Gun loving

[Keeper]

In the good natured spirit of recent discussion on societal issues such as capital punishment and abortion, and as result of current events such as the Washington Sniper(s), the release of Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, and today's shooting in Arizona, it seems appropriate to bring up the topic of gun registration/control.

So . . .

Gun control: a good thing or a bad thing.

 

[Dude]

Good thing. Good website, too.

 

[the manager]

hot topic

I had a chance to briefly peruse the 'Bowling for Columbine' web site and some of the stats in the flash intro are alarming to say the least. The fact that America has the largest 'death toll' due to gun violence in the world by an alarming 10,700/year or so compared to Germany's 381/year indicates a serious problem.

I understand the arguement of 'guns don't kill people...people kill people'. I beleive this is true. If a society makes available to the public instruments that inflict fatal harm with relative ease, then the public will be more inclined to use them. I think we give ourselves far too much credit and underestimate human nature when one is put under incredible pressure or duress. Here's what I mean:

If a person was to experience an intense emotional situation where someone had harmed or killed a loved one, the easy availability of a gun would potentially influence ones decision to react violently. It is easy for one to say that they would never react vengefully/violently, however, I am willing to state that there may be situations in life where one will not be able to determine how they may react. The availability of a firearm will make it easy to do the potentially wrong thing.

Gun registration/control is a must even if there are responsible people who own them. (Thats not saying no one should have one, but it implies strict control/registration) The reason being is that if there are guns floating around that are available with ease, chances are they will fall into the hands of the wrong people (recent events prove this).

In the end guns are not the real issue, the human heart is. Until society has learned the value of human life and the media stops glorifying murder and violence, people will continue killing people with guns and think it's no big deal because it happens on tv all the time.


manager