Guns For Everyone

I am making this thread to try and understand from a better perspective the gun-bearing/loving Americans in the USA. I am from Canada, where we have stricter gun laws than the US. Last year there was about 500 TOTAL homicides in the entire country, approximately 120 of which were committed via gun. Canadians watch the same violent movies, play the same violent games, watch the same violent news and tv shows. In 2011 there were about 17000 murders in the USA, 12000 of which were by firearms. It is extremely far from being proportional. I am not talking about mass killing sprees, I am talking violent crime. I have never witnessed a violent crime (I've seen and been in fights but have never seen anything too serious) nor have I ever witnessed a gun being pulled out/used. I am not scared when I go shopping that I will be killed, I am not scared when I go out with my friends and stay out late, I am not scared about a stranger entering my home and killing me in my sleep (and I do not own a gun). Is it just me? Am I just extremely lucky to have never witnessed or been a victim of violent crime? We have gangs here, we have ghettos, we have immigrants at every street corner. I understand that you guys love your guns, many Canadians here also do. So if isn't any of these factors, what the hell is the difference betwen Canada and America that makes America one of the most violent industrialized countries in the world? If guns really do prevent crime and actually help for self-defence, why don't you guys just hand em out to everyone in the country? Everyone already basically has one in the States, no? Plus everyone is saying that it's just as easy to get guns on the black market without a background check/license. So why not just skip the black market part and just have a toys for guns event or something? .. Obviously I am being sarcastic but it's just because I don't understand this incredibly unbelievable difference between Canada and the US.

People in America buy guns for self-defence against other Americans with guns. Americans buy guns because they're afraid of Americans with guns. So they bring their guns to churches, malls, schools, public events, concerts, movie theatres, etc so they can stop other people with guns. Will it come to the disastrous conclusion where they'll see someone 'suspicious' walking down the street and just shoot them because they thought they were in danger?

Anyways, I am just trying to make sense of it all. At the end of the day, I am very happy to live here in Canada.

PS I am not bashing the Second Amendment or your gun-loving ways. Just trying to understand them. Please be gentle, I know this is a sensitive issue in your country.

-Jimmy-

Owning a firearm is like having insurance, it's good to have, just hope you don't need to use it.

reply to post by Jimmy910130


Hmmmmmm, maybe it could be the hypocracy of the US government?

Not sure, but we have drones sanctioned by our government killing children in the middle east. Not to mention, the weapons that they are giving to are so called terrorist friends our government created called Al Qaeda.

We have a government who illegally sold automatic weapons to the drug cartels in Mexico, which have been instrumental in murdering many innocent people.

But again, I am a responsible and law abiding gun owner, so I guess my thoughts and opinions are irrelevant in the eyes of those who want to take them away so that only criminals can have them....

reply to post by eXia7


I have a couple questions.
Do you walk around with a firearm?
Have you ever had to show/use it for protection?
Are you afraid of someone else carrying a loaded handgun but having a different mentality?
Is the CCW laws a good thing? Given the fact that anyone at anytime can have a mental breakdown/psychological trauma and pull out the gun they're carrying and just start shooting?
Have you ever witnessed a shooting/ violent crime?

reply to post by seeker1963


I honestly don't see a problem if Americans want to keep their firearms, I am just trying to understand the difference between Canada and America when it coems to violent crime/gun use.

I am also aware of how the US gov't sells millions of guns to their 'enemies' and creates war to have a reason to infiltrate another country and make money (even the Cocaine Contras, etc)

I guess I am also trying to understand why Americans would rather see their own children die before giving up the Second Amendment. It gives them the right to 'bear arms' arms=weapons, weapons include bombs no?

-Jimmy-

Originally posted by Jimmy910130
reply to post by eXia7

 

I have a couple questions.
Do you walk around with a firearm?
Have you ever had to show/use it for protection?
Are you afraid of someone else carrying a loaded handgun but having a different mentality?
Is the CCW laws a good thing? Given the fact that anyone at anytime can have a mental breakdown/psychological trauma and pull out the gun they're carrying and just start shooting?
Have you ever witnessed a shooting/ violent crime?

I personally do not have a conceal carry, but I have a few firearms used for hunting and recreational shooting, and they can defend me in a time a need.

The neighborhood I live in used to be a decent place, but now things have gotten worse with numerous home breaks ins, theft of property etc. I want to be protected from any kind of incidents that can occur from some other nutjob out there.

And until financially I can afford to leave this place, I do what I must to protect myself.

One of the first differences is fudged numbers. I never take for granted statistics thrown out to the public.

