Obama wants national ban on concealed carry

[coastie]

Jeremy, I'm Irish, I'm real Irish and my family was deeply involved in the Armed struggle with the British. We know something about guns in Eire and we also understand what it's like to actually fight oppression and how important access to weapons was in winning that struggle. However, the situation here in the USA with guns is absolutely and totally OUT OF CONTROL. Why? Well, first of all, by my estimation the USA has a CULTURE of VIOLENCE now deeply ingrained at all levels of US society. This Culture extends to our foreign policy and our nasty habit of bombing first, using military muscle to control others and asking questions later. I mean, did you ever stop to think about the possiblity of a link between the USA's bellicose foreign millitary exploits and the "right to bear arms" on the streets of the USA by citizens? No link? Think again...I don't think it's a coincidence at all. America is a nation of violence within it's own borders and over the past eight years a nation of violence on the international scene. W
When Ron Paul says that the attackers at 9/11attack us because "we are over there" 80% or more of the Republicans jeer him.....
Well let me ask you guys, if the terrorists have a motive to attack us, and we believe that by simply " pulling out, JUST COME HOME" we can remove that motivation, does not the same logic apply at home? In other words, what's the motivation of the "bad guys" in all these shootings? Can't we change that motivation? You see where I'm going.......it's a complex situation that's for sure and many factors are involved, however, I AM CERTAIN and it's proven in the statistics that keeping guns on the streets with "sane" gun owners is going to perpetuate a culture that CONTINUES to turn to violence as a first resort.

However, the situation here in the USA with guns is absolutely and totally OUT OF CONTROL. Why? Well, first of all, by my estimation the USA has a CULTURE of VIOLENCE now deeply ingrained at all levels of US society

Hmm, by "your estimation", huh? Oh, wait...you've been watching too much TV, havent you? I grew up playng video games where the goal was to kill as much as possible, and:

1. I carry on a daily basis in the US Coast Guard...have'nt shot anyone in the last 6 years I've been in, or even wanted to.

2. I carry on a daily basis when I'm not on duty. Better to "have it and not need it", then "to need it and not have it".

Shaun, your type ("liberals"), never cease to amaze me with your utter fucking stupidy and lack of common sense when you bring this "argument" up...because there is no argument. Go back to fucking Ireland, or England maybe, then maybe you'll feel "safe", as only the criminals have guns there.

Banning guns only disarms "THE LAW ABIDING". As has been beaten to death in this thread, what part of that are you not grasping?

By your logic, I guess, my father, stepmom and myself should be on our way to the morgue, being that we just spent the entire morning at the gun range with no less than 20 other people there, and guess what, Shaun? THEY ALL HAD GUNS!!!!111!1! OMG!!1!! Of all places on the planet, by your logic i should be dead 100 times over from my membership/participation in the local gun club/range, with all those "crazy" concealed carry holders. I have never felt more SAFE, than at the gun range.

I AM CERTAIN and it's proven in the statistics that keeping guns on the streets with "sane" gun owners is going to perpetuate a culture that CONTINUES to turn to violence as a first resort.

OK, Shaun, now you're not only a liberal, but a LIBERAL LIAR. There is no evidence to support that claim, your just spouting shit out of your ass now...I was going to go on, but I'm done with you as your making my blood pressure rise to unhealthy levels...

 

[Kingfisher]

I grew up with guns all around me. Our house, my grandfathers house, I think the great majority of my adult relatives. I've had a carry permit for years. May have saved my life once. Guess what? not one of us ever shot anyone....................p.s. I definitely think Shaun needs one of those signs in his yard.

 

[Shaun]

To COASTIE..

Hmm, by "your estimation", huh? Oh, wait...you've been watching too much TV, havent you? I grew up playng video games where the goal was to kill as much as possible, and:

1. I carry on a daily basis in the US Coast Guard...have'nt shot anyone in the last 6 years I've been in, or even wanted to.

2. I carry on a daily basis when I'm not on duty. Better to "have it and not need it", then "to need it and not have it".

