Mass shootings in America

[Jim117 72]

You'd just be putting the gun supply in the hands of criminals.

 

Which is exactly what happened here after the blanket ban on handgun ownership was introduced post Dunblane.

[RootsBooster 24]

Which is exactly what happened here after the blanket ban on handgun ownership was introduced post Dunblane.

 

I'm pretty sure there was an illegal arms trade in the UK well before that

[Jim117 72]

True enough, though I reckon it was probably smaller and centered round dodgy war souveniers and burgled shotguns, etc. Nowadays seems more organised and east european in origin.

[RootsBooster 24]

True enough, though I reckon it was probably smaller and centered round dodgy war souveniers and burgled shotguns, etc. Nowadays seems more organised and east european in origin.

 

You seem to be more than a little naive about the UK's illegal arms trade history.

Been watching "Lock, stock" by any chance?

[ANGELFIRE1 10]

I don't agree with hunting. There's no need to shoot a bear, no need what so ever. You can use a tranquilizer gun if needed. No need to kill it.

Maybe farmers need to use them, I can accept that.

 

I think RootsBooster is spot on though. Access to them is far too easy in the US.

It's far too easy to own a gun in the UK too. Difference is, we don't have a culture of gun ownership and shooting. Especially automatic and semi automatic weapons! They should be banned.

 

As a shootist for round about 50 years, I have to reply to the above diatribe.

 

"No need to kill a bear, use a tranquilizer gun". Tell that to a charging Grizzly, because the tranquilizer takes 10 mins to subdue it. Plenty of time for said Bear to kill and devour you.

 

"Far too easy to own a gun in the UK". Wrong again, you must pass certain criteria to own a gun - we have some of the most difficult laws in the world to pass before gun ownership is allowed.

 

Let me put your mind at rest, " Especially automatic and semi automatic weapons! They should be banned " Full bore Auto and semi Auto's rifles have been BANNED for Donkeys years in our Country.

[Jim117 72]

You seem to be more than a little naive about the UK's illegal arms trade history.

Been watching "Lock, stock" by any chance?

 

No not for a while:) Don't doubt higher level villains always had access to decent kit. Just seems that low level dealers and the like have moved on quite a bit. Ie, from knackered first world war revolvers firing the wrong calibre ammunition to brand new semi automatic handguns. Don't claim to be an expert just a personal observation. Plus I find it somewhat ironic that despite a hugely kneejerk piece of legislation gun crime has still increased

[RootsBooster 24]

No not for a while:) Don't doubt higher level villains always had access to decent kit. Just seems that low level dealers and the like have moved on quite a bit. Ie, from knackered first world war revolvers firing the wrong calibre ammunition to brand new semi automatic handguns. Don't claim to be an expert just a personal observation. Plus I find it somewhat ironic that despite a hugely kneejerk piece of legislation gun crime has still increased

 

What have you actually observed?

Have you or someone you know recently tried to buy a firearm illegally and have you compared it with a similar experience of your own or theirs in the 80's ?

[mjw47 10]

The problem with guns is their speed, simplicity and efficiency. They do what it says on the tin, and there's no reversing the results.

 

A friend of mine who is an ex copper told me of an incident a few years back when a fellow police officer who was a member of the authorised fire arms squad was having personal problems.

 

His wife had left him and he was missing her and his children. He started hitting the bottle even more than usual. Sat at home one evening he was composing a lengthy report for a University course he was taking when the computer crashed and he lost three hours of work.

 

Having consumed about two thirds of a bottle of whiskey he took his gun and blew his brains out.

 

The investigative team worked this out and ironically retrieved his lost work.

 

Had he not had access to a gun maybe he'd have just thrown the computer through the window, lived another day and got back with his wife.

 

Who knows, might have hanged himself later on, but that gun was available, swift and easy.

