The right to keep and bear arms

[MadeManG74]

I'm surprised to hear that they allow gun ownership at all in your country. I honestly did not know.

Yeah, Australia allows ownership of Pistols, bolt-action rifles (Semi and full auto are banned) and I'm not sure about Shotguns (I think that pump-action and pistol grip are banned). The laws are more strict than in the US from what I understand (which is probably good).

If you own a rifle you need to justify it by going hunting at least twice a year, or to a range for a scored shoot at least four times a year (for a pistol, it's 6 times a year plus another 2 times different caliber rifle you might own I think). They also need to be stored in a safe that is bolted into the ground or a concrete slab, with the bullets and firing pin kept in a seperate locking safe.

Obviously out in the country though, it's a lot more lax since guns are pretty much a required tool for farmers etc.

[George]

I like the right to bear arms. In before idiots say it causes violence.

[MadeManG74]

I like the right to bear arms. In before idiots say it causes violence.

I don't have a problem with people owning guns, so long as it's regulated properly. I don't like the idea of someone keeping a loaded magnum revolver in their bedside table for example.

[fluffymoochicken]

In before idiots say it causes violence.

Why yes, only an idiot would claim that a gun is a weapon capable of inflicting damage on other living things.

[George]

Violent people cause violence. Now we should ban everything. Registered weapons are easier to track down then a knife. If a person is to be a murderer, You'd think idiotic humans would want them to be caught.

Its hard to prevent violence, but stopping violence is easier and registered weapons is a great example.

Telling me that people that have 'decided to kill someone' would stop this feeling or action just because they can't get hold of a weapon? When a person is so deranged that they resort to murder, having a gun or not won't stop them.

[fluffymoochicken]

I believe if I had to choose between running from someone with a knife or running from someone with a gun, I'd choose running from the person with the knife. At least they might be more likely to let me go if all they're interested in is robbing my apartment.

But I'm sure that owning guns has ended preventable deaths forever!

[MadeManG74]

I understand both sides of the argument, and I don't know how it's done in USA, but in Australia if you have a criminal record you are banned from owning guns at all. Any record of assault or violence and you aren't eligible for a license or you'll have it revoked.

A car is potentially as dangerous as a firearm, you need a license for both and neither can hurt someone without a person being responsible. I know it's not a completely accurate comparison, but you can see the gist hopefully.

As for your example of being robbed fluffy, either way that person would be threatening your life, and if it was with a gun I think 9 times out of 10 it would be acquired by illegal means anyway, so 'banning' guns probably wouldn't have stopped that situation.

[fluffymoochicken]

if it was with a gun I think 9 times out of 10 it would be acquired by illegal means anyway, so 'banning' guns probably wouldn't have stopped that situation.

What about countries with bans like the UK, where gun deaths are so rare that when they actually happen, they're significant tragedies? Like this recent shooting:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... gD9G4G0R80

In the USA, these deaths would only be a statistic. People are killed by guns like this year after year in our cities. In the UK, though, this is the worst shooting incident since 1996 - 14 years.

But wait, I'm sorry - GUNS PREVENT VIOLENCE LOL

[George]

Anyway. I just got a AK-47 from my friend for hunting purposes.

[MadeManG74]

I can't comment on USA's gun laws, I don't know enough about gun control in your country to accurately comment on it. I'm just saying I think that owning guns is okay as long as it's legislated and controlled properly. I never said that guns 'prevent' violence either.

I think that Australia's current laws are fair and do a good job of controlling something so potentially dangerous. Like I said, I wouldn't want to perosonally own a gun, and I certainly would never want a gun in my house outside of a safe, let alone a loaded one.

I don't even like the idea of someone being able to buy a gun and never have it inspected or be forced to use it on a regular basis. It means they would forget their safetey measures, and a poorly maintained gun is extremely dangerous for everyone concerned.

I think this might actually warrant it's own thread if it this keeps up, just not to clog the current thoughts thread. Just make sure we keep it civil guys!

[George]

The issue is not that guns are legal, its that people are using guns that are not registered. Furries like Fluffy don't understand, big criminal, gangs and stuff, don't use registered guns.

[MadeManG74]

^I agree, but I don't have figures on gun crimes with registered guns vs unregistered so didn't want to say anything about the US specifically.

[Sega Uranus]

Someone ban the water, more people die by drowning than by firearms.

[crackdude]

how about cars? we should totally ban cars.

[fluffymoochicken]

^I agree, but I don't have figures on gun crimes with registered guns vs unregistered so didn't want to say anything about the US specifically.

Don't worry, chances are that George doesn't have the slightest clue what the statistics are, either. He'll probably scramble off to Google after I post this and then pretend like he actually knew them beforehand.

First time criminals with no police record can legally get themselves a gun and then go out to rob a shop and murder the clerk while they're at it. That's a sad fact about our country.

Someone ban the water, more people die by drowning than by firearms.

What statistics do you base this on?

We don't need guns to survive like we do water. Also, people can be saved from drowning rather easily, but not many people can be saved from a bullet straight through their brains.

how about cars? we should totally ban cars.

Guns do not provide us with a useful form of transportation.

Guns serve no practical purpose, and provide our country with thousands upon thousands of needless deaths every year.