash, after watching that my insides feel numb.

 

[Arisa Havishmen]

That made me feel sick
and I agree
Guns should be banned

I agree that Ash, after watching that my insides feel numb.

same ;'(

im looking it up on wiki right now

 

[Arisa Havishmen]

Hamilton's exact motives remain unknown, though there were complaints to police regarding his suspicious behaviour towards the young boys who attended the youth clubs that he ran. There were suspicions prior to the massacre that Hamilton's interest in boys was paedophilic with more than one complaint being made regarding him having taken photographs of semi-naked boys without the parents' consent





oh my jebus this guy was a monster :mellow: ;'(

 

[Marko Prince]

have to agree.... I mean, USA has like lots of gun crimes every day ( am I correct or wrong) perhaps banning the darm things would solve it

 

[Rosalie Hale]

I feel like the outsider here and I know not all of you are from the US, but I am and I have a quick input on this and I'll shut up.
When our founding fathers they out the second amendment in the constitution (The right to bare arms) because they saw how England's government became so harsh and controlling. It was more like a dictatorship than a monarchy. The US didn't want that to happen to them.
I am in no means saying that we should just hand out guns, but maybe if the government could make it a lot harder to own a gun, that could solve a few of our problems, if not more. I just don't' think we need to completely remove guns. Please see that I am not a crazy person, I just think that some people (Mostly ones in the south US) like to have guns in there homes for a sense of protection, and didn't not buy the gun for purpose of killing people.

Again, I put this on most of my posts on government or religion topics, but please take nothing I say in offense.

and yes, murdering is a horrible crime that no one should get away with.

 

[Hadan Winters]

Just to add in, I'm from the US, so my beliefs contribute to only the gun situation in the US. Basically because I have no idea how the other countries are with guns, so here we go.

I am a bit neutral in this area. Guns are used for killing, yes, because it is easier. However, it isn't the gun behind the killing, it is the person. Even if guns are banned, there will still be a black market and guns will still be sold. No matter what, there is no stopping guns from being sold to those in the black market. It is similar to other items sold in the black market. It might slow down the guns being sold, but the killers and the gangs will be the only ones using the guns, if they bought it from the black market, and the people in the common houses will have no way to protect themselves. Not unless they are bullet proof or a ninja...
I am all for guns being used for protection, because a friend's family was saved from being robbed because they said simply that they owned a gun, and will be willing to use it unless the robber left. And needless to say...he left. There are plenty of pros and cons about banning guns. I myself hate guns, but not because of the whole killing thing. Sounds bad, but people can kill with knives and other objects. Like I said, I'm just neutral in this, and just shared my beliefs.

Take no offense by anything I said. Simply what I believe in.

 

[Artemis Tuuri]

It depends on what you mean by "banned entirely". I live in Australia where the people who usually own guns are farmers, policemen, rifle clubs, gang members etc. The usual lot. People without a license however, do not. And I must say, there's rarely ever a shooting in Australia. There's your usual homicides and suicides and what have you, but you'd be hard pressed to find a recent shooting on the news here. It's working pretty well for us.

 

[Njord Aesir]

I'm so angered by the statement. "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." yes, people who murder, especially massacres like the one in the video and Columbine, the Monteal massacre and others, are crazy. What would happen if there were no guns available? Would there be mass stabbings? How easy would it be to stab all those children before being over powered or knocked out?

Why does a family of four in a mid-sized city in the US, Canada, or Europe need an arsenal of guns? Hunting? Does one really need a semi automatic to take down a bear? or put one through the eyes of bambi? I suggest the answer is no. And given that Walmart now sells groceries why does one need to hunt anyway? For fun? I suggest you send your answer to that question to the thread on Animal cruelty or animal rights.

Do we need guns? You can't convince me that you do. But criminals have guns. Not if we stop making them! The police need guns, and the military need guns. (I suppose) But beyond that nobody else does.

We need tougher gun sentences...yeah, that'll stop them.

Guns are bad, evil and should all be melted down and turned into playground equipment.