People in America buy guns for self-defence against other Americans with guns. Americans buy guns because they're afraid of Americans with guns.

Not true. Most Americans buy guns for hunting, and other recreation. However, some do buy strictly for self-defense.

reply to post by Jimmy910130


I think Seeker touched on it. Do you have as much institutional hypocrisy in Canada as we do down here? We're told in school that violence is wrong....but then we have a major war ever 20 years on average since America was formed and a lesser one inbetween. We're told killing is wrong and religion says so....Yet most kids have seen 10's of thousands of simulated acts of murder by the time they are 10 ..and this is something that was NOT the case a couple decades ago. At the same time,. of course, we execute people and everything the U.S. Government does is a "War on this" or a "War on that" "Obliteration" "Kill" "Eradicate" "Eliminate" or "Destroy" are words used out of place so often and so commonly on Capital Hill, it's a wonder anything is understood to ever have peaceful intent at all for that.

So I think in the U.S.....in MANY ways...kids are taught one thing, shown another and then encouraged to do yet another thing entirely in actual practice on their own lives. All the while, the over-riding message is, God is fake, morals are for sissies and values are things for weak minded fuddy duddys. Err.. It's no wonder some kids figure just shooting their problems is a solution. It's almost a wonder it doesn't happen more often given the sea of mixed garbage the kids swim in for messaging.

Originally posted by eXia7
I personally do not have a conceal carry, but I have a few firearms used for hunting and recreational shooting, and they can defend me in a time a need.

The neighborhood I live in used to be a decent place, but now things have gotten worse with numerous home breaks ins, theft of property etc. I want to be protected from any kind of incidents that can occur from some other nutjob out there.

And until financially I can afford to leave this place, I do what I must to protect myself.

So are neighborhoods/transitional slum areas to blame for high gun use? I remember reading somewhere that most murders DID occur in slum areas, usually happens between the same race and the same income level. So another question comes to mind, if the majority of violent crime/shootings happen in slums, then why do high end, higher income suburban area people need so many weapons?

-Jimmy-

Originally posted by Jimmy910130

Originally posted by eXia7
I personally do not have a conceal carry, but I have a few firearms used for hunting and recreational shooting, and they can defend me in a time a need.

The neighborhood I live in used to be a decent place, but now things have gotten worse with numerous home breaks ins, theft of property etc. I want to be protected from any kind of incidents that can occur from some other nutjob out there.

And until financially I can afford to leave this place, I do what I must to protect myself.

So are neighborhoods/transitional slum areas to blame for high gun use? I remember reading somewhere that most murders DID occur in slum areas, usually happens between the same race and the same income level. So another question comes to mind, if the majority of violent crime/shootings happen in slums, then why do high end, higher income suburban area people need so many weapons?

-Jimmy-

I would imagine so that they don't end up like people in the slums I suppose. Like I said, it's insurance. And also, some people like to hunt and sport shoot. Guns are as american as apple pie..

Originally posted by Klassified
One of the first differences is fudged numbers. I never take for granted statistics thrown out to the public.

I would never either, but for every homicide there are police reports, victims, relatives and friends of the victims. There is proof for these stats. I believe some do fudge stats and numbers, but for homicide stats? really? I guess it's possible but not to create that much of a difference. We can't deny the fact that the US has WAY more violent crime than Canada (proportionality-wise).

-Jimmy-

reply to post by Jimmy910130

I honestly don't see a problem if Americans want to keep their firearms, I am just trying to understand the difference between Canada and America when it coems to violent crime/gun use.

I am also aware of how the US gov't sells millions of guns to their 'enemies' and creates war to have a reason to infiltrate another country and make money (even the Cocaine Contras, etc)

I guess I am also trying to understand why Americans would rather see their own children die before giving up the Second Amendment. It gives them the right to 'bear arms' arms=weapons, weapons include bombs no?

Fair enough, and I respect your legitimate questions!


You already admitted that you can see how corrupt our government is. Right?

Now imagine how bad they would be, if they had a bunch of sheep who couldn't defend themselves. Not many people can disagree that the globalists have set up one hell of control grid that can be used against the citizens of the whole world, not just the US.

I grew up in a time where I was taught the importance of the Constitution and how it protected my freedoms and rights in this country. Today, they don't teach our children that anymore. In fact, they teach them and a lot of law enforcement that our founding fathers were indeed terrorists! (Again, can you see the control mechanism at work here)?

