Should America grow up and seriously restrict gun use/ownership?

[cheb]

I think Canada and Switzerland have similar levels of gun ownership, it's American Fuckwits that are the problem, not the guns, not that I'm in favour of gun ownership.

Seemingly unrelated, but bear with me....

Great British Bake Off became a bit of a surprise hit on American telly some years back. Apparently they loved that all the contestants were friendly, even helping each other out, even though contesting each other. What they founds quaint, according tot he news article and talking heads was the contrast between American TV contests, whereby Marjorie declares that she's 'gonna smash the opposition, as second place is just first place loser! I'M HERE TO WIN!!!'

Speaks volumes of the American psyche, I think.

The UK attitude is curious to me for this. We deplore workplace bullying etc but lap up Ramsey, Clarkson et al. Likewise sexual harassment and violence is similarly condemned but there's plenty of artists and musicians or their estates that still get exhibitions or royalties.

[gremlin]

I also love the thread title, implying that your opinion is correct without any debate.

Such arrogance in the title.

At the time of writing the thread immediately below this is "All Bankers are Wankers: Discuss"

There's a not-so-subtle difference between fact and opinion.

[DefTrap]

As a rule I'm against banning things but I guess I'm mainly thinking about sport, activities, thoughts, other-ways-of-life that typically have little or no impact on anyone else unless they're a really overbearing cnut.

Obviously this is different - "their country, their rules" is a great way to sit on the fence about it. They could change if they wanted to, but they don't really want to and the nirvana of all guns going away overnight and all people who like guns being ok with it just isn't realistic.

[gremlin]

But they could be phased out. Decide what constitutes an assault weapon, ban the selling of them to civilians along with parts and adaptations (possibly the ammunition too. Hunting rifles, AFAIK, don't use 5.56 or 7.62). Eventually the numbers will drop, albeit not quite as quickly as some might like.

[MrLongbeard]

But they could be phased out. Decide what constitutes an assault weapon, ban the selling of them to civilians along with parts and adaptations (possibly the ammunition too. Hunting rifles, AFAIK, don't use 5.56 or 7.62). Eventually the numbers will drop, albeit not quite as quickly as some might like.

There's your problem right there, is it calibre, capacity, style or something else?
Either way it makes no never-mind as you can take the media favourite AR15, change any of those or all of them and it'd still be an AR15

[Cousin Jack]

But they could be phased out. Decide what constitutes an assault weapon, ban the selling of them to civilians along with parts and adaptations (possibly the ammunition too. Hunting rifles, AFAIK, don't use 5.56 or 7.62). Eventually the numbers will drop, albeit not quite as quickly as some might like.

Italy had and maybe still has, a ban on handguns in miltary calibres. So no 9 x 19 mm then, the NATO standard pistol round. Except everyone in Italy has access to 9 x 21 mm, same thing but slightly longer brass, so slightly more room for powder to make it more powerful. Bit more expensive, but hey ho.

Banning stuff isnt easy, bans are laws, and lawyers rarely understand how clever people can be in making things that get around laws.

[Mr Moofo]

We should just stop caring about Americans killing each other with guns.

The Swiss gun ownership is a little bit of a red herring - its a smaller country, military issue guns, and whilst there are a fair amount of SVP rednecks, education standards and poverty levels are not at the level of the states.

However, if the gun waving thickheads want to keep on shooting everyone, with guns they got free in cornflake boxes, it is up to them

[Mr. Dazzle]

AFAIK there are more privately held guns in American than there are people. The guns outnumber the population, so by the rule of majorities it's clearly the people who are at fault.

[gremlin]

IIRC in Switzerland, the vast majority of 'publicly-owned' guns are owned by people who have or are currently members of their "Defense Force", and the weapons are strictly controlled, let alone the fact that each owner is well-trained in gun-handling.

I worked with a Norwegian bloke who did his national service and, as he put it, was given a gun, ammunition and uniform and told that if ever there was a war they'd let him know. For all I know it's still in his mum's loft.

[Greenman]

I don't think it will change anything as most households in USA own guns already.

Good luck trying to get them back! I wonder what some of the residents would use for protection if the gov sent the army on them to retrieve the firearms, legal or not?

[Docca]

https://news.sky.com/story/nashville-po ... s-12844453

Yes there are more guns than insects in the USA, yes the issue is the people - so how could it be addressed?

Not my country, not interested- right? Well, no. Not morally. I’ll look over here and not be concerned as I don’t have the gumption to care and want to improve/ensure our society doesn’t descend in to such madness?

The principles of owning a gun- the need and want to own a gun, are what needs to be challenged?

[ZRX61]

We already have 33,000 gun laws on the books (we actually need maybe a dozen). Apparently criminals don't take any notice of them.

Punishing people for the crimes of others will never work.

[ZRX61]

I watched the CCTV, she looked like she knew how to handle a gun, she was checking corners, it's import to check corners.

I think you'll find they identified as a "he"

[ZRX61]

I blame the cowboys

We've had two people in my town killed by arrows...

[ZRX61]

But they could be phased out. Decide what constitutes an assault weapon, ban the selling of them to civilians along with parts and adaptations (possibly the ammunition too. Hunting rifles, AFAIK, don't use 5.56 or 7.62). Eventually the numbers will drop, albeit not quite as quickly as some might like.

The most popular rifle used by hunters in the US is the AR15, it uses 5.56mm/.223

& good luck deciding what constitutes an assault rifle. Assault in an action. I own a bunch of ex-military rifles, all are vastly more powerful than an AR15, none of them can be described as an assault rifle.

Banning the most popular rifle or calibre would be like banning the Honda Accord as it is the most popular car, & therefore used by more drunk drivers.

[Screwdriver]

I vote "no".

First off there's no such category as "assault weapon". It's a term invented by people who don't want the general populace to be able to defend themselves with any sort of proficiency. I believe the correct "woke" attitude is if you're being robbed by a gang at gunpoint, just suck it up and think of the poor disadvantaged criminals. You deserve to die.

Secondly there are so many weapons already in the hands of poor disadvantaged criminals who shouldn't have them anyway, any further laws will only affect the non-criminal class.

Thirdly, this latest protagonist is a case in point. Clearly a mentally ill person who somehow got her/his hands on a gun. But hey, before I get told off for wandering off topic, would anyone here prefer to wander around say, Portland with a gun or without? Either way you're probably gonna get robbed unless you learn how to use it.

In an ideal world, there would be no guns outside of the offices of law and order or the military. That ship has sailed. 200 odd years ago they decided in America, every citizen has the right to bear arms.

Bit late now to say you can't have any and I certainly wouldn't want to live anywhere in America without one (several actually including at least one AK47 for it's incredible reliability).

<edit> cross post. My comment is not aimed at you @ZRX61

[demographic]

I reckon Jim covered it as well as any I've seen.

[cheb]

We already have 33,000 gun laws on the books (we actually need maybe a dozen). Apparently criminals don't take any notice of them.

Punishing people for the crimes of others will never work.

You reckon you need maybe a dozen laws, how will that work with them shared among the 50 odd states? Could they time share them?

[Mr. Dazzle]

Bit late now to say you can't have any and I certainly wouldn't want to live anywhere in America without one (several actually including at least one AK47 for it's incredible reliability).

I've been to the US loads of times, both to the obvious touristy kinda places and also more normal places.

Never even seen a gun which wasn't on a copper.

Obviously the news article in the OP counters the following point somewhat, but I wonder how many gun owners are also scared of their own shadow.

[Potter]

More people die from drug overdoses in the USA than being shot to death.

Quick ban illegal drugs, that’ll cure it.
Oh….