America and Guns

[Eskali]

"Terrorists have purchased firearms at gun shows, where unlicensed sellers are not currently required to conduct background checks or to ask for identification. According to the Middle East Intelligence Report, for example, a Hezbollah member was arrested in November 2000, after a nine-month investigation by the FBI's counter-terrorism unit. Ali Boumelhem was later convicted on seven counts of weapons charges and conspiracy to ship weapons and ammunition to Lebanon."
"In one year, firearms killed no children in Japan, 19 in Great Britain, 57 in Germany, 109 in France, 153 in Canada, and 5,285 in the United States."
http://www.neahin.org/programs/schoo...s.htm#children

"The National Rifle Association is the largest gun rights lobbying organization in the United States. From 1997 through 1998, their political action committee gave $1,330,111 to Republicans"
"In the United States during 1997, there were 15,289 murders. Of these, 10,369 were committed with firearms"
http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp

"30,000 people are killed by guns in America every year"(lol, i think he got that stat. wrong)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/g...-police-irvine

Per 100,000 people, deaths by firearms
Australia 0.31
Canada 0.54
England 0.12
Singapore 0.0249
United States 2.5172
South Africa 74.5748
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence

Number of firearms produced by US manufacturers every minute: 8
Average number of firearm thefts that occur every year in the US: 341,000
Number of firearms in the US: 223 Million
Percentage of arrestees who say it is easy to get a gun illegally: 55%
Number of murders committed in 1995 in the US: 20,043
Percentage of murders committed with a firearm: 68% (13,673)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...ore/facts.html

Edit- "DES MOINES, Iowa - A hunter is recovering after he was shot in the leg at close range by his dog, who stepped on his shotgun and tripped the trigger, an official said Tuesday."http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21545181/

"Hunter shot dead by dog" http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...09/2134640.htm

"Duck Hunter Apparently Shot and Killed by Dog" http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_99710.asp

"Hunter Is Shot by His Dog" http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...51C1A962948260

-Ferrets, i think you are right, they do not have the maturity or respect for their guns. /edit

What do you think about Guns and America, should there laws be changed? is it the media's fault, or the country's?

[removeduser_487563287433]

Speaking in a generalised manner I feel there is certainly a lack of necessary maturity and respect with Americans towards guns.

[Zenith Darksea]

I think that guns should be controlled much more tightly in America, though a lot of the problem is no doubt cultural. In Britain most people (that I know) have probably never even touched a real gun, let alone considered owning one. I certainly don't see the need to have a gun (especially as, so I am told, carrying a weapon makes you statistically more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a fight).

Having said that, our murders are done by knife these days. So much more 'hands-on'!

[Chaigidel]

I doubt any of you understand how fully guns are controlled in america, laws that are very very strictly enforced and you can do serious time for firearms violations sometimes as much as for a murder.

we have 300 million people I dont mind that so many die from guns, I could only ask for more.

[Gwendylyn]

We have stronger regulations on driving than we do on owning a gun - and even our driving regulations make is easy as pie compared to European nations to get a driver's license.

In an ideal world, I'd require gun shops to do a background check on a person's mental health history - but that breaks so many privacy laws no one wants to go there.

[Rush Limbaugh]

We have stronger regulations on driving than we do on owning a gun.

And a lot more deaths from driving.

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

It's not even a question, of course tighten.

But I think it's not an ethical/philosophical, rather a political question.

[Zenith Darksea]

We have 60 million (perhaps more, these days) in the UK. If you compare the gun death statistics in relative terms (as percentages), the UK still gets off waaay better than the USA.

[Chaigidel]

that doesnt matter at all.

you will never get rid of the guns in america , they are properly restricted and enforced now.
if we had the most recorded society on earth im sure our guncrime would go down as well, there are other factors in UK crime obviously.

[Magic Man]

If i lived in America, i'd buy a gun.

Just for the fun of it.

[Captain Blackadder]

This is more of a mudpit issue isn't it?

Anyway I agree gun laws should be tightened in the United States my country has only gotten safer since we introduced harsh gun laws. There hasn't been a massacre since that horrible day in 96.

[Rush Limbaugh]

It always amuses me how people from other countries want to change OUR gun laws.

Go mind yo r own bees wax. It doesnt affect you and were happy with it. We need more right to carry permits. More guns in the hands of lawful citizens equals less crime.

[Twfan55]

It always amuses me how people from other countries want to change OUR gun laws.

Go mind yo r own bees wax. It doesnt affect you and were happy with it. We need more right to carry permits. More guns in the hands of lawful citizens equals less crime.

So +1
The gun laws we have now are sufficient, and most of the people killed are because of people that illegally own guns, not people following the laws and exercising the freedoms given to them by the 2nd Amendment.

[HorseArcher]

Eh...I always owned a gun...whether I lived in Europe or USA. I always had and always will have a gun. When I was 6 I had a slingshot, very dangerous and effective in the trained hands, later I upgraded to something else. ..And I don't care what laws they make up, I rather be a law-breaker than a dead man....by the way, at least half of Europe is armed anyway..regardless of what the laws say....believe it or not, they got something on their attic or closet.

[The King Of Peasants]

America and guns just go together like mom and apple pie...(don't quote or flame its just sarcasm... sorta) But seriously criminals are always going to find ways to commit crimes including buying guns illegally. If not guns knives its not like europe solved crime by restricting guns or taking them away.


Anyways incidents like the VA tech shooting happened because it was a "gun free zone" so basically it was gun control that made it so bad not guns.

[General Dissaray]

America and guns just go together like mom and apple pie...(don't quote or flame its just sarcasm... sorta) But seriously criminals are always going to find ways to commit crimes including buying guns illegally. If not guns knives its not like europe solved crime by restricting guns or taking them away.


Anyways incidents like the VA tech shooting happened because it was a "gun free zone" so basically it was gun control that made it so bad not guns.

Perhaps I don't understand Vtech like I think I do, but wasn't the crazy guy with the guns the problem? More guns arn't going to solve this eather. I live on a collage campus and I have seen some good fights start that would have escalated to a shooting match if guns were present. Hell I have been pissed off to the point that I would have shot some one after a few drinks and I got locked out of my bathroom for the 4th time that day after I asked them to stop locking the door. Guns at schools, especialy schools where people frequently drink is a bad idea.

[Last Roman]

Go mind yo r own bees wax. It doesnt affect you and were happy with it.

I think you'll find that many are not so happy with it

that said, I don't think we need to crack down on overall ownership of guns, but we do need a new perspective on them. We dont view them with much responsibility.

[Captain Arrrgh!]

It always amuses me how people from other countries want to change OUR gun laws.

Go mind yo r own bees wax. It doesnt affect you and were happy with it. We need more right to carry permits. More guns in the hands of lawful citizens equals less crime.

Here here.
At least an above non-american poster admitted he was generalizing. Why don't y'all fix your own pressing issues first?

[Shaun]

I don't really care about America's gun laws. I think that gun shops should be allowed to do background checks to make sure the person has a safe mental history as this will stop Krazy Koreans from getting a gun and going to a campus and pumping everyone with lead. I don't care about the right of privacy regarding this as a gun is one of the most dangerous things a person can have. We ought to make sure they don't get into the wrong hands.

[removeduser_426582376423734]

I wonder if there are any figures for illegal compared to legal gun abuse?