 

[Lemina Troque]

The Dunblane massacre still scares me - even though I wasn't alive at the time. At my primary school there was a painting on the wall which was created for the victims. It always freaked me out. I live in the UK, and I could never understand how any country could allow guns at all. Guns are a method of murder. Murder is illegal. Thus guns should be too.

On the other hand, things can sometimes be a little OTT. In my school - some sixth years created a video called 'Diehards are Forever' as part of a film making project. In it they basically mucked around with plastic toy guns in the quad (like a courtyard thingy in our school) and the playground. Inevitabely, it found its way onto YouTube. There was then a massive case in the newspaper like a year later. [ can't find a link ] People were reminded of the Dunblane killings apparently by the video. But the Sunday Times [ and the other newspaper ] just brought a reminded of the killings and brought more attention to it. No one else was likely to the find 'Diehards are Forever' a little school project creeping around a hole in the vast internet. I never saw the video, but it was just a few S6 mucking around, and it went to far.

I know this is a little off topic, but definately no guns. Ever. Full stop.

 

[Violet Bellamy]

Okay, I'm from Australia so I'm not as aware of all these gun crimes. But here, back in 1996, I believe, there was a massacre down in Port Arthur, Tasmania, where a few (I think it was around 30) people were killed. The new government acted instantly and passed laws tightly regulating gun control and essentially banning guns in Australia. I believe they've been extremely successful as you never hear about massacres here in Australia.
I know laws like this wouldn't go down as well in America, considering it's in the consititution and all, but it's something to think about.

 

[Estrella Drage]

I had to vote 'no.' Being from the US myself, I believe that our second amendment was created for a reason.

If guns were banned, there would be no hunting. And banning things does not remove the problem. Has banning drugs, in any part of the world, stopped the problem? I think not. I look at it this way. If guns were banned, only the bad guys would have guns, considering that they'd be gotten through the black market or whatnot, as someone already noted. I would not be comfortable knowing that only the bad guys have guns.

However, people should still be licensed to carry guns. And dear god, they should be locked in cabinets.

The things that happen are very sad. Terrible things happen every day, and not just by guns. Recently, a three year old girl in the town next to ours accidentally shot her little brother and killed him. Be that as it may, I don't think the right to bear arms should be taken away entirely.

 

[Nicolas King]

Your second amendment was made so that the rural people of the early United States could protect their land properly.
It has been argued, however, even in the Supreme Court, that the amendment does not enforce the individual's right to bear arms, but the nation's right to bear arms and for their military to. Arguably a further statement of freedom from British rule and British law.
I don't like guns, and I don't think they should be easy to acquire at all.
I think that some guns should be permissible to have for the purposes of hunting etc. as some hunting is necessary to control certain animal populations. But there is no need for handguns, [semi]automatic weapons etc. for hunting or protecting your home. It's ridiculous.
It's easy to say "Melt all the guns down" but it's harder to do it.
How do you impose on the entire world that technology that has existed for hundreds of years and is a major source of income/economic growth should be destroyed and never rediscovered? How could you possibly do that?
Then what do you use for weapons? Swords again? I dislike weapons, too, but they're necessary.
I don't know, I just know things are screwed up. Nobody should have the "right" to carry a deadly weapon, in my humble opinion. It should be a freedom, and it should be rationed appropriately, but I don't see it as a right.
Stricter regulations? Yes. Banned? No, it's not possible.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

This topic is interesting and very ironic in my opinion as my brother is doing a documentary about the 2nd amendment as we speak.

I've read everyone's posts and would say I agree (mostly) with what Rosaline, Hadan, Estrella and especially the second half of Nick's.

Banning of guns in my country, yes I live in the U.S., is ludicrous. And also stupid. Our government is working on passing stricter laws and have ways and means with the new presidency to enforce them.

1-hunting is necessary
2-ban guns; cause more crime
3-the U.S. is a great country, one I'm proud to live in and would appreciate those who don't live here not to bash it

 

[Nicolas King]

I've read everyone's posts and would say I agree (mostly) with what Rosaline, Hadan, Estrella and especially the second half of Nick's.

