[brien]

Quote by: Praxius Well Brien, I guess that's just the difference of living in two different countries. From what I remember, that guy wasn't completely innocent..... granted firing on him and his friends was extreme and sounded pretty corrupt to me.... but I remember hearing the guy was ramming the police cars with his car and wasn't coming peacefully. Shooting him with aprox 50 rounds was excessive and something screwed up was going on...... but are you saying he should have had a firearm to shoot back at the police to defend himself? I highly doubt that would have helped him. Police rushing to help save an innocent person? That's the norm here in Canada.... what the heck are they for down in the US? If they're not doing what they are supposed to be doing, then that should be a sign to revamp your police departments. Well I guess that's where the difference in society starts between where I live and where you live..... I'm not trying to downgrade your decision of owning a firearm, if it's that bad that you guys really need one, then I guess you do..... I just don't know how your society can survive peacefully with this method of protection. Other countries such as the UK and elsewhere have no such laws or rights to bare arms to the common citizen, and I understand it is in the US constitution to have the right to bare (or is it Bear.... I dunno) arms, but to me..... as my own opinion.... it always seemed like a flaw and is the primary reason for crimes..... but to clarify and should be obvious.... I don't live in your country, and I was brought up in a different society, so that's why I was asking the questions I did and why I stated the opinion I have. If you disagree, then by all means, state why. I'm not here to point fingers and say what I beleave in is better then what you beleave in...... I'm stating what I know and what I was brought up to understand, and looking at your country from the outside, it always seemed problimatic to me. I mean, I know there's a lot of great, responsible people out there who know how to properly use a firearm..... but there also a lot of morons out there who'll be more dangerous to themselves owning a firearm..... those are the guys I worry about and chances are, those are the ones increasing the crime. Oh and if you want stats: Violent Death Among Children Linked to Household Firearms This of course is a bit out dated, but for a quick search... there ya go. And protecting one's self isn't taking the law into your own hands.... but when you take that protection to the level of taking someone else's life, then it raises the question.

From what I remember, that guy wasn't completely innocent

Ughhh Now you have an innocent dead man convicted of some sort of crime that justified his murder by the police???? I don't recall the deceased being tried or convicted of any crime. Therefore, he was indeed "completely" innocent. btw, how is someone "not completely innocent"? Either one is innocent or guilty. There are degrees of guilt, but degrees of innocence???? Hardly.

Police rushing to help save an innocent person? That's the norm here in Canada.... what the heck are they for down in the US? If they're not doing what they are supposed to be doing, then that should be a sign to revamp your police departments.

The cops here simply clean up a mess after it happens. On occasion, cops can catch a crime in progress but more often they arrive AFTER the commission of the crime.

I just don't know how your society can survive peacefully with this method of protection.

Show me one, just one, peaceful society. Do you think you live in a peaceful society?

I understand it is in the US constitution to have the right to bare (or is it Bear.... I dunno) arms, but to me..... as my own opinion.... it always seemed like a flaw and is the primary reason for crimes.....

Yes we have what is known as the 2nd Amendment to the Constition. It is "bear" arms as to hold them.

You don't seriously blame crime upon firearms do you? Please stop and reflect about what you are stating. Firearms commit crimes????

but there also a lot of morons out there who'll be more dangerous to themselves owning a firearm..... those are the guys I worry about and chances are, those are the ones increasing the crime

.

Now, here you are beginning to show a bit of understanding about crime. Bad guys commit crime. They increase crime. Criminals who commit crimes with firearms often are not prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. They plea bargain out. When a criminal commits a crime with a firearm, they need to be prosecuted swiftly and certainly under the law. They should be incarcerated under the law so they can't harm another. Any "moron" who uses a firearm in violation of the law needs to be prosecuted and their priviledge for owning firearms needs to be revoked forever.

As far as the study you cite, it is a microcosim that is being extrapolated and thus isn't quite accurate. That said, I agree to keep firearms locked up and away from children. This is only logical and incumbent upon anyone who owns firearms. Only irresponsible firearms owners allows access to them by children. I am certain that in Canada, there are accidental shootings involving children playing with firearms so the study you cite, although important to firearms safety, isn't relevant enough to justify the denial of firearms ownership by the general public. It would be like asserting, since circular saws can maime and kill children, there should be a law banning the use and possession of circular saws. Absurd.

Firearms ownership is serious responsibility for any citizen. However, because some citizens misuse firearms, or illegally use firearms to commit a crime against another, doesn't mean every citizen is guilty of the crime and should pay the penalty through revocation of their priviledge to own firearms. We will not throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater with regard to this issue so dear to so many Americans.