What a complicated issue gun control is.
First of all, I believe “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” means exactly what it says. The ”people” referred to is every citizen of the United States of America, not “the state”.
Just like these phrases: “right of the people peaceably to assemble,” “right of the people to be secure in their homes,” “enumerations herein of certain rights shall not be construed to disparage others retained by the people,” and “The powers not delegated herein are reserved to the states respectively, and to the people” all refer to an individuals’ rights.
Guns are not causing the high rate of homicide in the U.S. It is the changes in our culture over the years. In the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s you could mail order guns to your home. You could walk into Sears, buy a gun and walk out the door without waiting 5 days or filling out any forms.
We are surrounded by violence and anger every day. Where you say? Television. Someone does something to someone, that someone gets angry, perpetrator gets his just deserts (shot or beaten), problem solved, everybody happy and all in 20 minutes (and 10 minutes of commercials) of your valuable time. Good grief, young people are being taught that anger and revenge solve problems and are the right thing to do!
Maybe the commercials are making people crazy, I know they have bothered me to the point where I don’t watch TV anymore.
There didn’t use to be “crazy shootings” going on such as students going to their schools and blasting away at teachers and classmates to make a statement. To get attention. To be famous. To get a good grade?
In Switzerland, considered to be the safest country in the world, every male between the ages of 20 and 42 is considered a candidate for conscription into the military, and following a brief period of active duty will commonly be enrolled in the militia until age or an inability to serve ends his service obligation. During their enrollment in the armed forces, these men are required to keep their government-issued selective fire combat rifles and semi-automatic handguns in their homes. Up until September 2007, soldiers also received 50 rounds of government-issued ammunition in a sealed box for storage at home. In addition to these official weapons, Swiss citizens are allowed to purchase surplus-to-inventory combat rifles, and shooting is a popular sport in all the Swiss cantons.
That’s right, a country filled with crazy young men armed to the teeth with automatic and semi-automatic weapons, supplied by their government, blasting the hell out of everything and everybody!
NOT!!
So, is the solution to arm every able bodied (and sane) man and woman in the world? Yes! But remember, they would be trained to use the weapon and respect it. And they would know everybody else is armed too and they better not do something crazy because they will get shot!
Can you believe that at Fort Hood that guy could walk onto a military base and casually shoot anybody he felt like? A MILITARY BASE THAT DIDN’T ALLOW WEAPONS? All those soldiers had to wait until the police arrived WITH WEAPONS to end the killing spree by that terrorist! What do you think would have happened in Switzerland?
Criminals would love extreme gun control in the U.S. Do you think they would hand in their “tools of the trade” (you know, guns and stuff)????? Guns are here to stay in the U.S. There is no way to control them with stricter regulations, it just doesn’t work because too many people think that guns are okay. And in the right hands they are!
Look at how well laws and regulations have controlled drug trafficking. What a joke. All the laws have done is drive up the costs of doing business and putting large sums of money into the hands of dealers. What do they do with all that cash? Buy guns!
See the point? Make drugs legal, therefore dirt cheap, remove all that income from the criminal element and bingo, they can’t afford guns and lawyers anymore! They will all take up harmless pass times such as boy scout leader or maybe politician.
That might be oversimplified, but you can get the point. Just think back to the prohibition era. My grandmother used to tell me stories of sneaking out to speakeasies to get a drink. The laws against alcohol didn’t stop drinking, they made it exciting to do and very profitable for gangsters. Just like drugs are today. What did the gangsters in the “good old days” buy with their ill gotten gains? Guns!
Criminals have guns, that isn’t going to change, it’s too late and there are too many guns. Get used to it. Your only true defense is to prepare yourself appropriately. Get a gun and learn how to use it, or wait until something happens that makes you think “I wish I had a gun do defend myself and prevent this crime from happening“! If you survive, get a gun.
The video below is a little disturbing because it is so true, BUT done in a humorous way. Have no doubts though, there are people out there who don’t give a flying damn about your rights or your life!