 

I'm not anti gun, but to pretend they are not a problem is ridiculous.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

It's also worth noting that it's really impersonal to kill someone with a gun, whereas to kill someone with a knife or heavy blunt object it's not an easy task. You've got to get close to your poor victim and you have to carry out a sustained physical attack.

 

It's much easier to point a chunk of metal and put pressure on your trigger finger, which means that far more petty arguments, and situations where people who are disconnected from society end up in tragedies.

[tinfoilhat 11]

But the gun culture is a specifically American thing - it's what they do. Trying to stop them owning all many of fire arms (although in honesty they shouldn't need ak47s and the like) is a total waste of time. It's part of who they are and there constitution. They probably look at our teenagers who we legally let get plastered every weekend with a similar sort of confusion.

[swarfendor437 14]

I didn't blame the gun. I just gave my opinion on them. I think they should be 100% illegal, all over the world, including for hunting and sport. Only the armed forces should have access to them. I see no use for them what so ever other than killing someone or something......not my thing.

 

If I was a US citizen I would be alarmed at that statement - how could they defend themselves if armed troops broke down their doors (remember the Boston bombing?)

 

Cars are nothing like guns!

 

They kill more people in this country than guns - or did you not see that program about the number of deaths caused by cars in the UK in one year!

[Harleyman 12]

It would make it a hell of a lot harder to get hold of them, which would be a step in the right direction!

 

Wont happen. No one is going to bugger around with the Constitution and banning firearms by law completely and utterly unworkable. There are plenty of severe penalties on the books for misuse of firearms. All that has to happen is to enforce them to the max

 

---------- Post added 20-09-2014 at 22:50 ----------

 

It's from a TV program!!?? Entertainment........nothing more!

 

---------- Post added 19-09-2014 at 17:32 ----------

 

 

I didn't blame the gun. I just gave my opinion on them. I think they should be 100% illegal, all over the world, including for hunting and sport. Only the armed forces should have access to them. I see no use for them what so ever other than killing someone or something......not my thing.

 

---------- Post added 19-09-2014 at 17:33 ----------

 

 

Cars are nothing like guns!

 

As I've already said, guns have 1 purpose, killing. They are not necessary in everyday life.

 

But not law enforcement you believe? They couldn't get anyone to sign up for the badge in some places like Chicago or Detroit

 

---------- Post added 20-09-2014 at 22:57 ----------

 

But the gun culture is a specifically American thing - it's what they do. Trying to stop them owning all many of fire arms (although in honesty they shouldn't need ak47s and the like) is a total waste of time. It's part of who they are and there constitution. They probably look at our teenagers who we legally let get plastered every weekend with a similar sort of confusion.

 

18 years old is perfectly OK to drink alcohol. If you can sign up for the army at 18, get sent to Afghanistan and bag a couple of Taliban then you are old enough to drink.

 

Here it's 21 so the situation is you can kill with the government's blessing at 18 but get kicked out of a bar for underage drinking

 

---------- Post added 20-09-2014 at 23:05 ----------

 

The problem with guns is their speed, simplicity and efficiency. They do what it says on the tin, and there's no reversing the results.

 

A friend of mine who is an ex copper told me of an incident a few years back when a fellow police officer who was a member of the authorised fire arms squad was having personal problems.

 

His wife had left him and he was missing her and his children. He started hitting the bottle even more than usual. Sat at home one evening he was composing a lengthy report for a University course he was taking when the computer crashed and he lost three hours of work.

 

Having consumed about two thirds of a bottle of whiskey he took his gun and blew his brains out.

 

The investigative team worked this out and ironically retrieved his lost work.

 

Had he not had access to a gun maybe he'd have just thrown the computer through the window, lived another day and got back with his wife.

 

Who knows, might have hanged himself later on, but that gun was available, swift and easy.

 

I'm not anti gun, but to pretend they are not a problem is ridiculous.

 

The very great majority of people go through a lot worse than the man you mentioned and don't blow their brains out.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Harleyman