This country wouldn't be around without guns. If only the government had guns they could do what ever they wanted. In a way guns give the people of this country power. Thats something they would do in nazi germany.

NEW COMMENT: Groan! Bluetarbaby's deathless prose surfaces again. Who says that crap doesn't float. I still say that I have a right to have bare arms as well as clothed arms. PREVIOUS: All I ask is that those who advocate taking my guns, are the point men, leading the charge, when the anti-gun storm troopers come through my front door. Of course that will happen when pigs fly. UPDATE: I was hoping another member might comment on this point but so far none has; therefore I must leap into the breach. Bluetarbaby states the "right to bare arms is not as imprtant (sic) to me as lowering the murder rate." I must remind him that the Constitution gives us the right to have clothed arms as well as bare arms.

There is a reason why this listmaker is off his/her rocker and sounds like a totalitarian...it is called the 2nd amendment...read it, understand it.

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

As a totalitarian, the listmaker has decided that the state should regulate nearly every aspect of public and private behavior...which is a scary thought. Too much of this is happening already thanks to the PC politics of the left.

You're not serious are you. Tell me your joking...

Were you high when you thought this brainstorm up?

This listmaker, I'm afraid, probably did eat acid and then went to church...

Taking guns away from law abiding citizens will decrease the murder rate? Statistics prove otherwise. Florida adopted a right - to - carry law in 1987. At the time the law was passed, critics predicted an increase in violence. The founder of the National Organization of Women, Betty Friedan said "lethal violence, even in self defense, only engenders more violence." (Editorial, "The Case of the Outgunned Thug." Washington Times National Weekly Edition, January 5 - 11, 1998) When the law went into effect, the Dade County police began a program to record all arrest and non arrest incidents involving concealed carry licensees. Between September of 1987 and August of 1992 Dade County recorded 4 crimes committed by licensees with firearms. None of these crimes resulted in an injury. The record keeping program was abandoned in 1992 because there were not enough incidents to justify tracking them. Since Florida adopted its right - to - carry law the following comparison can be made. Between 1987 and 1996, the United States as a whole homicide rate dropped 4%. In this same period the homicide rate in Florida dropped 36%. The US firearm homicide rate increased 15% while the Florida firearm homicide rate dropped 37%. The US handgun homicide rate increased 24%. The handgun homicide rate in Florida dropped 41%. 221,443 concealed carry licenses were issued in Florida between October of 1987 and April of 1994. Florida recorded 18 crimes committed by licensees with firearms. (Lott, John R. Jr. and Mustard, David B. "Crime Deterrence, and Right - to - Carry Concealed Handguns." University of Chicago School of Law, 7 / 26 / 96) As of 1998, nationwide, there has been 1 recorded incident in which a permit holder shot someone following a traffic accident. The permit holder was not charged as the grand jury ruled that the shooting was in self defense. As of 1998, no permit holder has ever shot a police officer. There have been several cases in which a permit holder has protected an officer's life. (Same footnote as above) Between 1977 and 1992, 10 states adopted right - to - carry laws. Dr. Lott's study found that the implementation of these laws created no change in suicide rates, a one half of one percent rise in accidental firearm deaths, a 5% decline in rapes, a 7% decline in aggravated assaults, and an 8% decline in murder. Using 1995 numbers, the statics come out to be 1 more accidental gun death, 316 less murders, 939 less rapes, and 14,702 less aggravated assaults, in these 10 states annually. (Lott, John R. Jr. "More Guns Less Crime." The University of Chicago Press, 1998, "Accident Facts." Page 27, National Safety Council, 1998, "1995 Uniform Crime Reports." Pages 67 - 78. Federal Bureau of Investigation) Right - to - carry laws require law enforcement agencies to issue hand gun permits to all qualified applicants. Qualifications include criteria such as age, a clean criminal record, and completing a firearm safety course. Gun control laws work only if people will obey the law and law abiding gun owners are not the problem.

I'm not a big fan of guns myself, but there's a damn good reason for the "right to bear arms". It's not about letting crazy folks have toys that go "boom". It's to help protect the people against the possible tyranny of an unjust government. Right now in America, we're lucky we don't have to worry too much about the government instating martial law and making it a dictatorship, but the "right to bear arms" is one of the rights that, if taken away, would leave the people vulnerable to such things. It may be unlikely to ever happen, but it doesn't hurt to put in safeguards.

Here's a fact. If you take the guns away they just murder each other with knives and whatever else is around. Ask the Brits. That being said, taking the guns away would be an impossible task in the United States and violence among criminals to control the black market of guns that would result from a total ban would be alot worse than or current situation. You can't ban anything in this country and expect it to work! Plus I would demand compensation for any property taken from me by the government. Who's gonna buy my guns and melt them? NOBODY. The realities of total gun control haven't even been properly thought out yet by the anti-gun lobby, so for you non gun types, KEEP DREAMING. (numbah laughs wildly and goes off to clean his guns)

Very good idea, then the lawbreakers are the only ones left with guns. Might as well put up a sign that says, "Come take my stuff, we are not armed." Very dumb idea, pretty much matches the weblist.

The right to "bare" arms? You mean I gotta wear SLEEVES in August?! You are obviously not thinking very clearly.The "Right" to bear arms is taken away when you break the law.I'm glad my law abiding friends and neighbors have guns.The criminal element will get guns illegally anyway,so changing the laws is not going to do much.Hunting,providing the hunters eat what they kill and respect the land on which they hunt,is a fine,healthy sport.At least the deer I eat had a free-range LIFE before it was quickly killed as opposed to the meat in the supermarket that led a miserable existance and may have been "processed" before it was even really Dead!

I think I'll just quote Larry the Cable Guy here: "If guns kill people, then I can blame misspelled words on my pencil."