1.Banning guns works, which is why NY, DC, and Chicago cops need guns.

2.Washington DC's low murder rate of 69 per100,000is due to strict gun control,and Indianapolis'high murder rate of 9 per 100,000 is due to the lack of gun control.

3.Statistics showing high murder rates justify gun control but statistics showing increasing murder rates after gun control are "just statistics"

4.The Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons ban, both of which went into effect in 1994 are responsible for the decrease in violent crime rates,which have been declining since 1991.

5.We must get rid of guns because a deranged lunatic may go on a shooting spree at any time and anyone who wouls owe a gun out of fear of such a lunatic is paranoid.

6.The more helpless you are, the safer you are from criminals.

7.An intruder will be incapacitated by tear gas or over spray, but if shot with a .357 Magnum will get angry and kill you.

8.A woman raped and strangled is morally superior to a woman with a smoking gun and a dead rapist at her feet.

9.When confronted by violent criminals, you should "put up no defence--give them what they want, or run."(Handgun Control Inc. Chairman Pete Shields, Guns Don't Die People Do, 1981 p.125)

10.The New England Journal of Medicine is filled with expert advice about guns,just like Guns and Ammo has some excellent treatises on heart surgery.

11.One should consult an automotive engineer for safer seat belts,a civil engineer for a better bridge, a surgeon for internal medicine, a computer programmer for hard drive problems, and Sarah Brady for fire arms expertise.

12.the 2nd Amendment ratified in 1787, refers to the National Guard, which was created 130 years later, in 1917.

13.The National Guard, federally funded, with bases on federal land, using federally owned weapons, vehicles, buildings, and uniforms,punishing trespassers under federal law, is a "state" militia.

14.These phrases"...right of the people to peaceably assemble,"...right of the people to be secure in their homes", "enumerations herein of certain rights shall not be construed to disparage others retained by the people,"and "The powers not delegated herein are reserved to the states respectively, and to the people..." all refer to individuals, but "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms..." refers to the state.

15."The Constitution is strong and will never change".But we should ban and seize all guns thereby violating the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Amendments to that Constitution.

16.Rifles and handguns aren't necessary to national defence!Of course, the Army has hundreds of thousands of them.

17.Private citizens shouldn't have handguns,because they aren't "military weapons", but private citizens shouldn't have "assualt rifles" because they are military weapons.

18.In spite of waiting periods, background checks, fingerprinting, government forms,ect.,guns are too readily available, which is responsible for recent school shootings. In the 1940's 1950's and 1960's anyone could buy guns at hardware stores, army surplus stores,gas stations, variety stores,Sears mail order, no waiting,no background check, no fingerprints, no government forms and there were no school shootings.

19.The NRA's attempt to run a "don't touch" campaign about kids handling guns is propaganda, but the anti-gun lobby's attempt to run a "don't touch" campaign is responsible social activity.

20.Guns are so complex that special training is necessary to use them properly,and so simple to use that they make murder easy.

21.A handgun, with up to 4 contols, is far too complex for the typical adult to learn to use, as opposed to a car that only has 20.

22.Women are just as intelligent and capable as men but a woman with a gun is"an accident waiting to happen" and gun makers' advertisments aimed at women are "preying on their fears."

23.Ordinary people in the presence of guns turn into slaughtering butchers but revert to normal when the weapon is removed.

24.Guns cause violence, which is why there are so many mass killings at gun shows.

25.A majority of the population supports gun control, just like a majority of the population supported owning slaves.

26.Any self-loading small arm can legitimately be considered to be a "weapon of mass destruction" or an "assault weapon".

27.Most people can't be trusted, so we should have laws against guns,which most people will abide by because they can be trusted.

28.The right of Internet pornographers to exist cannot be questioned becauseitis constitutionally protected by the Bill of Rights,but the use of handguns for self defense is not really protected by the Bill of Rights.

29.Free speech entitles one to own newspapers,transmitters, computers,and typewriters, but self-defense only justifies bare hands.

30.The ACLU is good because it uncompromisingly defends certain parts of the Constitution,and the NRA is bad, because it defends other parts of the Constitution.

31.Charlton Heston,a movie actor as president of the NRA is a cheap lunatic who should be ignored, but Micheal Douglas, a movie actor as a representative of Handgun Control, Inc. is an ambassador for peace who is entitled to an audience at the UN arms control summit.