Shaun, your type ("liberals"), never cease to amaze me with your utter fucking stupidy and lack of common sense when you bring this "argument" up...because there is no argument. Go back to fucking Ireland, or England maybe, then maybe you'll feel "safe", as only the criminals have guns there.

Banning guns only disarms "THE LAW ABIDING". As has been beaten to death in this thread, what part of that are you not grasping?

By your logic, I guess, my father, stepmom and myself should be on our way to the morgue, being that we just spent the entire morning at the gun range with no less than 20 other people there, and guess what, Shaun? THEY ALL HAD GUNS!!!!111!1! OMG!!1!! Of all places on the planet, by your logic i should be dead 100 times over from my membership/participation in the local gun club/range, with all those "crazy" concealed carry holders. I have never felt more SAFE, than at the gun range.



OK, Shaun, now you're not only a liberal, but a LIBERAL LIAR. There is no evidence to support that claim, your just spouting shit out of your ass now...I was going to go on, but I'm done with you as your making my blood pressure rise to unhealthy levels...

1) I DO FEEL SAFE IN AMERICA. I live in Los Angeles which is at the top of gun crime list...and you know it's a strange thing Coastie...but I do feel safe, you see it's people who are insecure and DON'T feel safe that need to carry guns. Makes the Feeeel better, tougher more able to FUCK the other guy.
2) In my company, that I have run since the early 90's I provide training equipment to the Military, Police and other Law enforcement agenices all over the world (www.Battlefieldsports.com) we are the worlds leading combat simulation company.
3) Myself and my family and many friends are involved in training and supporting the US and other military organisations. WE BELIEVE in the usefullness of guns, IN THE RIGHT HANDS.
4) Look how YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE goes up in response to a simple email. I mean, you have gone completely ballistic on me because of a difference in viewpoint...and you expect me or any other sane person to trust untrained and average citizens with a gun??? How? Even as a professional person, You have a flash temper, easily demonstrated to any objective observer of your last message. And that's my point, (not you ) bu there are WAY too many loose cannons running around this country, depressed, anxious, fearful or just downright angry... And they are shooting people. In schools, in malls, in parks, in council chambers, AS SNIPERS FOR GOD'S SAKE. It's out of control. EVERYDAY it's another one. OUT OF CONTROL.
Now,
ALL guns should be banned here, taken away from KNOWN criminals and only owned by people with a demonstrated CONTROL of their temper ( how the hell do we measure that..)
Ask the guys in uniform if they want average citizens carrying guns....
They don't.
And by the way, I'm as Liberal as Ron Paul.

 

[Dr.3D]

Seems Shaun likes to see how many people he can get to answer his posts.
He only answers one of the many reply posts people make when he finds the time to log in and make any kind of reply at all.
I suggest we ignore him and see if he stops posting.

 

[NMCB3]

Jeremy, I'm Irish, I'm real Irish and my family was deeply involved in the Armed struggle with the British. We know something about guns in Eire and we also understand what it's like to actually fight oppression and how important access to weapons was in winning that struggle. However, the situation here in the USA with guns is absolutely and totally OUT OF CONTROL. Why? Well, first of all, by my estimation the USA has a CULTURE of VIOLENCE now deeply ingrained at all levels of US society. This Culture extends to our foreign policy and our nasty habit of bombing first, using military muscle to control others and asking questions later. I mean, did you ever stop to think about the possiblity of a link between the USA's bellicose foreign millitary exploits and the "right to bear arms" on the streets of the USA by citizens? No link? Think again...I don't think it's a coincidence at all. America is a nation of violence within it's own borders and over the past eight years a nation of violence on the international scene. W
When Ron Paul says that the attackers at 9/11attack us because "we are over there" 80% or more of the Republicans jeer him.....
Well let me ask you guys, if the terrorists have a motive to attack us, and we believe that by simply " pulling out, JUST COME HOME" we can remove that motivation, does not the same logic apply at home? In other words, what's the motivation of the "bad guys" in all these shootings? Can't we change that motivation? You see where I'm going.......it's a complex situation that's for sure and many factors are involved, however, I AM CERTAIN and it's proven in the statistics that keeping guns on the streets with "sane" gun owners is going to perpetuate a culture that CONTINUES to turn to violence as a first resort.