Even the "I don't know, I just know things are screwed up. Nobody should have the "right" to carry a deadly weapon, in my humble opinion. It should be a freedom, and it should be rationed appropriately, but I don't see it as a right."? Because that pretty much blows your whole second amendment out of the water.

Banning of guns in my country, yes I live in the U.S., is ludicrous. And also stupid.

Why is it stupid? How about banning un-necessary weapons from civilian use? I see no need for a civilian to be able to acquire weapons like a lot of the ones I see.

3-the U.S. is a great country, one I'm proud to live in and would appreciate those who don't live here not to bash it

Who was bashing it?
Not I, I don't think.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

When I was younger I did believe that guns should be banned, however I grew up and read history and that changed my decisions. Before WWII broke out Hitler made guns illegal at the time everyone was happy and thought it was a great idea. That changed however once Hitler began the final solution, only his military had weapons and the people were basically left defenseless. It was then that I realised that the right to have guns isn't all murder or sport. It represents the people's right to take on their government. Should the American government turn into something horrible and the people become outraged we would be able to stand up and fight back with force.

It's not a good thought but sometimes you have to think that way.

I don't believe country's like Pakastan, Iraq, Afghanastan should be allowed to bear arms. They seem to riot every other day and are pretty much unstable. I have freinds who have gone down there and said it's like four year olds with Semi Automatics they simply kill just to kill. People like that don't need weapons they need salvation. I personally believe that in the American occupied areas we should make civilian use of weapons a crime and treat any civilian with a weapon after a certain time period as a suspected terrorist (detain but not torture!). Just my belief though.

 

[Lemina Troque]

Okay, I've read through everyone's posts and can see why people have voted no, but still disagree.

I understand criminals can still get ahold of guns even if they are banned, many have already pointed this out. The people that the ban is preventing from having guns are people who are just mucking around with them, and don't really know what they are doing, perhaps drunk teenagers (not meaning to be either offensive or stereotypical ). To bring back the Dunblane massacre into this, the man who did it shot himself, he was depressed, had low self esteem, he felt like the society was turning against him because he was 'wierd'. [ Thomas Hamilton ]

Whilst this is just in the UK, I think it did make a difference, I don't really know what it is like anywhere else. In America, are licenses required to own a gun (I think so...) or is it kind of going out to a shop and being like, 'I'll have that one.' Guns have never been a part of my life. The bans got so much stricter here post-Dunblane, when I was only 5 months old.

I have lost siblings to death, and I can empathise with those who don't support gun bun, I cannot sympathise.

As I side note, I'd like to let everyone listen to this song. So touching. ;'(

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

I've read everyone's posts and would say I agree (mostly) with what Rosaline, Hadan, Estrella and especially the second half of Nick's.

Even the "I don't know, I just know things are screwed up. Nobody should have the "right" to carry a deadly weapon, in my humble opinion. It should be a freedom, and it should be rationed appropriately, but I don't see it as a right."? Because that pretty much blows your whole second amendment out of the water.

Banning of guns in my country, yes I live in the U.S., is ludicrous. And also stupid.

Why is it stupid? How about banning un-necessary weapons from civilian use? I see no need for a civilian to be able to acquire weapons like a lot of the ones I see.

3-the U.S. is a great country, one I'm proud to live in and would appreciate those who don't live here not to bash it

Who was bashing it?
Not I, I don't think.

Oh Nickles. *shakes head* I was referring to this sir:
"I don't know, I just know things are screwed up. Nobody should have the "right" to carry a deadly weapon, in my humble opinion. It should be a freedom, and it should be rationed appropriately, but I don't see it as a right.
Stricter regulations? Yes. Banned? No, it's not possible."


It's stupid because it's stupid. My opinion. I have to have a reason? Okay here it is. The average response time for 911 in the united states is 12 minutes. 12 minutes people. Burglar pops in my house and by the time the police arrive, I'm dead, my son's dead. OR I could go to the digital safe deposit box, grab my husband's firearm and defend my family.

