Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Most people I talk to take this line as a joke. But looking at it myself, I don't really know why. Why exactly is it a stupid statement? Maybe when a bunch of red necks who want nothing more than to go out and shoot something that moves say it, it seems like they are hiding behind the statement. I don't think that was by accident, BTW.

But the truth is.. It's true! Did the gun kill anybody itself? Did it fall from a tree, grow ammunition and start shooting randomly? No, someone manufactured it, someone pulled the trigger. The ultimate decision of whether it was right or wrong to shoot is all on whoever pulled it.

It's not limited to guns. Think about pornography. There are always people saying that pornography is ruining people, is turning people sex hungry. But honestly, there wouldn't be a problem if there wasn't one in the first place. The reason why porn has such an effect on people is that modern society treats sex and sexuality in such an awkward way, so when we finally find some kind of release or channel for it, we go nuts!

Come to think of it, no adult has ever told me how women pee or how people have sex. If it weren't for porn, I would have no clue. So fine, remove porn, but are people going to fix the major issue with education left behind?

There is a reason things like guns, porn, violent video games, and other controversial items have such an effect on people. It's about the people, and not the item itself. Instead of trying to block bad things, why don't we try and solve the problem? As to how, that is a big problem to discuss and work on.

Another quick note, why do you think swear words are so different from other words? It's about how we treat it. If kids were told the F word is okay, and we accepted it, what would be the problem? Imagine if someone yelled a bunch of swear words, and no one cared. What would be the difference between f*** and fudge? Absolutely nothing.

[edit on 13-1-2010 by Bananarama]

A toaster doesn't toast toast, toast toasts toast.

that AND guns don't kill people, BUT BULLETS DO!!!!!

also a fact lost on most people.

Do cars, drive themselves?

in the words of eddie izzard: "guns don't kill people. people kill people... but the gun helps."

Do UFOs see themselves?


[edit on 13-1-2010 by OnceReturned]

It's true that people kill people not guns. But you don't want to aggravate the problem. Since you cannot guarantee control of human impulses, you regulate the next best thing, the tools that empower them.

Don't give guns to a child. Don't give guns to irresponsible people. It's okay for people to bear arms. But it's not necessary to let ordinary citizens to gain access to heavy weaponry. I also think it's better if people don't bring guns to airplanes.

Human impulse is a tricky thing. One can pretend that it's seemingly not the issue. But in the end it only proofs that person is a hypocrite or confused. Human society through out the ages is trying to manage this impulses. It's not a bad thing at all, but over-regulating things in itself is also a form of human impulse. What you should really want is balance.

Originally posted by Jazzyguy
It's true that people kill people not guns. But you don't want to aggravate the problem. Since you cannot guarantee control of human impulses, you regulate the next best thing, the tools that empower them.

Don't give guns to a child. Don't give guns to irresponsible people. It's okay for people to bear arms. But it's not necessary to let ordinary citizens to gain access to heavy weaponry. I also think it's better if people don't bring guns to airplanes.

Human impulse is a tricky thing. One can pretend that it's seemingly not the issue. But in the end it only proofs that person is a hypocrite or confused. Human society through out the ages is trying to manage this impulses. It's not a bad thing at all, but over-regulating things in itself is also a form of human impulse. What you should really want is balance.

I have to say, this is the kind of thinking that leads to a NWO. We are constantly being displayed instances of human error, and scared down to the point where we want to be in cushy rooms where we can't hurt ourselves. It goes both ways. When you give someone a chance to do the wrong thing, you also give them a chance to do the right thing. It's time to start putting more faith in humanity.

It may be hard, and a lot of bad things will happen, but if we are ever going to become better as a society then we have to give each person more free will. And if we all die, then so be it. If we can't live free then we weren't meant to be.

Originally posted by Bananarama
Guns don't kill people, people kill people.
Why exactly is it a stupid statement?
But the truth is.. It's true! Did the gun kill anybody itself? Did it fall from a tree, grow ammunition and start shooting randomly?

It’s a stupid statement because guns can kill by themselves minus any human intent to kill something. You ever hear of an accidental discharge?

In an ideal world, there would be no need for guns. But in he world I live in and read about in the paper...
There are rattle snakes under logs that I'm moving out of a pasture.
There are empty dinner tables if you don't hunt because the money you worked for went to a heating bill or an unexpected truck repair.
There are criminals that will break into your house, and want more than your TV or stereo, they want your wife or daughter or your life.
There is the sheriff, but he is 10 minutes away, and at 2am someone is knocking down your door.
There are fences around my pastures, but there are also coyotes and bobcats that want to eat my goats.
There is a Constitution that protects my rights, but there are leaders that will not abide by the will of the people, nor the laws of the land.
Therefore, there are guns... in my house...and truck...and shed... and in my neighbors house, and his neighbors house, and in his neighbors house...

Originally posted by Alaskan Man

this is so dumb! It's a bit harder to kill me with a pencil then with a gun, right? Sick #!

Originally posted by cushycrux

Originally posted by Alaskan Man

this is so dumb! It's a bit harder to kill me with a pencil then with a gun, right? Sick #!

You do see what the picture is saying right?

It's not saying pencils kill people...

If we didn't have guns people would still be killing each other, we'd just still be using swords and bow & arrows.

Originally posted by grrrrt
If we didn't have guns people would still be killing each other, we'd just still be using swords and bow & arrows.

So

Do you have a bow or sword at home? Comeon!



Gun deaths per 100,000 population (for the year indicated):

Courty Homicide Suicide Other (inc Accident)

USA (2001) 3.98 5.92 0.36
Italy (1997) 0.81 1.1 0.07
Switzerl.. (1998) 0.50 5.8 0.10
Canada (2002) 0.4 2.0 0.04
Finland (2003) 0.35 4.45 0.10
Australia (2001) 0.24 1.34 0.10
France (2001) 0.21 3.4 0.49
England (2002) 0.15 0.2 0.03
Scotland (2002) 0.06 0.2 0.02
Japan (2002) 0.02 0.04 0

Data taken from Cukier and Sidel (2006) The Global Gun Epidemic. Praeger Security International. Westport.