Your a fucking asshat, not to mention an enemy of individual liberty....FUCK OFF!

 

[coastie]

1) I DO FEEL SAFE IN AMERICA. I live in Los Angeles which is at the top of gun crime list...and you know it's a strange thing Coastie...but I do feel safe, you see it's people who are insecure and DON'T feel safe that need to carry guns. Makes the Feeeel better, tougher more able to FUCK the other guy.

Are you kidding me? There's a reason its on the top of the list...because law abiding citizens are forbiden to have them, you think criminals give a flying fuck about the law? You seem like a smart guy (just lackng common sense) do some real research on the statistics you quote, but I expect what you'll find may blow your "point" out of the water.

2) In my company, that I have run since the early 90's I provide training equipment to the Military, Police and other Law enforcement agenices all over the world (www.Battlefieldsports.com) we are the worlds leading combat simulation company.

And???

3) Myself and my family and many friends are involved in training and supporting the US and other military organisations. WE BELIEVE in the usefullness of guns, IN THE RIGHT HANDS.

So did the Founding Fathers...read the constitution much? Or any of their writings?
Here's some reading for you...

"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." --Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright, 1824. ME 16:45

"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them." --Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1796. ME 9:341

"I learn with great concern that [one] portion of our frontier so interesting, so important, and so exposed, should be so entirely unprovided with common fire-arms. I did not suppose any part of the United States so destitute of what is considered as among the first necessaries of a farm-house." --Thomas Jefferson to Jacob J. Brown, 1808. ME 11:432

Alexander Hamilton:
"The Supreme Being gave existence to man, together with the means of preserving and beautifying that existence. He invested him with an inviolate right to personal liberty and personal safely

Sam Adams, Father of the American Revolution:
"The Constitution should never be construed to prevent the people of the United States...from keeping their own arms."

Patrick Henry:
"The great object is that every man be armed... Everyone who is able may have a gun"

Thomas Jefferson:
"And what country can preserve it's liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms."

George Mason, Co Author of the Bill of Rights:
"Divine Providence has given to every individual the means of self defense."

George Washington:
"A free people ought to be armed."

James Madison:
"The advantage of being armed the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation..the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."

Thomas Paine:
"Arms, like laws, discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property."

Edmund Randolph:
"A people who mean to be free must be prepared to meet danger in person , and not rely upon the falacious protection of armies.


"No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms (within his own lands or tenements)." --Thomas Jefferson: Draft Virginia Constitution (with his note added), 1776. Papers 1:353

"None but an armed nation can dispense with a standing army. To keep ours armed and disciplined is therefore at all times important." --Thomas Jefferson to -----, 1803. ME 10:365



4) Look how YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE goes up in response to a simple email. I mean, you have gone completely ballistic on me because of a difference in viewpoint...and you expect me or any other sane person to trust untrained and average citizens with a gun??? How? Even as a professional person, You have a flash temper, easily demonstrated to any objective observer of your last message. And that's my point, (not you ) bu there are WAY too many loose cannons running around this country, depressed, anxious, fearful or just downright angry... And they are shooting people. In schools, in malls, in parks, in council chambers, AS SNIPERS FOR GOD'S SAKE. It's out of control. EVERYDAY it's another one. OUT OF CONTROL.
Now,
ALL guns should be banned here, taken away from KNOWN criminals and only owned by people with a demonstrated CONTROL of their temper ( how the hell do we measure that..)

How can you not fathom what this country would have to become to make your dream possible? If there was a way to do it, I'd be all for it. But I live in this little place called reality...Guns are here, and guns will be here forever. Wake up. If you feel so safe, then why do you want to get rid of all the guns?


Ask the guys in uniform if they want average citizens carrying guns....
They don't.

