What should the US do about guns. We have more gun related deaths, murders, whatever, then any other country...BY A LONG SHOT. It is insane. I do not have the statistics, but watch Bowling For Columbine...and do not say it is cause we have more guns, or a bloody past. Cause Canada has more guns, way less death from them, and Germany has a bloody past, and still much less death by guns...so what's the answer? More strict on gun control. Only for hunting maybe?
-Hutch
People are allowed to have hunting guns, and shootguns (some states don't allow hand guns) People think that the constitution allows us to bear arms. This was writen long ago when the colonie's people had a reason to have guns, to gather together and protect each other from the british. Now that we have the Police, we have no need for guns. I think we need stricter laws of who gets to buy a gun.
The solution to this problem, in my opinion, does not lay in legal or political actions. The cause for our love of guns and violence is a social one, and until people decide to change the gun-worshipping culture of the U.S. the issue itself will not go away, no matter how many laws are made.
Crabapple, you said, "This was writen (sic) long ago when the colonie's (sic) people had a reason to have guns, to gather together and protect each other from the british. Now that we have the Police, we have no need for guns. I think we need stricter laws of who gets to buy a gun."
No, no, NO! Have you never read the Bill of Rights? I suggest you do so immediately!
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/funddocs/billeng.htm
The first statement reads:
The Conventions of a number of the States having, at the time of adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in ****order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers****, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, and as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution;
There you have it, the Bill of Rights was written to PREVENT "misconstruction or abuse of [government] powers.
The right to defend oneself from harm is a God-given right. The Bill of Rights checks the Federal Government's ability to restrict freedom. The founding fathers believed it was necessary for individuals to be able to own guns in case a civic need arose (i.e., a reason for the militia to be called up). The militia IS the people. It is NOT the National Guard, that came about 75 years AFTER the Bill of Rights was signed.
As for relying on the Police, GET A CLUE!
Citizens are still personally responsible for their own safety, and the security of their environments. The police have NO responsibility to protect you. The police are charged with enforcing laws, that's it. Occasionally, a police officer may deter or prevent a criminal from breaking the law by an officer's presence, but they have NO obligation to protect a civilian.
The Supreme Court has determined that Law Enforcement has "NO LEGAL OBLIGATION" to protect any individual. Go read, "Warren vs. District of Columbia", "DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services", "Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Department", "Freeman v. Ferguson". Or, Google or Yahoo "law enforcement, no legal obligation" and see what they get.
Many states now barlawsuits against State or local officials for failure to protect, by enacting statutes such as California's Government Code, Sections 821, 845, and 846 which state, in part: "Neither a public entity or a public employee [may be sued] for failure to provide adequate police protection or service, failure to prevent the commission of crimes and failure to apprehend criminals."
Here's a recent example:
http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/Phi...20070914/1/2/#
"Jill Burella did not have a constitutional right to police protection from her husband’s abuse, according to a decision by a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned a lower court’s decision. State employees, the panel said, have qualified immunity from alleged failures to act, even if they can be sued for overt actions that cause harm."
Finally, "Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away."