32.Police operate with backup within groups, which is why they need larger capacity pistol magazines than civilians who must face criminals alone and therefore need less ammo.

33.We should ban "Saturday Night Specials", snd other inexpensive guns because its not fair that poor people have access to guns too.

34.Police officers have some Jedi-like mastery over handguns that private citizens can never hope to attain.

35.Citizens don't need to carry a gun for self defense but police chiefs,who are desk bound administrators who work in buildings full of cops,need a gun.

36.Citizens don't need guns for self protection because the police are there to protect them even though the Supreme Court says the police are not responsible for their protection.

37."Assault Weapons" have no purpose other than to kill large numbers of people. The police need assault weapons. You do not.

38.When Microsoft pressures its distributors to give Microsoft preferential promotion,that's bad, but when the federal government pressures cities to buy guns only from Smith and Wesson, that's good.

39.Trigger locks do not interfere with the ability to use a gun for self defense, which is why you see police officers with one in their duty weapon.

40.Handgun Control,Inc. says they want to "keep guns out of the wrong hands." Guess what? You have the wrong hands.

-- Ben Dowell (kreelan@aol.com), August 12, 2001

Answers

Ain't that the truth. Now, go get in your car, Put on your mandatory seat belt, light a cigg with the lighter provided by the car manufacture and go run over somebody. I promise they will not take away our cars.

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), August 12, 2001.

Good post. You been reading Trent's book? It's a moot point though, there are way too many sheep in this country. I'm well armed (even if I don't happen to be a criminal at this point in time) so I'm a threat. I find that really funny. As long as nobody tries to break into my home, harm my wife or kids, steal my car, ect... they have nothing to fear from me.

Nevemind, I'm just another damned insane gunnut. Whats REALLY funny is some of the same people banning guns have bodyguards or concealed weapons permits.

I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes:

This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!" Adolph Hitler- 1935

-- Uriah (Uriahdeath2@netscape.net), August 12, 2001.

Taht quote is pasted on the wall at our local sherriff's office. They don't mind us owning them

-- Brendan K Callahan (Grinnell, IA) (sleeping@iowatelecom.net), August 12, 2001.

For reasons I'll not go into now, I had long been opposed to owning a handgun; Not opposed to you owning one, mind you, but opposed to owning one myself. A couple of robbery/shootings here finally convinced me maybe I ought to get a Conceal Carry Weapon permit.

To apply for that I had to go to my local police department. As I left I ran into a couple policemen I've known for years and the conversation turned to what brought me there. When I told them the reason their responses were "What took you so long?" and "Why don't you already have one?" I guess if the people who deal with elements I normally don't feel that way, maybe there's good reason for private gun ownership.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), August 12, 2001.

THEY CAN HAVE MINE WHEN THEY PRY THEM FROM MY COLD DEAD FINGERS !!! If you dont like it the way it is . Take your happy a#$ to canada or some place else !!!

-- Lee (sgrmtndrone@yahoo.com), August 12, 2001.

In this day and age "Dennis the Menace" would probaly get busted for violating concealed carry laws with that flip hanging out his hip pocket.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 12, 2001.

I think you should pack your bags and go someplace where everyone has a gun, like Somalia, Ghana or maybe Afghanistan.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), August 12, 2001.

Nah.... Los Angeles is closer.

John, you and I will get along just fine, so long as you don't try to come into my house without permission. In such a case, you're likely to get a bad case of lead poisoning!

Several years ago, I was raped. At that time, I didn't believe in having firearms in the house. Well, times have changed, and God help anyone who tries to do that to me, or to one of my daughters, ever again! If I had my way, the police would have to scrape up their remains with a spoon. And you'd better believe, after what I went through, that I wouldn't even flinch when pulling the trigger.

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), August 13, 2001.

I don't know if John Hill is making a poor stab at humor, or if he just doesn't mind some demented, evil, misfit (or anyone, for that matter) stealing his property, raping his wife and daughters, breaking into his house and taking everything he has, or worse yet, taking his LIFE or LIBERTY! The right to bear arms was assured this country so we (the general populace) would never be forced into a tyrant dictatorship without some sort of defence. I find it rather ironic that the very government in place to insure our portection is set on creating a defensless populace - wonder what they're afraid of, hummmm?