"Ask the guys in uniform..." Umm, OK, "Hey, Coastie, do you want average citizens carrying around firearms?" "Why, yes, I do believe "average" citizens should carry around firearms, AS THEY ALREADY DO, IN MY STATE...besides, the Constitution/Bill of Rights says they can, and since I have, in fact, taken an oath to uphold the US Constitution, I have no choice but to respect their right to bear arms."


And by the way, I'm as Liberal as Ron Paul

^^^heh, that last sentence of yours is just too funny to even respond to. Have a good day, sir.

 

[Shaun]

Coastie....

Seems Shaun likes to see how many people he can get to answer his posts.
He only answers one of the many reply posts people make when he finds the time to log in and make any kind of reply at all.
I suggest we ignore him and see if he stops posting.

Well I Understand your point of view. Of course I do, there are a lot of lunatics running around with guns. No question. It's complex and unlikely to change anytime soon. My basic point is that there an awful lot of people who's FIRST gun crime is when they go mad and kill others. No track record, they just SNAP and lash out. It's called being a human under pressure. With so many guns in so many hands it's inevitable that you are going to see more of this.
I have no problem with guys like you having guns, at least 99.99% of the time.
Anyhow I'm done on this, but thanks for a more civil post and full defence of your position.
I got it.

 

[Shaun]

Wrong reply on last post ( Coastie)

^^^heh, that last sentence of yours is just too funny to even respond to. Have a good day, sir.

Well I Understand your point of view. Of course I do, there are a lot of lunatics running around with guns. No question. It's complex and unlikely to change anytime soon. My basic point is that there an awful lot of people who's FIRST gun crime is when they go mad and kill others. No track record, they just SNAP and lash out. It's called being a human under pressure. With so many guns in so many hands it's inevitable that you are going to see more of this.
I have no problem with guys like you having guns, at least 99.99% of the time.
Anyhow I'm done on this, but thanks for a more civil post and full defence of your position.
I got it.

 

[Shaun]

Thanks...

Your a fucking asshat, not to mention an enemy of individual liberty....FUCK OFF!

YOU are a classic example of a non thinking hot head.
Your comments prove my point about the insanity of putting guns and weapons in the hands of the unstable.
Instead of refuting my points, as Coastie did in his last post, YOU just lash out.
Again, there are too many in America who lash out first and calm down later.
Take some vallium or go get a woman, something is wrong, when someone has a different point of view than you and you tell them to FUCK OFF.
Amazing.

 

[pcosmar]

3) Myself and my family and many friends are involved in training and supporting the US and other military organisations. WE BELIEVE in the usefullness of guns, IN THE RIGHT HANDS.

Those are the wrong hands. We were warned of the danger of a standing Army.

Ask the guys in uniform if they want average citizens carrying guns....
They don't.

Of course not, How would they exert and enforce their will on free and armed people.

 

[pcosmar]

Shaun ,
I question your reality.

2) In my company, that I have run since the early 90's I provide training equipment to the Military, Police and other Law enforcement agenices all over the world

I live in Hollywood, I'm CEO of an entertainment company with 2,000,000 customers,

Training?
Entertainment?
Hollywood? Hollywood?
I question anything that comes out of there.

BTW, Kalifornia has some of the more strict and oppressive gun control, and they have a crime problem you say.
I believe that it has been statistically proven that criminals prefer disarmed victims.

 

[NMCB3]

YOU are a classic example of a non thinking hot head.
Your comments prove my point about the insanity of putting guns and weapons in the hands of the unstable.
Instead of refuting my points, as Coastie did in his last post, YOU just lash out.
Again, there are too many in America who lash out first and calm down later.
Take some vallium or go get a woman, something is wrong, when someone has a different point of view than you and you tell them to FUCK OFF.
Amazing.

Your point of view is anti-freedom, YOU are the enemy within America who is collectively working to steal what liberty's the people have left. I have been fighting for my freedoms against assholes like yourself who want to take them away my whole life. I have nothing but disdain for you and your ilk. Whats amazing is that you are here spewing your vile collectivist bullshit...again FUCK YOU!!!

