Dec 22 2012: Well, no, Pat. Those aren't - or until recently in Germany's case, weren't - 'nations with democratic elections and traditions'.
In 2009, the rate of intentional murders in the United States was 4.4 per 100,000 people, more than double that of Canada and the United Kingdom. In Japan, which has one of the most restrictive gun-control regimes in the world, that figure was 0.4.
Dec 22 2012: What are these other countries? Start with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Scandinavian bloc - Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, then Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria..quite a list. Find more at
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_wit_fir-crime-murders-with-firearms
Kent State was one episode of an out-ofcontrol militia organization "following orders" that were quite warped. So since the 70's, care to state how many mass shootings have taken place in the US by lunatics taking advantage of readily accessible rapid-fire weapons?
Government may annoy the hell out of us sometimes, but most nations with democratic elections and traditions, prefer that the policing authorities be the ones with automatic weapons and the right to use force, and then only to restore or maintain order. Bad guys without guns, are relatively harmless. It's the bad guys with guns that concern most folks.
Dec 21 2012: The amendment in question had to do with defending against the British in colonial days, and the citizen's right to form a well-ordered militia.
Well, the British are no longer a threat to American democracy. America has innumerable police forces, ("good guys with guns"), plus an enormous - and OH, so costly - military establishment, to ward off foreign oppression.
Legitimate hunters can continue sport hunting with bolt-action rifles and pump action shotguns. Unless you want to give Bambi and the duck no chance at all of survival.
So if you want to retain the "right to bear arms" - how about at least reducing the potential calamity of arms abuse by demented people, by restricting the TYPE of arms you insist on bearing. And do you really need to bear them in church and shopping malls?? Schools?
Funny how many other countries with much lower murder rates and far fewer guns, manage to get by without universal gun ownership.
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A reply on Conversation: Has the time come for the U.S Second Amendment to be repealed or amended?
A reply on Conversation: Has the time come for the U.S Second Amendment to be repealed or amended?
In 2009, the rate of intentional murders in the United States was 4.4 per 100,000 people, more than double that of Canada and the United Kingdom. In Japan, which has one of the most restrictive gun-control regimes in the world, that figure was 0.4.
A comment on Conversation: Has the time come for the U.S Second Amendment to be repealed or amended?
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_wit_fir-crime-murders-with-firearms
Kent State was one episode of an out-ofcontrol militia organization "following orders" that were quite warped. So since the 70's, care to state how many mass shootings have taken place in the US by lunatics taking advantage of readily accessible rapid-fire weapons?
Government may annoy the hell out of us sometimes, but most nations with democratic elections and traditions, prefer that the policing authorities be the ones with automatic weapons and the right to use force, and then only to restore or maintain order. Bad guys without guns, are relatively harmless. It's the bad guys with guns that concern most folks.
A comment on Conversation: Has the time come for the U.S Second Amendment to be repealed or amended?
Well, the British are no longer a threat to American democracy. America has innumerable police forces, ("good guys with guns"), plus an enormous - and OH, so costly - military establishment, to ward off foreign oppression.
Legitimate hunters can continue sport hunting with bolt-action rifles and pump action shotguns. Unless you want to give Bambi and the duck no chance at all of survival.
So if you want to retain the "right to bear arms" - how about at least reducing the potential calamity of arms abuse by demented people, by restricting the TYPE of arms you insist on bearing. And do you really need to bear them in church and shopping malls?? Schools?
Funny how many other countries with much lower murder rates and far fewer guns, manage to get by without universal gun ownership.