In the course of a couple break-ins early in my life, I contacted several law officials in our area and informed (didn't ASK, but INFORMED) them that I would have very large, vicious dogs, a couple of crazed ferrets, and all the guns and ammunition I could afford to own. If someone got through the electric fence, the alarms, the dogs and the crazed ferrets (I mean really crazed ferrets ... the dogs even keep their distance), they wouldn't get through the barrage of lead. The only thing I wanted to know from the "justice" officials was whether they wanted the body in the house, or could I leave it lay in the yard where I plugged it. Outside was fine, they informed me.

I just wonder how many of the "gun control freaks" yelled and screamed and protested (if only in their minds) at the sensless slaughter of men, women and children that Hitler and others like him performed. I wonder how many people who don't think we should have the right to protect ourselves from an oppressive government railed against the unjust, inhumane treatment of the common folks of the former Soviet Union, or of those in China today? I really wonder just how many hypocrites there are in this country.

My final word ... if you don't want to own a gun, fine ... don't own one. It's sort of like all the nasty stuff on the internet or the rot- gut junk on T.V. ... if you don't like it, DON'T LOOK AT IT! And if you really want to live in a country where guns are illegal for the common citizen to own and the only people with firearms are the military or the criminals, move to China or another country of your choosing, but don't force me to be fettered with your beliefe system ... you just might find yourself being lunch for my crazed ferrets (they don't mind munching around the buckshot!)

-- Cap'n (cptnktal@yahoo.com), August 13, 2001.

As some of you may or may not know, I'm "Cheryl in KS's" husband, and I can tell you one thing that is absolutely certain ... someone breakes in our house for any reason, Cheryl and I will be discussing whose bullet hit first (and since she's a better shot than me, there won't be much talking about it, probably). We have two of the most beartiful daughters on God's green earth that we'll protect with our last breath ... you DAMN RIGHT I'll exercise my constitutional right to own AND USE guns to protect me and mine. Might even help to protect you and yours, too, if it came to keeping a Hitler out of our back yard like Cap'n was talking about - someone would have to protect you (I'm speaking to those that want guns banned) cause God knows YOU wouldn't ever own a gun! Then there was that question, and a good one, I thought, about hypocrites. Well, I'm no hyprocirte, as the next uninvited guest will learn very quickly!

-- Phil in KS (pemccoy@yahoo.com), August 13, 2001.

I am just a little saddened that anyone has to feel so threatened that a gun is the only answer.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), August 13, 2001.

so John... what would you prefer to use in the event someone is trying to take your life or cause you great harm? I guess many other things would work as long as they don't have a gun. I doubt I'd want to kill someone coming at me with a knife or lessor threat but they'd surely catch a bullet or 2 somewhere though if all other means were exhausted. I can guarantee if someone pointed a gun at me I wouldn't even take the time to question their intent before I got off a double-tap.

-- Dave (somebody@somewhere.com), August 13, 2001.

Guns dont commit crimes, People do. Why is it that back when this nation had the Bible on school-teachers desks, and that teacher led in prayer every morning, besides being allowed to SPANK!!!... the worst things the bad kids dared try was to throw spit-balls or chew gum in class? This nation was settled and blessed by families who taught their kids to responsibly use guns at a rather young age. But they also taught them to read the Bible and pray. They trained them to respect their elders and act respectably, too.

As the writer of the constitution said, our freedom will die if we cease to be a moral nation. A people bent on immorality turn freedom into license, which is liberty without responsibility. When a nation loses her conscience, she loses the ability to govern herself. that nation will become enslaved first in spirit to immorality, and inevitably, she will become enslaved to whatever polititian who promises to control the most irresponsible within her borders.

Gun control is not the answer. A return to training our children's conscience in morality, godliness, and responsible behaviour is the only answer. Gun control is only one step further down the slippery slope to a totalitarian government. Will we give up our freedoms in exchange for safety? Are we such wimps? Such immature children?

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), August 13, 2001.

dffodillady is right. My children read scripture every morning with the wife and I and they have good manners and know how to handle a firearm. Those who have a problem "interpreting" the 2nd amendment, have never read "The Federist Papers" or other documents of the framers of the constitution. They make it quite evident why they included each amendment and what they meant to be the result. If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. I am currently living in Germany, and a more wimpy, hateful society you will never see. These people are so over regulated, I think they need Prozac in the water supply. They hate each other, and it all started with Gun control in the 30's. I've seen enough of socialism and control of the populous to last me a lifetime.

-- Chris Tomlinson (cdtomlinson@hotmail.com), August 13, 2001.