 

[ryanmkeisling]

To be honest, my vote is meaningless at this point. I live in California, and the demwit nominee is 99% certain of carrying this state. I guess I might as well write in Yosemite Sam for all the good it will do.

Not to mention the electoral college makes the final choice for all of us, but no one around here ever speaks about that. A democrat is sure to be elected as Mcain is unelectable in every way, especially considering it was a Republican that has caused most of our current problems.... I will write Paul in regardless but I have no faith in our so-called "democratic" system, it is a corrupt farce, in every way.

 

[ChickenHawk]

Why is it that in every state that has liberalized their concealed carry laws there has not been an increase in gun violence? Why is it that no country that has implemented strict gun control has seen a drop in gun violence? Why is it that some countries that have implemented strict gun control have seen a dramatic rise in gun violence? Why is it that areas of the country with the strictest gun control often have the highest rates of gun crime? Why is it that in areas of the country that have the highest rates of gun ownership there is often some of the lowest rates of gun crime? Why was gun crime so rare in the past when anyone could walk into a corner store and walk out with a gun and a box of ammo no questions asked? Why do the majority of mass shootings take place in "gun free zones"? Why would anyone want to take away a right that is the firewall between liberty and tyranny to gain some potential security when the statistics don’t even suggest it will work?

 

[CountryboyRonPaul]

Many of these gun-grabbers actually have the misguided belief that taking the right to bear arms will actually make us safer.

Perhaps in the way Russians were safer under Stalin's rule.

My Guns are here to protect my freedom. They are not here for hunting, they're not here for sport, they are here for the citizens to enforce the constitution on the Government which is restrained by the constitution.

Perhaps you would be safer from criminals if there were no guns in the country(which has been proven wrong anyway), but there would be no reason for the government to fear their people. That is where the REAL danger lies, not with petty murderers and rapists, which can be dealt with quite easily, but with Tyrants and Usurers who entrench themselves in the system, and will fight to take away their subjects' weapons.

 

[Shaun]

To NMCB3....what a great example to us all...

Your point of view is anti-freedom, YOU are the enemy within America who is collectively working to steal what liberty's the people have left. I have been fighting for my freedoms against assholes like yourself who want to take them away my whole life. I have nothing but disdain for you and your ilk. Whats amazing is that you are here spewing your vile collectivist bullshit...again FUCK YOU!!!

I really understand that I should go away and die. I got it completely. What a wonderful example you are of my point. I wouldn't let a person with an attitude like you within 100 yards of any gun, anywhere. You are pissed off, unhappy and emotionaly unstable on this board. Why? I mean come on!! We are having a discussion for God's sake, it's not like I have my hands around your throat. You live in one of the most free societies in the world and you are writing things like this? And you don't think I should have a problem with allowing "normal" people to have guns?
Anyway you are the final straw for me here. I wish you well in your life and hope you get some help for that temper of yours. Life's too short to be on a fuse all the time.
Good luck to you all, I'm sure your guns will save your life sometime, somewhere.
I can certainly see your points of view because there sure are some very dangerous criminals out there and the police can't be relied upon. I certainly understand that. It would have been good to be able to have a serious talk about this instead of the insult hurling, but so be it..
Thanks.

 

[micheshi]

I really understand that I should go away and die. I got it completely. What a wonderful example you are of my point. I wouldn't let a person with an attitude like you within 100 yards of any gun, anywhere. You are pissed off, unhappy and emotionaly unstable on this board. Why? I mean come on!! We are having a discussion for God's sake, it's not like I have my hands around your throat. You live in one of the most free societies in the world and you are writing things like this? And you don't think I should have a problem with allowing "normal" people to have guns?
Anyway you are the final straw for me here. I wish you well in your life and hope you get some help for that temper of yours. Life's too short to be on a fuse all the time.
Good luck to you all, I'm sure your guns will save your life sometime, somewhere.
I can certainly see your points of view because there sure are some very dangerous criminals out there and the police can't be relied upon. I certainly understand that. It would have been good to be able to have a serious talk about this instead of the insult hurling, but so be it..
Thanks.

