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If you were American, would you support greater gun control in the US?

Should gun ownership be more strictly controlled in the US?  

130 members have voted

  1. 1. Should gun ownership be more strictly controlled in the US?

    • Yes
      96
    • No
      28
    • Not sure
      6


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Lots of Americans support the idea of gun control, presumably they're the ones who'd like to see no more school children killed.

Do you suppose that all American people are identical, and that all British people are identical (although different to Americans)?

So that history means that you're willing to accept the odd nutcase killing 20+ children now and again. For traditional reasons you might say.

 

I know as a native Englishman that I would never have aired any opinions on gun control to my father-in-law when he was alive. He owned several hunting rifles was an avid outdoorsman and did a lot of fishing. His ancestors had come from Norway and had journeyed across a few thousand miles of hostile territory before they settled in Minnesota

No assault weapons then... Hunting rifles are quite different to hand guns with oversized clips and automatic assault weapons.

 

Because those are the only kinds of psychiatric evaluations that are possible of course. :roll:

 

Then if that's the case those kinds of tests are a joke. Perhaps in addition to the present FBI check for any criminal record a check to see if at any time the potential buyer had ever been treated in an institution for any kind of disorder from alcohol and drug addiction all the way to raving schizo

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Where did I say you insulted Sheffield? In mentioning insults I was referring to all of the posters who have thrown personal insults at each other.

 

Now, how about addressing the points in bold?

I think there is almost constant debate in America about guns and the intent of the forefathers, especially now. My daily newspaper has four op-ed page articles by different writers today on that very topic. None of them fully favor gun ownership a la NRA. Two talk about the possibility of more stringent medical input to mental illness, two others want to banish semi and fully automatic rifles from gun stores. The general consensus is that the congress is controlled by the Republican party, who will never agree to limit gun sales of any kind while they're in power. The president does not have the power to tell the congress what it can and cannot do. He can only veto acts that have been passed by congress. That is also true of the Senate which is currently in the hands of the Democratic party, which favors gun control. The third concern is the Supreme Court which is also heavily republican. So you see, no matter what any of us think about what the intent was in the 18th Century, we're faced with events of the 20th and 21st centuries.

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What you have mentioned about the history is of much interest to many British people,and i think the awareness of America's past is why people realise its going to be a very complicated and slow process before any changes are made,though from what i gather Americans are very divided on this issue.I imagine Obama has much to consider,but at least he seems to be making an effort.

 

It's just important to remember that a common language between two countries does not necessarily mean that there is any other common way of thinking and attitudes.

American common law has it's origins in English common law, that's a fact. There has been an alliance between the two countries involving two world wars and 50 years of cold war later on and in the music and entertainment industry a very close exchange in that respect but America is America in all other ways

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It's just important to remember that a common language between two countries does not necessarily mean that there is any other common way of thinking and attitudes.

American common law has it's origins in English common law, that's a fact. There has been an alliance between the two countries involving two world wars and 50 years of cold war later on and in the music and entertainment industry a very close exchange in that respect but America is America in all other ways

 

Don't you ever get fed up of banging on and on about America.:gag:

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I think there is almost constant debate in America about guns and the intent of the forefathers, especially now. My daily newspaper has four op-ed page articles by different writers today on that very topic. None of them fully favor gun ownership a la NRA. Two talk about the possibility of more stringent medical input to mental illness, two others want to banish semi and fully automatic rifles from gun stores. The general consensus is that the congress is controlled by the Republican party, who will never agree to limit gun sales of any kind while they're in power. The president does not have the power to tell the congress what it can and cannot do. He can only veto acts that have been passed by congress. That is also true of the Senate which is currently in the hands of the Democratic party, which favors gun control. The third concern is the Supreme Court which is also heavily republican. So you see, no matter what any of us think about what the intent was in the 18th Century, we're faced with events of the 20th and 21st centuries.

 

I'm well aware of that last bit but the rest is very helpful, thanks. I think you've helped me define the question I am interested in more precisely -

 

Does what might or might not have been intended by the original drafting of the second amendment form any part of the debate any more? Or has that semantic battle been conceded and is no longer discussed?

 

I know that such a debate would not suddenly make everyone with a gun think oh right, they meant something else entirely, let's all down weapons, I just want to know if there are any movements still trying to fight that particular battle on that particular front.

 

The reason I ask is that until I actually researched the second amendment I had wrongly assumed that the right to bear arms was explicitly and unequivocally stated without caveat or context. The modern debate never seems to mention anything about militia.

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Don't you ever get fed up of banging on and on about America.:gag:

 

There's often a lot of wisdom but also a certain amount of ignorance posted about the USA on this forum. It behooves me to educate the latter a little :D

 

If my comments annoy you I certainly dont give a fiddlers fart and you should put me on your ignore list... rookie

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Ah well...there you go then!

 

 

 

:(:):D:roll:

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Don't you ever get fed up of banging on and on about America.:gag:
when SF stops banging on half cocked about America, so will we.

 

---------- Post added 21-12-2012 at 19:41 ----------

 

I see a lot of blue (links) Has anybody got an original idea of his or her own. Forgive me if I can't bother reading them. They're just opinions not the truth.

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