John:

I completely agree with your sentiment; it is VERY sad that some of us need to purchase a firearm to feel safe. But some of us have no choice but to purchase a firearm for safety.

I do not consider it a "safety blanket", but a clear, conscious thought that although 99% of the general population are law abiding citizens, that remaining 1% of the population are a big problem. That 1% are the people who have no respect for property rights, and have no qualms about taking what they consider is theirs to take. I remember reading a chinese proverb which paraphrased, tells us "Don't ask for anything that you are not able to take by force". And that is the criminal mind at work; if you can't stop me, I'll take it.

I don't believe one minute that all criminals take perverse pleasure in victimizing, excepting some real psychos. I think they bear no malice towards us. They just expect to take what they want.

In my honest opinion, I think that if the entire nation would arm themselves and take other steps to prevent criminals from victimizing us, the effect would DETER criminals; they do not have a wish to die or become incarcerated. It would seem to be the humanitarian thing. Self defense is not looking for trouble; it is instead being prepared for it. My .02.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), August 13, 2001.

As my daddy used to say when I was growing up. "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have them." I was taught from the time I can remember about gun safety and was told by a policeman friend of my father's that if a person aims a gun at you 90% of the time that person intends on pulling the trigger. So i'll keep my firearms thank you very much.

-- vicky (bullride99@msn.com), August 13, 2001.

When guns are outlawed only outlaws will have them..Well put. Now can anybody tell me what these anti-gun folks are thinking? They dont really think there will be no more crime if we don't have guns do they? Granted, some people do stupid and terrible things with guns,but some people misuse a lot of things. Most people do not. But not having a gun is not going to stop somebody who for whatever reason really wants to kill or greatly harm somebody else, all it will do is force them to find something else to kill or maim their victim with. I recently read that most violent crimianls today actually prefer knives over guns, because knives are cheaper, easier to conceal, and about a million times quieter than guns. So why is there no knife control?

-- Ben Dowell (kreelan@aol.com), August 13, 2001.

If you don't think owning firearms makes a difference,contact the government body of Kennesaw, GA. A few years ago they wrote a law requiring every head of household to own a firearm. They don't enforce it, but as you come into town you will see signs explaining the law. I don't remember the stats, but I recently read an article about it that showed a huge drop in crime when the law went into effect, and the rates have stayed down. This is a city that is a suburb of Atlanta, the rape capitol of America.

-- Chris Tomlinson (cdtomlinson@hotmail.com), August 14, 2001.

I've read the same stats too, Ben.

And I think that conviction of a crime with knives are also much more certain. Because of the feeling that to actually stab someone gives the jury much more reason to convict them; stabbing is really personal. You need to extend your arm and push that blade into somebody. You might be able to convince an ignorant, touchy-feelly jury that "the gun did the crime", "it was a crime of passion" BS excuse, but the knife is different from the gun from what I hear.

-- j.r. guerra (jreguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), August 14, 2001.

Luke Woodham, strike a bell? He was the kid in 1997 who took his brothers deer rifle to the pear MS. high school, killed two,injured 7, got in his moms' car,[whom he had stabbed to death that morning] and was driving over to the jr. high to shoot some more. Who stopped him? the big football senior? the teacher in the room? the cops? the swat team? a negotiator? No, a 45 aimed at his head by the assitant principal ran the kid off the road,no shots fired,the principal then held him there until police arrived. Know his name? He broke the several laws to to this & I am glad he did. He had to go to his truck, get the gun out of the case & load it. Joel Myrick is a responsible gun owner in my eyes.

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), August 14, 2001.

Some of us "Anti-gun" floks aren't all that anti'gun. You want one - fine. A great deal of us just want to make it next to impossible for the criminally insane and the criminally habituated to get guns so that neither you nor your families are ever put into those types of situations in the first place. Is the answer more gun laws or better enforcement of current ones - I don't know and I'll be the first to admit that. And yes, I do realize that many gun crimes are committed by those who legally obtained firearms, given current enforced laws. I also agree with those who say that a better mannered and better behaved citizenry would be safer, guns or no guns, even though I don't neccessarily share their opinion of whose morality should be taught (the same "more God equals less crime" argument could be said for devout practitioners or almost any religion from Buddhism to Hindi to Wicca, so I know that enforced Chrisitanity doesn't hold the only to a safer citizenry either.) I get a serious dose of irony every time I see one of those bumper stickers that reads "GOD, GUTS, AND GUNS MADE AMERICA WHAT IT IS TODAY". My response is: that's MY argument ;)

