guns guns guns part 1

To start off, I would like to point out that I am in favor of gun (and ammunition) control.  That being said, gun and ammo control needs to be broken down into a few different discussions. 

1. self-defense against individuals
2. hunting/sport
3. defense against other states
4. self-defense against our state

Let's start with the easiest of these, number 3.  The second amendment was designed with this in mind because at the time there was no standing army, nor a plan for a standing army to be created.  The colonists had militias to defend themselves from other nations, it's right there in the first half of the sentence-long amendment.  So, since we don't have a need for individuals to run out of their house to protect the neighborhood from a foreign state, the second amendment is no longer valid.... that being said, it's still on the books and requires some effort to overturn through constitutional amendment, therefore the rest of the discussion in this post will be about what should be and why, not an interpretation of what is currently legal (so those devoted to the second amendment based on it being the law should shut up and just listen for a bit).

Next up, hunting/sport.  This is actually one I'd appreciate feedback on.  I have no experience in hunting or using guns in sport, but it seems to me that hunting is more of a sport when you don't spray the target with bullets and instead have to aim at the target and use skill.  This suggests that military-grade and just below military-grade guns aren't necessary for hunting/sport enthusiasts.  Am I wrong?  In addition, it doesn't seem like extra-large clips of ammo would be required for hunting and hand guns certainly seem like they're not helpful.

Self-defense against our state is an odd one.  Most people in the US understand this to not be needed but there are those who feel that their guns protect them from the oppression that may come down from the US Government.  To these people, I would like to point out that the US military, and indeed, most major city police forces, would overpower them without too much difficulty, unless they were concerned with the loss of human life on the rebel side. 

Self-defense against individuals, now here's a meaty one.  I have several friends who fall back on "if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns."  While this is true, there's more to it than that.  First of all, we could limit guns to police forces and the like, in which case, not only outlaws would have guns.  The usual response is "but what if a little old lady needs to defend herself against an intruder."  I will reply to this with several thoughts:

1. The little old lady needs to be able to fire the gun with proficiency, aka training.
2. The little old lady needs to be able to manage the gun.  I've never fired a gun but from what I hear, they have some recoil that requires strength to manage.
3. It only helps the little old lady if she can get to the gun, get to the bullets, unlock the gun and load the bullets all before the aggressor catches up.  Gun safety (see below for why it's important) requires one to put the precautions in place to make sure you don't become the victim of the gun you have to protect yourself.  But those same precautions make it less likely for the gun to be useful to you in a bad situation.

There's also some statistics I'd like to point out:

• There are on average, in the US, about 26 murders each day using guns (2/3 of the murders that take place)
• There are on average, in the US, about 2 unintentional deaths caused by gunfire each day.
• A gun in the home...
• increases the chance of being killed by firearms 72%
• is responsible for a vast majority of children killed by firearms
• is 22 times more likely to be used in a suicide, homicide, or accident than to be used in self defense
• triples the risk of homicide
• increases the liklihood of suicide fivefold
• an abused woman is 6 times more likely to be murdered if there is a gun in the home

So, given these statistics and facts above, I have to say that guns aren't the answer to making our communities safer.