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Originally Posted by Hammer
I hear what you are saying Panerd and I don't think you are wrong. We have absolutely the same things going on as you do in regards to shitty parenting. It produces the same disturbed and unhinged kids as in the U.S. I don't think that will change in a hurry.
The difference is your kids can get hold of guns. Our kids can't. Your kids shoot people our kids don't. They might stab someone worse case scenario but we can't ban kitchen knives. 1 or 2 people might get killed by a fruit loop before they get over powered. Better than 17.
It comes down to a question, is it more important to have guns in society for whatever reason you want them or is it more important to stop all the needless killing? It seems quite a lot of folks are brainwashed right now. They have their blinkers on and just accept things as they are. A lot of folks are entitled, think they are above all this. Just get rid of all the guns it all goes away.
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I think the challenge that many non Americans can't appreciate is one of volume. Now full disclosure, I am an avid gun advocate and collector. I strongly support the Second Amendment, while also recognizing the need for REASONABLE restrictions (we all get lost in the "what is reasonable" wash imho) ...
But for a moment in time lets just assume that we instantly banned all guns and decided to allow forcible confiscation (civil war here we come, but lets pretend) Estimates on number of firearms in the US range from 350,000,000 to over 500,000,000. For a nice comparison there are an estimated 325,000,000 ACTIVE working cell phones in the US.(100,000,000 cell phones in Germany) think about all the old cell phones you have in a drawer somewhere. Now imagine what it would take to find and confiscate all those cell phones.
Its a physical impossibility. There are an estimated 750,000 law enforcement officers in the US. If every cop in America found and confiscated 1 gun per day, it would take 2 years with no other enforcement activity.
Its just an insurmountable option at this point in time. And that is before you even get to the point of what reasonable control is.
It is my belief that many want an easy answer. One that doesnt exist. This isnt a problem someone else can solve, in my opinion.
Look at yesterday - It was already illegal to murder someone. It was already illegal to possess a gun on school grounds. What is the magic bullet law that he says,'Well I will brake 25 laws today, but that one...oh that one I wont break'
And I cant explain to someone that doesnt value firearm ownership, why I feel the way I do. I just am not a good enough arguer I suppose to convince anyone. I can merely tell you how strongly I value it and hope it impresses upon you the opposition faced.
I would sooner remove the right to free speech than the right to bear arms.
I would sooner lose the right to freedom of religion than the right to bear arms.
I would sooner lose my home and all my worldly possessions before I lost my firearms and the rights to have them.
I acquaint it to the trite marketing slogan "God made man; Samuel Colt made them equal". Like it or not might makes right in the world. Might comes in many ways - political power, physical power, financial power etc. But in a SHTF scenario without the right to physically defend yourself you are nothing more than a sitting target. I rest easy knowing that if the day comes I will die fighting not live conquered.
From my position we must do something to curb violence, we must and we will. But removing firearms isnt a tenable position for me to even discuss.