What do I, as a pacifist, hippy type want? Less dead people. That's all. If we all have to be armed to do that, then something is seriously wrong with we the people (as a whole) and I think that you'll all agree with that. I want gun laws that actually CAN work, and not just long enough to get some blow hard re-elected, of whatever party. Strict, but innefective and unenforceable, gun laws are as bad as lenient, "kill and let kill" laws in my opinion. I like the Judge Dread idea of DNA keyed guns that only fire DNA keyed bullets when held by someone with matching DNA, but real life intervenes. Something to work towards, perhaps, but in the meantime I still believe that there are other ways of non-fatally dissuading or stopping someone intent on harm. More trouble than keeping a gun, perhaps, but worth it to me and many others. And for those of us who REALLY believe in a happy hereafter, a death at the hands of a criminal is a preferable circumstance to life as the result of a killing. I love life and want to keep it as long as possible, but not as a killer, even though my personal beliefs don't send you to hell for killing (Hell is not knowing that you are loved by GOD and a pert of GOD, to clarify where I'm coming from).

Still, my opinion is just one of many. I know this and can deal with it. Can you?

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), August 14, 2001.

Hummm ... that last poster sounds mighty hypocritical to me!

You enjoy the freedom living in this country affords, yet if you had it your way our boys protecting those freedoms would ... what? Maybe throw cotton balls - nice, soft feely touchy approach to an enemy bent on destroying you and yours? Maybe on the surface that's what comes out of the feeding orifice on your head, but deep inside there's that instinct to survive that says, "When it comes to 'kill or be killed' I'm not the one going down!" You telling me that it would be more accaptable/holy/schmolly to stand by and allow a psychopath to rape and murder your children rather than to splatter his/her brains against the wall? Maybe in some fantasy world, but not in reality - or (in my most un-humble opinion) you would be the greater monster.

You see, there are so many twists in the belief system that says, "Turn the other cheek!" Nice thought, and there may be those that actually live it (more power to you!!!!!), but when the rubber meets the road in a life-threatening situation, I don't know of a single living soul that wouldn't like to have the bigger, faster, louder gun!

You know ... I love life, too! WAY too much to let the powers that be or anyone else disarm me while I sit idly by and twiddle my thumbs and say, "Oh well ... it must be for the best." Read and study your history for a clear picture of what happens to a society that allows that to happen! Hell, just watch "Billy Jack" a couple times ... that should just about do it! You see ... it's people like "Billy Jack" and those of us that believe in true life, liberty and the persuit of happiness that will use our last breath and very last vestige of strength to PROTECT those who don't think they need protection!

So my final word on that is ... think on it, and stir the hypocrite soup ... it's almost done!

-- Cap'n (cptnktal@yahoo.com), August 15, 2001.

Daffodyllady - Well spoken!

-- Bob (robertblessum@netscape.net), August 15, 2001.

wow! once again I have learned a lot from ya'll! I don't have a gun - yet, but do have three BIG dogs outside and 4 attack cats inside (not as good as the crazed ferrets, dang it!). Until I am able to get a gun, I WILL use whatever is handy (knife, lamp, feet, etc) to fight my way out of a situation. We were robbed once (nobody was home, luckily) and I hated, hated, hated that feeling that someone (actually there was two of them) could just break in and take what they want and torment my pets (my pet rat was never the same after that!). I arrived home just minutes after the neighbor saw them leave - that was TOO close. So yes, I'm for the right to own guns.

-- yancee in texas (rnanning@comwerx.net), August 16, 2001.

I was once a supporter of gun control, until I was almost raped while on a date. Since then, I've learned to carry pepper spray, become much more aware of my surroundings, and yes, I now own a pistol. If someone tries to attack me now, I will use whatever means necessary to defend myself. I am now firmly AGAINST gun control - it is not well thought out and does not solve the problem at issue.

What's so sad is that the people who commit crimes with guns, are the kind who would still commit the crime, using ANYTHING they could get their hands on as the weapon.

You see, gun control only hinders a person's defense, it won't stop some manic from committing the crime - it doesn't change their behavior, which IS the problem. Only jail time, death or an Act of God will change the criminal's behavior, not some paltry law that will make his acts of crime EASIER for him to commit.

Mrs. Brady's heart is in the right place, but she needs to think with her head. What she advocates only creates more victims.

-- Not Here (trolls@about.not.now), August 18, 2001.