Obama; New Type of Hope, Same Type of Stupid (Gun Control)

[Husar]

So basically the problem are not the guns and everybody here thinks that murder, rape and stealing are pretty normal in a free society and the only counter that should be there is telling your kids how to blow a guy's brain out?

Or does anyone have another suggestion for what should be changed?

[Lemur]

So basically the problem are not the guns and everybody here thinks that murder, rape and stealing are pretty normal in a free society and the only counter that should be there is telling your kids how to blow a guy's brain out?

Violent crime is a reality in any society. It's not common and it never has been (thank God), but it does exist, and to pretend that it's particular to any nation is silly.

The police cannot be everywhere. The police should not be everywhere. The first person who should defend you is you. The first person who should defend your family is you.

In America we are and have been an armed society since inception (although we were a lot less armed before the mid-1800s, if you believe the historians). We believe in the individual's right to defend self, hearth and home.

In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, they're installing CCTVs in pubs, and every town has its own surveillance cameras. I'd rather live with armed people than have the government watching every street corner and every bar.

[Husar]

Violent crime is a reality in any society. It's not common and it never has been (thank God), but it does exist, and to pretend that it's particular to any nation is silly.

The police cannot be everywhere. The police should not be everywhere. The first person who should defend you is you. The first person who should defend your family is you.

In America we are and have been an armed society since inception (although we were a lot less armed before the mid-1800s, if you believe the historians). We believe in the individual's right to defend self, hearth and home.

In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, they're installing CCTVs in pubs, and every town has its own surveillance cameras. I'd rather live with armed people than have the government watching every street corner and every bar.

Yes, I agree on most points, in fact, I wouldn't mind being allowed to have a gun but I doubt I would feel the need to spend a lot to get one or the need to get one at all. Apparently a lot of Americans however, do feel a strong need to get one and behave as if they will get swamped and overrun by criminals if they're not allowed to get one which makes me look at the USA as much more criminal than Germany where I feel pretty safe even without a gun.
I don't have any statistics in my head but IIRC the crime rates in the US(and possibly the UK) are a lot higher than in some other western societies, so why is that? Do you ever ask yourselves that outside of "we needz moar gunz!!!" or do you just accept it and shoot everybody who enters your minefield on the front lawn?

Concerning CCTV, I have never supported that, I accept cameras in the subway stations but I would certainly not want them on every public place, street, road, school, university etc.
I recently read some politician here wants that and said he expected people to vote for his party because of that so I decided to vote for the party he attacked for a lack of cameras...

And to come back to guns, I work at a fuel station and company policy is to give out all the money and let the thieves leave if there is a robbery. quite frankly with one or two guys pointing guns at me I would not appreciate if some customer drew his own gun and started shooting around. Generally I would only find a personal gun useful if I were always allowed to carry it around in a concealed holster, if I got robbed at gunpoint in a dark street I could hardly run home, get my gun and then start a firefight, even just drawing a gun would prolly make the other guy pull the trigger so the use of guns is somewhat limited to home defense if you ask me and even then how can you get your gun while you sleep?
Like I said, nothing against having one IMO, but the use of the things seems a bit blown out of proportion sometimes if you ask me.