From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> So the only people you want carrying guns is criminals? You want everyone
> else, every law abiding citizen to be at the mercy of gun toting criminals?
>
I think I'm being baited here, because I don't see any other way what I'm
saying could be so completely misunderstood. But just in case this is a genuine
misunderstanding: No. I don't want ANYONE to carry guns. Certainly not
criminals. Okay? Get it? I DON'T WANT CRIMINALS TO HAVE GUNS. Have I made myself
clear? My whole point is to try to keep guns OUT OF THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS.
And before you say that that is impossible, unworkable and therefore not even
worth trying - it may be difficult, it may not be possible to achieve in
full, but why not at least TRY? Every gun we get out of the hands of a criminal is
a step in the right direction. At this point we actually make it easy for
criminals to get guns. Why not start reversing that? ...
Tom, reading your reply, the questions that occur to me are:
- If guns were made completely illegal (which I gather is your preference from the "I don't want ANYONE to carry guns" statement), do you think that would keep them out of the hands of criminals? My thought is that many drugs are easily available despite their illegality; why would it be different for guns? Might it not increase crime by creating a new black market for a previously legal product, the way prohibition did with alcohol?
- How many gun-toting criminals actually bought their guns legally? What is that as a percentage of all guns bought legally? Also, what percentage of gun crimes used legally purchased guns? It'd be very interesting to know these numbers: if the percentages are high, that would certainly argue in your favor, or against you, if they are low.
- If guns were kept legal, but just made much harder to get, wouldn't potential criminals still be able to get guns legally, if they had a prior clean record?
... Cut down on the number of
cheap gun imports, cut back on the incredibly lax gun laws in certain states,
begin to stress gun responsibility instead of gun rights. I don't see why we
can't - or shouldn't.
I think that some gun rights advocates have almost the same "slippery slope" mentality that some abortion rights advocates do, where even moderate and seemingly resaonable laws are fought against tooth and nail by the pro-* side, because they fear that *any* legislation against their position will start a downward trend, paving the way for more and more restrictions or outright criminalization.
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