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"SNSs are involved in only about 1-3% of all violent crimes." -- "Most handgun criminals do not use SNSs, and most SNSs are not owned or used for criminal purposes. Instead, most are probably owned by poor people for protection." (Criminologist Gary Kleck, Targeting Guns, 1997; Point Blank, 1991.)
Studies for the Justice Department have found that "There is no evidence to suggest that criminals prefer smaller caliber guns . . . or cheaper weapons" and that "The often-assumed criminal preference for small, cheap handguns is not confirmed." (James D. Wright, et al., Under the Gun, 1983; Armed and Considered Dangerous, 1986.)
"Evidence clearly indicates that the belief that so-called `Saturday Night Specials` are used to commit the great majority of felonies is misleading and counterproductive." (Police Foundation, Firearm Abuse, 1977.)
Gallup: Gun control drops to lowest level of support ever « Hot Air
It wasn't all that long ago that gun-control advocates seemed to be on a roll. Pres HW Bush put a foreign 'asault weapon' ban in place, and Clinton passed several big gun-control laws. Bans were sweeping the world in places like Britain and Canada. Hollywood pushed an anti-gun message, even as they glamorized them in entertainment.
At one time being pro-gun-control was the default political position, save for the very far right. Republicans like Richard Nixon favored a complete ban on the civilian ownership of handguns.
There were kinks along the way, though. Tom Foley became the first US House speaker to lose his seat; his gun control support was key in his loss. Al Gore lost his home state of Tennessee, (and Clinton's Arkansas) in 2000, and gun control was considered a big factor.
The NRA kept chipping away, getting concealed-carry laws passed in one state after another. Several prominent legal scholars, notably Laurence Tribe of Harvard, came around to the view that the Second Amendment right was an individual right, not a guarantee that the National Guard could have arms.
Now Gallup finds only 26% support for a ban on handguns, and even a majority now opposes a ban on (so-called) assault rifles (that surprised me). Thomas Jefferson said that "The natural order of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." I can think of few other areas in my lifetime where this is not the case. I think the NRA deserves 99.9 percent of the credit--it's not perfect but it's probably the most effective pro-freedom institution we have right now.
Actually, I'd credit the Federal Government for being exactly 99.99999999% untrustworthy, and from a slew of videos from various parts of the world showing how untrustworthy governments behave when the public "disagrees" with their government.
If more people want guns or fewer restrictions on them, I take that as a bad sign. It means more people are afraid. Gun ownership is a response to a threat and it is in and of itself just another threat, a form of terrorism in fact. I really don't understand how the ability to defend yourself using terror or the ability to maim or kill your fellow man with a weapon should be a cherished freedom. Wouldn't the freedom from such destruction be better? I don't own a gun, don't want one, won't defend myself against somebody who's intent on using one against me since the real error in judgment will be theirs, not mine. The violent and criminal, they bear the burden. Why does everybody else have to participate and where's the benefit?
You must be single, I happen to believe that my children and wife have a right to live and will do anything at any time to see that they do.....
If more people want guns or fewer restrictions on them, I take that as a bad sign. It means more people are afraid. Gun ownership is a response to a threat and it is in and of itself just another threat, a form of terrorism in fact. I really don't understand how the ability to defend yourself using terror or the ability to maim or kill your fellow man with a weapon should be a cherished freedom. Wouldn't the freedom from such destruction be better? I don't own a gun, don't want one, won't defend myself against somebody who's intent on using one against me since the real error in judgment will be theirs, not mine. The violent and criminal, they bear the burden. Why does everybody else have to participate and where's the benefit?
Well in the unlikely event a criminal threatens me I will defend myself. The criminal will get no free ride, no easy victim. Those who defend themselves are not given much of a choice by the criminal. Defend yourself or suffer. Some choice.
People own guns because they are afraid? According to who? Moore? Maybe people own guns because they enjoy target shooting. Maybe we own guns because like people who own cars we can.
No I won't willingly be the victim. No I won't allow the bad guy to abuse me or mine without a fight. And no I don't believe that I will ever need to face that situation.
how did they unbolt your anchored in conrete steel gun case?
Thats because the laws only banned the cheap, inaccurate, small magazine and small caliber crapola... that only criminals wanted anyway. That was the actual logic then.
I always thought that the obsession with certain gun types (e.g. 'sat. night specials') was stupid on the part of gun control advocates. Technology-wise, I think the lion's share of the technology in a firearm resides in the cartridge. The gun is just a dispenser. Second would probably be the sighting system, although maybe not for most crimminal purposes. But things like action-type, stock-type, etc, that gun control people were so concerned about, are down the list of importance.
I think many of the gun control people of the 1990's were mostly informed by Hollywood depictions of firearms, and that was one reason why the movement was bound to collapse. They didn't do their homework.
You can be gun owner who supports gun control. The two are not mutually exclusive.
isnt this the truth.
I am a gun owner that supports gun control. i support being able to hit your target on the 1st or 2nd shot. especially when a felon is breaking into your home.
If more people want guns or fewer restrictions on them, I take that as a bad sign. It means more people are afraid. Gun ownership is a response to a threat and it is in and of itself just another threat, a form of terrorism in fact. I really don't understand how the ability to defend yourself using terror or the ability to maim or kill your fellow man with a weapon should be a cherished freedom. Wouldn't the freedom from such destruction be better? I don't own a gun, don't want one, won't defend myself against somebody who's intent on using one against me since the real error in judgment will be theirs, not mine. The violent and criminal, they bear the burden. Why does everybody else have to participate and where's the benefit?
it is always a good sign for more people wanting to own firearms. it means they are willing to take their own protection on themselves and not have to worry about if the operator will answer when they call 911.
being afraid of goverment is always a good thing, and having more gun owners because of that is also a good thing.
Thank God that The Constitution isn't based on gallup polls.
No but it is based on a poll taken of 9 people. In the poll conducted a while back, they decided based on a bare 5-4 margin that Washington DC could not take our guns.
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