The top five myths about the United States

[CptStern]

I have a gun, you dont, I pont it at you, you give me what I want. Gun ownership facilitates crime ..even with the best of intentions there will always be people who procure guns in order to commit crimes

 

[DeusExMachina]

1. Criminals will not use a registered, legally owned gun to kill someone.
2. You don't need a gun to threaten/kill/hurt someone.

even with the best of intentions there will always be people who procure guns in order to commit crimes

Exactly, so you can't hold all the people who own guns responsible.

 

[CptStern]

1. Criminals will not use a registered, legally owned gun to kill someone.

where do they get them from? at some point they were legitimate right?

2. You don't need a gun to threaten/kill/hurt someone.

no but it makes it a hell of a lot easier

Exactly, so you can't hold all the people who own guns responsible.

dont you see? by having easy access to guns you are perpetuating crime ..to the point of deminishing returns (offensive outweighs the defensive)

 

[Reaktor4]

where do they get them from?

they import them illegally...

 

[Bob_Marley]

where do they get them from? at some point they were legitimate right?

Not necissarily. They could be zip guns or illegally imported/manufactured. Which means that at no point were the legitimate.

 

[CptStern]

hmmm from canada? where exactly are they imported from if the US is the worlds leader in gun sales ..surely it would much easier to buy/steal a gun locally

 

[Reaktor4]

hmmm from canada? where exactly are they imported from if the US is the worlds leader in gun sales ..surely it would much easier to buy/steal a gun locally

Eastern europe, africa, wherever. Large shipments are imported by whoever and sold/otherwise distributed to various gangs. Going around trying to steal guns from people isnt particularly efficient.

 

[CptStern]

341,000 stolen on average every year

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/more/facts.html

about 40% of guns used in crimes are illegal/stolen that leaves 60% that are purchased legally

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/guic.pdf

 

[Flyingdebris]

Stern, you need to give people a little more credit than that. A real revolution is won primarily with ideas and public opinion first, guns are secondary to that. Regardless, guns are useful in case of huge freaking emergencies. Like floods, zombies, riots, or earthquakes when some people may think that this would be a good time to take your stuff or violate your rights while the police are tied up with other things.

Guns represent individual power and thats why lots of americns love them. I personally want one for cool factor, collection value, and for emergency self defense. Plus i don't like being defenseless without the direct intervention of the authorities

 

[Bob_Marley]

hmmm from canada? where exactly are they imported from if the US is the worlds leader in gun sales ..surely it would much easier to buy/steal a gun locally

Well actually, its usually much eaiser to use a zip gun becuase its much harder to track a pice of steel pipe, a rubber band and a bent nail than a purpose built firearm.

 

[Reaktor4]

341,000 stolen on average every year

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/more/facts.html

Thats surprising. Sort of ironic..

about 40% of guns used in crimes are illegal/stolen that leaves 60% that are purchased legally

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/guic.pdf

I find that hard to believe.. I would believe that percentage with reference to the guns that are found by police. Serious criminals and gangsters are a lot more likely to get away with something than a guy who shoots his wife.

 

[Majestic XII]

Violence feeds violence is how I see it. If people walk around with guns just for "self defense" then the people commiting the crimes have to arm themselves (evenmore). Its a dark spiral.

 

[K e r b e r o s]

Liberals aren't the traitors to America. In fact, conservatives who insist on sending American troops into the Iraqi slaughterhouse to watch some blood-n'-guts "towelhead" ass-kickin' are the traitors. Most of them could care less about our troops, no more than Mao or Stalin cared about the safety of their own soldiers. In the neocons' view, these young boys and girls are expendable test dummies. They're dying for virtually nothing, so that the hicks in the Bush Admin can make good on their campaign promises to their buddies from the petroleum and infrastructure-rebuilding industries.

We went from fact to a wee rant on the Bush administration, whose actions were only left to interpret not decide given the fact they've not openly stated why they are the way they are. And its so strange. I thought generalizations were what MythBusters tried to counter. Infact, I was particularly disgusted at how the author tried to dehumanize conservatives, and even went so far as to call that political party a group of traitors.

By far not. Traitors are not decided by parties, but by intentions. The word is more inflammatory than it is a calling on what someone is.

 

[Javert]

I go with Chris Rock on the gun issue. Make bullets more expensive.

"Damn I'd shoot you if I can afford it! I'm gonna work real hard, get a good return on investment, then come back and shoot your ass down."

 

[K e r b e r o s]

Ex. Friggin. Xactly.