Shaun,
You shouldn't "go away and die" but your manner of thinking should be given a proper burial. Nobody who's been raised around guns would shoot willy-nilly at somebody with whom he had a forum disagreement. The problem with your "in the right hands" qualifier is that somebody has to determine right. That changes decade to decade and even faster in most cases.

SCOTUS has said that you've no right, as a taxpaying American, to police protection. The 2nd isn't about food, it's about life and liberty. Whether the criminal is civilian or government, you must retain the right to defend your freedom as defined by the Constitution.

You seem to be in favor of freedom for those you identify with. That's sad because a truly free society would identify with you more than what you've experienced on this board and you are missing a big time opportunity to identify with your fellow unwashed man.

 

[Nicketas]

............

 

[JosephTheLibertarian]

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.gun.html

That position alone could almost make me vote for McInsane. Would you like to vote for evil, semi-evil, or absolute-evil? What a gagglef*ck of an election this is turning out to be.

Sean Edwards is a guy that supports socialized medicine. Now he's pushing McCain. hm

 

[Mini-Me]

Jeremy, I'm Irish, I'm real Irish and my family was deeply involved in the Armed struggle with the British. We know something about guns in Eire and we also understand what it's like to actually fight oppression and how important access to weapons was in winning that struggle. However, the situation here in the USA with guns is absolutely and totally OUT OF CONTROL. Why? Well, first of all, by my estimation the USA has a CULTURE of VIOLENCE now deeply ingrained at all levels of US society. This Culture extends to our foreign policy and our nasty habit of bombing first, using military muscle to control others and asking questions later. I mean, did you ever stop to think about the possiblity of a link between the USA's bellicose foreign millitary exploits and the "right to bear arms" on the streets of the USA by citizens? No link? Think again...I don't think it's a coincidence at all. America is a nation of violence within it's own borders and over the past eight years a nation of violence on the international scene. W
When Ron Paul says that the attackers at 9/11attack us because "we are over there" 80% or more of the Republicans jeer him.....
Well let me ask you guys, if the terrorists have a motive to attack us, and we believe that by simply " pulling out, JUST COME HOME" we can remove that motivation, does not the same logic apply at home? In other words, what's the motivation of the "bad guys" in all these shootings? Can't we change that motivation? You see where I'm going.......it's a complex situation that's for sure and many factors are involved, however, I AM CERTAIN and it's proven in the statistics that keeping guns on the streets with "sane" gun owners is going to perpetuate a culture that CONTINUES to turn to violence as a first resort.

You're comparing apples and oranges. People around the world hate us because we're the bully of the world. Are you trying to say that criminals commit crimes because law-abiding citizens are too-well-armed to allow them to? Are you then trying to make some kind of a connection between the two? That's absolutely absurd.

Do we have a culture of violence? Well, perhaps - but it's not because law-abiding citizens are permitted to carry guns. While others in this thread have shown that we are nowhere near the most violent industrialized nation, we do have relatively high crime rates. I attribute this to several things:

1. As far as "ordinary bad guys" go: Our wealth gap and poverty is to blame: In America, we have one of the worst wealth gaps ever for a "civilized" society, if not the worst (yes, third world countries are worst in this area, but the vast majority of people are poor, so the culture is quite different). Typically, ordinary crimes (murders, rapes, robberies, etc.) are not committed by middle-class citizens with a steady job, a home, and a family. Rather, they're committed by people of little means who have spent their entire lives in a culture of poverty, desperation, and moral ambiguity. A significant percentage of people in our country are in poverty or worse. As an example of one relevant subculture (the "have-nots" called "white trash" by arrogant "haves" are another good example), allow me to present a stereotypical generalization of what some people's lives are like: Black children in inner cities grow up in a high-crime environment, no money, and no father half the time. Their mom is either working three jobs or on welfare (and hated by the other moms with three jobs). Their schools are piss-poor. The only people they see making any money are rappers and drug dealers. Many of these kids simply grow up without any hope for a better future, and they grow up to live in desperation. Also, since many don't have a father, and since their mothers are usually working day in and day out just to keep them fed, nobody really takes the time to really raise them and teach them the difference between right and wrong. When you grow up in a culture like this, you have one instinct: Survive - by any means necessary. To add insult to injury (and to contrast with poor countries), they see tons of other people all around them wearing suits and living in suburban homes, "without a worry in the world!" Obviously, the middle class and even upper-middle class has its own growing problems to worry about, but the fact remains that we have people growing up in desperation when just a few miles away, people are living the "good life." This breeds resentment and additional discontent, as opposed to the situation in the third world where, for generations, everyone's been pretty much equal (except for the ruling warlords). Miraculously, most of these kids don't go on to become violent criminals! However, should we really be surprised when a good portion of them do?
   
