. . . their "right" to own military-style semi-automatic "modern sporting rifles". . .
. . .their "right" to own military-style semi-automatic "modern sporting rifles"
Jeremy, the world might be better off if sporting rifles were all bolt action, lever action, or pump action rather than semi-automatic. But nobody owns "military-style semi-automatic" arms. Semi-automatic weapons are not military -- at least now nowadays. You and Slobodan would be more believable if you'd stop using that "military" terminology. It makes it clear to anybody who's been in the service and in a combat zone that you guys haven't a clue what you're talking about.
But, let's face it, Chicago, New York, DC, Detroit, Los Angeles, among other cities, demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt that strict gun laws, rather than having a positive effect, probably have a negative effect.
Yes, I know you're going to argue that places like New York are at the mercy of surrounding areas where guns are legal. Yes, criminals always can get guns. Unfortunately, with strict gun laws law-abiding people can't. That makes things a lot safer for criminals, a fact they take full advantage of.
But let's imagine we've banned firearms in the US and managed to find and destroy all the previously legal guns in the country. What a terrific subsidy for gun producers in places like North Korea or the Middle East, who'd smuggle guns into the country to illegal dealers at extremely high prices. We've done the same thing with the subsidy we've given drug producers and dealers by having a "war on drugs."
The point is that if people like Lanza really want guns they're going to find a way to get them, and in a completely disarmed country those guns are going to be unusually effective. I've been really busy lately so I haven't had time to plow all the way through this absurd thread, but I know that somebody from Britain pointed out how few gun crimes they have in England. He didn't mention the fact that gun crimes have climbed by 89% in the past decade and their cops have reached the point where they need to carry full-automatic weapons ("assault weapons" Slobodan) rather than billy- clubs.
It's clear that the problem isn't the guns; the problem is the society. I'm old enough to have witnessed the change and the difference. If I had to put the blame on one thing I'd point my finger at TV. I've been around through the whole development of television, and in the beginning it looked as if TV had the ability to lift up our society by helping to expand our horizons and educate the uneducated. But it hasn't worked that way. Instead, it's convinced the ignorant that violence is a game and that violence can make you famous or notorious, no matter how stupid and worthless you may be.
That's the bottom line. That's what people like Lanza are being taught: If you want to go out in a blaze of glory, get a gun and shoot up a (pretend) gun-free school.