As Klassified commented, I am one of the gun owners who have it strictly for protection. I grew up hunting and then went into the military right out of highschool. Basic Training was a peace of cake for me (weapon wise) solely because my father taught me the dangers of a weapon and that if he ever saw me not respecting it, he would "kick my ass" and never let me hold one again!! Food for thought, because a lot of people didn't grow up with that kind of life lesson, before they purchase one.

As far as saying that giving up our weapons means our children would be protected????? Protected by whom? Do you think maybe the children who were murdered the other day that some of them would be alive if the teachers were able to choose or not whether they carried? Instead of the one teacher being killed by heroicly rushing the shooter, perhaps if she had a weapon, could the situation not turned out differently? But you see, the same federal government who sells guns to drug dealers and terrorists, are the same people who created "gun free" zones, such as the one these children were killed at! If a teacher did try to carry in the school, they would have been arrested by the Feds!

People are always going to die from criminal elements of society. Nothing will ever change that. My issue is for more controls and taking away peoples rights to defend themselves from criminals and even our own police and government. If we give up our guns, the world and those who are bashing us for wanting to keep our guns as provided by our second ammendment, won't know what hit them! The US government has gone rogue, they no longer represent the people but the bankers and corporations!

I could say a lot more about it, but I think I gave you a few things to chew on anyways.

reply to post by seeker1963


Hmm I see your point. So I guess the US government should give everyone/every area the same rights: no 'gun-free zones', and I guess with the required background check and proper licenses, people should be allowed to carry. OR and I might be mistaken here, are 'gun-free zones' regulated by the Federal gov't or the States themselves? Because I know that the CCW laws are regulated by the States.

Thanks for answering my questions btw Seeker!

-Jimmy-

reply to post by Jimmy910130

Hmm I see your point. So I guess the US government should give everyone/every area the same rights: no 'gun-free zones', and I guess with the required background check and proper licenses, people should be allowed to carry. OR and I might be mistaken here, are 'gun-free zones' regulated by the Federal gov't or the States themselves? Because I know that the CCW laws are regulated by the States.

States regulate the CCW laws. Where I live you go to the Sheriffs office and apply for one. Some states no permit is required.

As for the "gun free zone" I think it is a state law, but punishable as a federal offense....I could be very wrong, and if I am no worries if someone corrects me.

I carry concealed at all possible times and refuse to patronize any establishment that doesn't welcome me and my right to self-defense. When you're disabled you really have no choice - you can't run and you can't fight back. I'm glad I live in a state that protects my right to self-defense, in fact I wouldn't live in a state that didn't.

My entire family has always had firearms for hunting and sport shooting. Most of us carry. None of us have ever had to draw our weapons. That is the case with millions of responsible gun owners in America that are never heard about because we don't shoot anyone. You only hear about the nut jobs who shoot up malls or schools and attempt to ruin the 2nd amendment for everyone else.

The Connecticut shooter was already breaking the law by having a handgun in his possession (under 21).
How would any more laws change anything? It wouldn't for those bent on crime. It would only affect the law-abiding members of our society, the millions who own and carry firearms responsibly and are capable of defending their families and even the lives of strangers should need be - just so long as we aren't in a "Gun-free zone".
Could you advertise any better to criminals that people in these zones are completely defenseless?

reply to post by Asktheanimals


So if 'gun-free zones' are where criminals like to strike because they know people are defenseless, why isn't Canada full of Criminals/Crime/Shootings? Because in Canada there is only one man who has the power to give concealed-carry licenses and he has never or extremely rarely given them out, therefore every area/zone IS essentially defenceless yet we have virtually no shootings

reply to post by Jimmy910130


Because American criminals are too lazy to go to Canada.
They also wouldn't make it through the border packing weapons.

Poverty. Piss-poor public education. Broken judicial system.

Kids are born into extremely poor families, raised in areas with other extremely poor families, are taught by their peers and culture that it's easier to steal and cheat your way into money than to work hard, they drop out of school, they turn to crime/dealing drugs, when they're caught they either get slapped on the wrist or spend some time in jail learning how to be better criminals and once they're out it's even tougher to get a job so they stick with crime.

Rinse, repeat. The biggest cause of crime is criminals. Most of our inner-city areas turn out criminals in high numbers. It's actually pretty easy to grasp when you've lived in some rough areas.

Edit: To go even deeper, those poor families get paid more money by the government if they have more kids... so there is no incentive to work. They just have more kids that they do a terrible job of raising, thereby breeding more career criminals. It's a sad situation, but it's not going away without serious reforms of our welfare system and a serious talk about the use of abortion to help curb the problem.