So let's talk about Guns, those of you who think Gun control is a wonderful idea (joining ranks with Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Communist China, as well as any other tyrant in history) Let's think about why you think that gun control is wonderful. Well guns are dangerous right? and having them around means people commit more crime and horrible things like that right? especially when they have those nasty assualt rifles. Wrong, dead wrong. Before I give you a working example here's the reality check.If you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns (don't give me that line about the cops, it takes 911 an average of 4 minutes to respond to the point of sending out a patrol car and when they get their they pick up the mess, they don't actually prevent the crime.) Criminals who commit gun crimes have for the mass majority of the time not obeyed gun laws in getting them. They got them from illegal sources that will exist in any condtion other then complete legalization.
Now for a real life example, let's go to the world's most neutral and most heavily armed nation (civvie wise) Switzerland!
Now switzerland has a very liberal arms control policy. Not only can any one with a clean criminal record get weapons permits (including concealed carry and automatic weapons) every male over the age of 18 is given an automatic weapon which they keep at home.
Now with 450,000 assualt rifles + all the other civilian weapons you'd think that switzerland is a land of serious gun crime. You'd be wrong. There are around 300 gun related deaths in switzerland every year. The vast majority of those are suicides where the assualt rifle becomes the easiest way out. This is compared to the 512 knife based assualt that occured last year in switzerland... not to mention that they have one of the lowest crime rates on earth.
Meanwhile nations that have total/partial gun control (US, England, etc) have extremely high crime rates with knifing rates that make switzerland's (even population adjusted stats) laughably small.
So to summerize, an armed society is a polite society

Chaos...you are right on some parts and kinda fuzzy on others, Columbine weapons were NOT obtained legally, just bought legally. I worked for the man they went to first to try and get their weapons, ask amp...or better yet: go to www.dragonmans.com and ask the Dragonman.

Here's how the columbine kids did it: They came to the store where I used to work. They showed interest in purchasing weapons, including the full automatics...good thing they are $10,000 at his shop. oh yea, there were the guys, and one older girl. They were about to buy some weapon and fill out the paperwork when Mrs. Dragonman noticed they were below 18. So she said no, the woman said she'd buy it for them which is illegal. No sale. So....that woman goes off and buys weapons for them later on which they use to deadly consequences. Hi-point 9mm carbines to be exact. For sale for only about $195. They were bought legally, but the shooters had them illegally which you are perfectly right about. But if you use that logic, them maybe making them makes them legal in the first place.

the 300 death rate: um...yea, probably a lot of them are military issue weapons, I don't see where you are getting at that.

Some firearms being registered? That's bull. I sold guns, EVERY weapon has a serial number. THey are classified by handgun or longarms. Afterwords, you either use the internet or stay on the phone to call the guys that confirm the ID and the person, then the weapon can be sold ONLY when they give the thumbs up. And then that weapon serial number is registered to that person. In fact, I actually have a DPMS M4 registered to my name, which you can find in my records, those weapons are counted.

US not wealthy? we may have taken a slight hit on our dollar, but we are still the superpower.....don't let the debt and other things full you. If we weren't wealthy, we'd be a third world country, think it through.

....I did buy an assault rifle. An M4. All I had to do was fill out the paperwork and let it go. Automatic weapons are not too hard especially in my state. and silencers are even easier. Just go to the sheriff and explain why you want one.

I think gun control laws are fine the way they are, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I used to think the analogy applied, then I thought about it for a minute.

Switzerland and the United States are not similiar.

In this case, they are different enough that the gun control argument doesn't work.

By the way, don't use "Hitler, Stalin, etc", as an argument. Hitler was for breathing too. I doubt you are going to argue that breathing is bad. Stalin was for toilets. Are you going to argue pooping makes you a communist?

Glad we had that non-sense sorted out.

Ampmaster, first.

Criminals have obeyed gun laws in acquiring their guns. Columbine is an easy example. The firearms they obtained were legally sold to a person, and then handed over to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. The only illegal part was giving the gun to the two shooters.

Every Citizen is ALSO required to join the military, in conscription. Either that, or you have to do a civil duty to the state. Are you going to argue that the United States should not only re institute the draft, but also institute a form of conscription?

The 300 death rate is highly contested. Domestically, all firearms crimes are from military issue firearms.

Crime rate is irrelevant, when you consider that Sweden has a lower homicide rate with firearms then Switzerland, that less of the population owns firearms, you are required to register and license your firearm. Canada has a similiar rate, and much more stringent gun control regulation.

Don't forget to mention that the violent crime rate is at an all time low in both the United States and Switzerland, despite their gun control policies.

Oh, also don't forget that Switzerland actually HAS a gun control put in place. They require more invasive gun control then the U.S. does (You are required to have your firearms entirely licensed and registered). By comparison, the United States has a lax system of gun control with only some firearms being required to be registered.

Also don't forget to mention that the firearm owning rate is nearly 40-50% in the United States, while in Switzerland it is some 20 percent.

Only 600,000 households have firearms in Switzerland, out of a population of 7,500,000. Meanwhile, there are 44 households in the United States with firearms.

So by that, it's 14% of registered firearm owners by household, compared to 8%.

Oh, and lest we also forget that there are 235,000,000 firearms in the United States. Compare that to 1,000,000-3,000,000 of private firearms, and then 800,000 roughly "assault weapons".

Switzerland is also predominantly wealthy, while the U.S. is not.

Switzerland divided in to a much smaller regions (called Cantons), then the United States.

You can not go out and buy an assault rifle or selective fire weapon. For that you need a special permit. You also can not be mentally unfit, you must not have a criminal record, and you must not pose a national threat. You must have an original ID from Switzerland, and the only way you can buy a gun without a permit, is from another individual. Hollow point rounds are for hunters only. Not only that, but you have to pass exams on weapon handling and usage, and have a stated purpose or need for the rifle. The permit expires every four years.

Lack of gun control. Psssh.

Not only that, but you don't get to keep the full auto rifle from joining the military either. It has to be sent in to be transformed in to a semi-automatic.

I don't think availability of guns is what causes the US to have such a high crime rate, but I do think it's important to have some form of gun control. I'm not sure how it is now, but I don't think just anyone should be able to walk into a store and walk out with a gun. I mean, you have to have a license before you can legally drive a car. I've heard of an arms license, but does that mean you know how to use it?

I'm absolutely against people keeping guns at home, especially if they have children or if they've never learned how to properly use one. It doesn't matter how paranoid you are about your safety, you can get a security alarm which would be more successful at actually deterring a robbery before it happens.