Originally Posted By: Kiwi_ME
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
...Very few of the people I know want/need arms...
It came to be by criminals owning guns and not enough good upstanding people protecting themselves. ..
Well, wouldn't you agree that is more the result rather than the cause?
It "came to be" for a numerous historic, legislative and cultural reasons that are unique to the US but not present in other first-world countries. And with majority support of the broader definition of the second amendment, the USA has made it's bed and must continue to lie in it.
The one reason I am glad that handguns are very hard to obtain here in NZ is that in my opinion very few humans have the emotional control to judge threats, react fast enough and then operate such a fast-acting and lethal tool within the bounds of self-defence law.
Many people change personalities (for the worst) the moment they get in their car or even post on a message board. I don't want them armed as well. And, I don't want handguns loose in the community, especially with our burglary rate.
So don't worry about "us" not having broader self-defence laws, ours already fit within the relative safety of our lives.
Relative is the operative word. There are historical reasons we have the Second Amendment, as we were the only British colony to obtain independence by force of arms. Your country never had the "Intolerable Acts", and some of us are sufficiently convinced by the historical record that an armed people will always remain a free people.
As for guns in the home, one should accord them the respect and precautions one has for electricity and gas; both of which are also deadly when abused (and work just as quickly). If you must depend on the good behavior of criminals,I wish you and yours godspeed. I will fight.
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
...Very few of the people I know want/need arms...
It came to be by criminals owning guns and not enough good upstanding people protecting themselves. ..
Well, wouldn't you agree that is more the result rather than the cause?
It "came to be" for a numerous historic, legislative and cultural reasons that are unique to the US but not present in other first-world countries. And with majority support of the broader definition of the second amendment, the USA has made it's bed and must continue to lie in it.
The one reason I am glad that handguns are very hard to obtain here in NZ is that in my opinion very few humans have the emotional control to judge threats, react fast enough and then operate such a fast-acting and lethal tool within the bounds of self-defence law.
Many people change personalities (for the worst) the moment they get in their car or even post on a message board. I don't want them armed as well. And, I don't want handguns loose in the community, especially with our burglary rate.
So don't worry about "us" not having broader self-defence laws, ours already fit within the relative safety of our lives.
Relative is the operative word. There are historical reasons we have the Second Amendment, as we were the only British colony to obtain independence by force of arms. Your country never had the "Intolerable Acts", and some of us are sufficiently convinced by the historical record that an armed people will always remain a free people.
As for guns in the home, one should accord them the respect and precautions one has for electricity and gas; both of which are also deadly when abused (and work just as quickly). If you must depend on the good behavior of criminals,I wish you and yours godspeed. I will fight.