A lot of people say that would never happen. Oh but I think it could. I grew up on the west side of Columbus, Ohio. The ghetto. I played with crack dealers children after school. I watched a riot on my public neighborhood street between two rival gangs (where btw, only fists, no GUNS, were used) and it spilled across my yard, my neighbors yards.

While living in downtown Mansfield, Ohio, a gentleman banged on our door at 3am. He was screaming for some woman. We told him, through our door, that she wasn't here he had the wrong house. What was his response? Hmm, let's see: "If Tina doesn't give me my [expletive] stuff, I'm coming back and torching this place." Molotov cocktail anyone? One bedroom apartment, only exit is that very door he banged on.

Now I'm not saying guns are the answer or great mysterious key to anything. What I am saying is that banning them in the U.S. would open up a whole mess, a great big can of disgusting, slithery, dirty worms.

And I am saying the U.S. because that is where I live. This is my country, therefore I am familiar with it and it's practices. However, I don't live in say; Canada, Australia, Germany, England, etc. So obviously I cannot say how it would affect those countries or if it could in fact work there or not. I do like to hear from those people living in said countries and it's very interesting to see their opinions and read about what is working/not working in their countries on this issue.

And that is my response.

Krusty the clown: Simpsons; the Cartridge Family ep.
"Hey, yutz! Guns aren't toys. They're for family protection, hunting dangerous or delicious animals, and keeping the King of England out of your face.'

 

[Hollie Ridley]

I've onnly just found this topic - surprisingly - and I'm gonna answer simply.
I voted yes. That video was horrendous.

 

[Nicolas King]

I don't believe country's like Pakastan, Iraq, Afghanastan should be allowed to bear arms. They seem to riot every other day and are pretty much unstable. I have freinds who have gone down there and said it's like four year olds with Semi Automatics they simply kill just to kill. People like that don't need weapons they need salvation. I personally believe that in the American occupied areas we should make civilian use of weapons a crime and treat any civilian with a weapon after a certain time period as a suspected terrorist (detain but not torture!). Just my belief though.

If you support the "right" to bear arms then it should be universal. You should not claim that certain people lose that right based on the country they live in.
Your own theory can be used against you here: what if the Americans get out of hand and are corrupt down there? For as much good that some soldiers do there are plenty who do bad.
When in a war, you can't tell the other side what weapons they should and shouldn't have.
The middle east is not black and white like the media likes to make it seem. There is plenty of grey down there, and the American occupation of countries/invasions/wars can easily be one of those grey areas.
How did the Americans gain 'salvation'? With weapons. They did it themselves and they used weapons.
Maybe the people of these nations need those weapons for the salvation they deserve? To overthrow their oppressors?
Sorry, but I can never agree with the part of your post I've quoted, it seems far too unjust.
Just because a man has a weapon in an area the US is occupying does not make him a terrorist. Finally, unless you're prepared to offer every citizen of American occupied land an American soldier to guard them (lest the extremists/radicals/people whom the Americans are opposing try to harm the citizen) you should assume that those people, too, have a right to defend themselves.
Hey, maybe that way girls wouldn't have acid thrown in their faces for trying to go to school?

"One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

---

Otherwise, I can see where your coming from and sort of understand your point of view -- it's only what I've quoted that I disagree with. =-/

 

[Marko Prince]

I had to vote 'no.' Being from the US myself, I believe that our second amendment was created for a reason.

If guns were banned, there would be no hunting. And banning things does not remove the problem. Has banning drugs, in any part of the world, stopped the problem? I think not. I look at it this way. If guns were banned, only the bad guys would have guns, considering that they'd be gotten through the black market or whatnot, as someone already noted. I would not be comfortable knowing that only the bad guys have guns.

However, people should still be licensed to carry guns. And dear god, they should be locked in cabinets.

The things that happen are very sad. Terrible things happen every day, and not just by guns. Recently, a three year old girl in the town next to ours accidentally shot her little brother and killed him. Be that as it may, I don't think the right to bear arms should be taken away entirely.

Okay so your saying that banning drugs haven't stopped it, well really It kind of has. If drugs were legal there would be a lot more people using or taking them.