US citizens can own a gun?

[Thomh]

Chicago also has strict guns laws, and the murder rate is crazy high. Getting better, but very high. type "murder rate" into google and see what it suggests (I get "murder rate in chicago"). So there is at least one other instance where banning guns didn't help the murder rate.

I'm not sure I like the stats in this case though. it seems to me the high murder rate areas have other systemic problems and banning guns is a flawed reaction to those problems.

A pretty random quote, I admit, it`s just meant to get your attention I was just wondering whether you have somewhat reliable statistics regarding the issue of "accidental" shootings in states with strict gun laws vs looser gun laws and especially in the states where open carry is permitted. I`m specifically thinking of intoxicated people deciding to take their minor disagreement beyond a fist fight into the realm of shootings. I would be very surprised if these types if incidents don`t happen more regularly in states with open carry compared to a state with zero-tolerance for guns in public.

I did a fast search for this myself, but got stuck in an endless labyrinth of opinion pieces woth very questionable sources. An american probably knows where to look

Either way, the issue of gun control is quite easy. Anyone who wants to disarm the people while letting the government and other authoritarian institutions keep their guns better have some insanely good reasons.

[Stevinator]

A pretty random quote, I admit, it`s just meant to get your attention I was just wondering whether you have somewhat reliable statistics regarding the issue of "accidental" shootings in states with strict gun laws vs looser gun laws and especially in the states where open carry is permitted. I`m specifically thinking of intoxicated people deciding to take their minor disagreement beyond a fist fight into the realm of shootings. I would be very surprised if these types if incidents don`t happen more regularly in states with open carry compared to a state with zero-tolerance for guns in public.

I did a fast search for this myself, but got stuck in an endless labyrinth of opinion pieces woth very questionable sources. An american probably knows where to look

Either way, the issue of gun control is quite easy. Anyone who wants to disarm the people while letting the government and other authoritarian institutions keep their guns better have some insanely good reasons.

Google gives me this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2744205/posts


for the whole country, so it's safe to say that of all gun related deaths, accidents are a small but significant portion of gun related violence. I am not the guy to ask regarding what rules there are about how guns must be kept. I don't own any firearms (though i have had a few in my home owned by friends). In my limited experience, gun owners seem very concerned about gun safety, and accidents seem mostly related to kids or other inexperienced people. That's anecdotal though, so take it for what it's worth.

Common sense would tell me that there are more accidents in areas where there are more guns, but not necessarily where gun laws are loosest. The rate of accidents seems like it would be higher with illegal weapons,but I can't support that because I'm not sure anyone has any statistics on how many illegal weapons there are around. It seems to me that legal gun ownership isn't a big problem, it's that there are guns in the hands of people that should not have them. Joe Blow suburbanite who keeps his guns in a safe place and teaches his kids to stay away from them, and later when they're old enough to respect their power isn't the problem. It's gangbangers who use them to shoot each other for some territory or to rob liquor stores that is the problem. But we'll never get all their guns, we have to fight that problem by finding ways to eliminate the gangs.

I've heard a bunch of ideas. more police, legalizing drugs, micro-loan programs in bad neighborhoods. All good ideas i think, but none of them is the proverbial "magic bullet", if you'll excuse the pun. I've also heard arguments for more money to welfare, less money to welfare, more gun laws, less gun laws--these ideas it seems to me, are larger than just the gun violence issue. Neither the amount of welfare or the amount of gun laws seems to really pertain to the problem, imho.

[SaroDarksbane]

This thread is a comedy goldmine.

As a patriotic American (*snicker*), I have a good start on my own arsenal.

I do, however, support anyone who wishes to remain completely defenseless against any and all threats. As the saying goes, "I don't have to outrun the bear; I just have to outrun you!"

[coju]

Wasn't there a "Display your gun" thread in these forums?

[BobCox2]

To the OP.

No no no silly it's like the Moon Landing - All Fake.

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[Painman]

The problem in the US, is the number of people who think criminal lifestyles are OK. It's so common, it's almost mainstream.

Not a gun problem. It's a societal problem.

Guns are ancillary. If it weren't guns, it'd be knives. Bows and arrows. Whatever.