[jayinhongkong]

Oh yeah. Here's a good example of how well gun control works.

http://www.4rfv.co.uk/nationalnews.asp?id=59634

Unfortunately, the unhealthy mentality and culture that leads to crimes with guns isn't going anywhere. We're focusing on legislation rather than education. All this does is make it impossible for people to legally own weapons. London now has a higher violent crime rate than NYC. Food for thought. It looks like the gangbanging, 'lay down anyone who messes with you' culture's been exported.

[tinybear]

Originally Posted by jayinhongkong

Oh yeah. Here's a good example of how well gun control works.

http://www.4rfv.co.uk/nationalnews.asp?id=59634

Unfortunately, the unhealthy mentality and culture that leads to crimes with guns isn't going anywhere. We're focusing on legislation rather than education. All this does is make it impossible for people to legally own weapons. London now has a higher violent crime rate than NYC. Food for thought. It looks like the gangbanging, 'lay down anyone who messes with you' culture's been exported.

Maybe even higher if there isn't any ban on gun ownership. Possible, innit?

[jayinhongkong]

Sure, anything's possible It's still the mentality that needs fixing though. Those who want guns can still get them, but whether they wish to protect people or hurt them, they'll be criminals.

[PDLM]

Originally Posted by jayinhongkong

The government is STILL unable to prevent murders from happening.

Because the gun lobby won't let them. If private ownership of handguns were banned and as effectively enforced as it is in, say, the UK then the number of deaths by firearms in the US would drop by at least 90%. If they dropped to the UK level then then would be a 97% reduction. This is the equivalent of avoiding a 9/11 number of deaths every 3 months!

[goodkarma]

I wonder how many of the dead (besides massacres such as last week) are criminals themselves usually.

I'm no weapons defender but I do wonder how many truly innocent people die vs "bad guys".

[jayinhongkong]

Banning handguns in the US would have a minimal effect on criminal use of firearms. Many of the handguns in circulation in the US are completely untraceable since they have been sold on by the original purchasers. The only thing banning handguns would do is give the criminals more control over the streets. There's a reason why Maryland and DC have such high murder rates: the low income and educational level of their residents and the restrictive gun laws that prevent individuals from protecting themselves.

I predict the UK gun crime rate is going to rise dramatically in the next few years, but it will never be as high as the US's for two reasons. The first is the difference in culture, and the second is availability of weapons. Even though a lot of guns are coming into the UK from Eastern Europe, UK Customs are pretty good at what they do. That being said, plenty of drugs make their way into the UK, so it is possible to smuggle illegal items into the UK.

Guns will always be available on the street. It's entirely possible to make a fully functioning handgun with hand tools if Customs does manage to curb the flow. It's being done in India, China, Pakistan and the Phillipines at present. It's even been done here in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the only way to stop someone like Cho is with a weapon. The way things are going, we're going to see events like this all over the World, including in countries where firearm ownership is seriously restricted. Allowing those who strongly wish to carry weapons and are highly qualified to do so to protect the populace is the only way to stop this kind of thing. I'm all for psychological screening and mandatory training programs. The cops can't be everywhere, and a lot of cops have no business handling weapons in the first place. Those who love, respect and understand firearms and life are the ones who should possess them. Those who misuse them should be given life sentences.

[KnowItAll]

Interesting twist ..

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070423/...ag_complaint_2

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Army sergeant complained in a rare opinion article that the U.S. flag flew at half-staff last week at the largest U.S. base in
Afghanistan for those killed at Virginia Tech but the same honor is not given to fallen U.S. troops here and in
Iraq.

In the article issued Monday by the public affairs office at Bagram military base north of Kabul, Sgt. Jim Wilt lamented that his comrades' deaths have become a mere blip on the TV screen, lacking the "shock factor" to be honored by the Stars and Stripes as the deaths at Virginia Tech were.

[Mat]

A society where a presidential hopefull has to lie pretending to own a gun and being a keen hunter is from my personal point of view a society that is sick.

Don't get me wrong I had a lot of respect for the US and A and for the power it had during the past century. Europeans are gratefull about the help they gave us during and after WW2 and businesswise they were (in 80's 90's) probably the best (aside maybe from the Japanese)

But in recent years many signs (the fake reasons to launch a war in IRAQ, the mutliples shooting, the big financial scandals...) appear to have shaken the strengh the US had. They also lost the respect they were given by many nations.

I think it is time they start to really think what can be done to restore their leadership..........

The same goes for guns ownership...by never questionning yourself, you never go really far..at best you stand still, at worst you loose ground.....

[clip_my_wings]

Originally Posted by jayinhongkong

The cops can't be everywhere, and a lot of cops have no business handling weapons in the first place. Those who love, respect and understand firearms and life are the ones who should possess them. Those who misuse them should be given life sentences.

hold on a minute step back and think about what you just typed here.

What your advocating is vigilante warfare. What happens when a muslim guy sitting on the train fidgeting suddendly reaches down into his bag and ......... BOOM!!!! has he head shot off

"Hey man for the love of my country i thought he was going to detonate a bomb and kill all those innocent people" said the respectful , peace loving gunslinger

"actually sir he was reaching for his inhaler, the poor man was suffering from an asthma attack .. still look on the bright side he won't be short of breath for a while .. don't worry you were only acting as a responsible citizen"

what your advocating makes the world alot more of dangerous place. I can't quite belive the mentality of people who suggest by arming yourself we will make ourselves safer. its the ultimate oxymoron

and who polices the right to own such a gun and determines who loves and respects firearms ...

Guns suit only one purpose " TO KILL" .. so to say some who repects life also love guns is utter nonsense

[Mat]

Originally Posted by clip_my_wings

what your advocating makes the world alot more of dangerous place. I can't quite belive the mentality of people who suggest by arming yourself we will make ourselves safer. its the ultimate oxymoron

Agree! and did you notice that in oxymoron, you have moron...........