   The murders in this category are usually committed for the following reasons: To silence people after you've raped or robbed them, for revenge and/or rivalry (among people who have grown up in a morally ambiguous subculture where this is prevalent), or when gangs of common criminals confront one another (which comes down either to rivalry or fear that the other guy is planning to shoot first, which turns into a confusing firefight). In other words, these murders are the result of a culture of desperation and moral ambiguity.
   The rapes in this category are usually committed for the following reasons combined: A desire for power over someone (anyone), moral depravity, and lastly, sexual gratification. Once again, this is a result of a culture of desperation and moral ambiguity.
   The robberies in this category are committed for the following reason: Desperation and desire...
   
   This is the category that "hardened criminals" fall into, and the takeaway here is that the root cause of all of this is poverty, not the legality of owning guns. Gun control advocates operate under the false premise that banning guns would make them magically disappear from existence, but this is not the case; hardened criminals who plan on committing crimes don't give a damn if guns are legal or illegal. Instead, banning guns would expand a violent black market for them, much like the war on drugs. Furthermore, if banning guns did somewhat restrict the availability of contraband guns, it would only put them in the hands of a smaller minority of criminals, who could then go about committing crimes with less fear of running into armed citizens or competitors.
   
2. The war on drugs: Just like prohibition resulted in a rampant mafia in the 20's, our war on drugs has resulted in a violent black market for drugs. The illegality of drugs has made their prices skyrocket, turning the business into a lucrative career option for those in category 1. Furthermore, the whole "underground" nature of it makes it violent:
   • When some guy doesn't pay up, break into his home house, beat the hell out of him, and threaten his life. What is he going to do...call the cops? When he still doesn't pay up, kill him as an example to others.
   • When you run into a competitor...perhaps there's some kind of "no-fire truce," but if not...kill him.
   • If you're nonviolent and you get caught just possessing, using, or buying drugs, you'll get sent to prison - which, of course, is such a desperate and violent environment that you probably won't be the same person when you get out.
   Of course, making guns illegal would expand the black market for them, making it even more lucrative to trade them "underground." Similarly, an increased culture of violence would sprout up around this as well.
   
3. Now, as far as "crimes of passion" and "crazy people" go:
   These are the instances that the media capitalizes on the most to further their anti-gun agenda. These are the cases where "otherwise normal people just snap." First, I'll give a brief overview of these crimes and whether or not gun control might help mitigate them. Then, I'll explain the true root cause of both of these types of crimes.
   
   Now, some of these murders are spur-of-the-moment, such as "crimes of passion":
   • A pissed off and emotional husband/wife feels betrayed and kills the other for cheating.
   • Enraged motorists start shooting at each other.
   Sometimes, people get out of control and let their emotions dominate them. Occasionally, people become so irrational that they kill each other in a fit of rage. In these instances, could such crimes have been prevented if the otherwise normal people didn't have access to a gun? Well, perhaps. Personally, I think people need to be taught better to value human life over their own selfish impulses in the first place, but that's beside the point. If the crime was totally "heat of the moment" and no gun was available, maybe the murderer wouldn't have even thought, "You know, I could kill him/her..." Then again, the murderer might have decided to kill the victim anyway, in which case there are a whole slew of options: knives, scissors, a baseball bat, or their bare hands. In reality, we probably have a mixture of both. Obviously, guns are not the only weapons people use to kill other people. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole "I have a gun" thing does give some others the little extra "push" to consider murder. While I'll give you that, you have to weigh it against the tremendous benefit legal guns have in reducing crime from the first category (as well as the fact that, without guns, a populace is at the absolute mercy of the state - any government can become totalitarian and oppress the people if the people are completely unable to resist).
   
   In the "crazy people" category:
   • A mother kills all of her children and then herself.
   • A crazy kid shoots up his school.
   These crimes are premeditated. Regardless of whether guns are legal or illegal, anyone wanting to commit one of these crimes (with or without a gun) will be able to get one...or many. Besides, when parents kill their children and themselves, they're so friggin crazy that they'll do it come hell or highwater. If they don't have a gun (and don't plan on getting one), they still have a car, and they still have a whole bunch of knives in their kitchen cupboard. Furthermore, in the case of "a crazy kid shoots up his school," there's a lot to be said about the possibility to either prevent or quickly stop such a crime if, say, 10% of the rest of the class was also carrying a gun! The way it is today, you will have crazy people, and they will be able to access guns. There's not a damn thing anybody can do to change that...so the real question is, "What are we going to do to offset this simple fact?"
   
   The legal availability of guns does not cause these crimes (although in the "crimes of passion" category, it might occasionally make the already existent possibility more likely). "Crimes of passion" have been occurring since biblical times, and it's foolish to think that criminalizing guns would stop them. They might be occurring more often now, especially in America, and I think the root cause of this is the same as the "crazy people" crimes:
   Stress. The world itself moves a lot faster than it used to, but in America, we're overworked and overstressed (in school and the private sector) more than anywhere else in the world except for a few countries in Asia (where the phenomenon seems to be expressed by suicide rates). Life is no longer simple...in the "normal family," both parents have to work. Both are overstressed from work (both the work itself and the drama), from bills, and from trying to balance that with their duties at home and raising the kids and taking them to soccer, baseball, and football practice. Their irritability extends to their relationship with each other. A lot of kids are overstressed from school. Not only do they have to worry about academic pressures, but bullying and groupthink is rampant among children. In college, the academic pressure is intense. Because of the way our economy works, we've really gone off the deep end with "credentialism," where everyone needs to go to college, get a degree, and do quite well if they want to have a chance to get a good job (instead of companies competing for workers and consumers, the balance of supply and demand has shifted to force workers into cutt-throat competition with each other).
   
   The bottom line is that the breakneck pace and competitive nature of our culture is very taxing on people's mental health. We're seeing record numbers of people with depression, anxiety disorders, etc. (and yes, a lot of the diagnoses are due to the nature of our healthcare industry and pharma companies, but I digress). Not everyone is fazed by such levels of stress, but it really wears down on some people, and many of them become a bit "loopy" because of it. When people are really stressed out, they're irrational and overly emotional. Some just...snap. Seriously, why do we act surprised when some mothers go absolutely batshit insane and think they need to kill their kids to save them from the devil? Why do we act surprised when some kids go absolutely batshit insane and shoot up their schools? People "snap" because they're stressed to their breaking point, and that's a function of our overall lifestyle, not the legality of gun ownership.
   
   Most people are able to deal with overwhelming levels of stress in either productive or mildly negative ways (irritability, etc.), but we need to face the fact that some people just can't take it. If you really want to stop these crimes, don't take the easy way out and blame guns (and in fact, in the case of school shootings, you'd do well to beg for less restrictions)...instead, take a serious look at our lifestyle and ask what we can do to fix it.

Now, if our country was run by Ron Paul Republicans, we'd have a much more balanced economy and monetary system, far less poverty, no war on drugs, and less stress (due to a more balanced economy and monetary system). It seems to me that if Ron Paul Republicans were running the country, they'd be addressing all three of the root causes of crime: Poverty, black markets, and stress...all the while respecting our inalienable right to own and bear arms.