Ill take a stab Per capita homicide rates in the US are skewed high due to ghettos. Take those away and homicide rates are near or on par to 'progressive' nations that ban guns. Guns are meant to keep Gov in check. Not just personal security against common crime.
You know the answer Nik. And it's true. Homicides rates among American whites are about on par with Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Rates here get a bit skewed because of Mexican's. Often they get classified as "white". You want to check out something awesomely intense? Grab a look at this blog on L.A. homicides. I'd guestimate Mexican's are 75% of the list. Freakin' incredible. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/homicidereport/
It also ignores overall homocide rates, NOT conducted by firearms. Invariably, they also ignore the glaring fact that most such events are from "uncontrolled" firearm (illegal) elements, regardless of the laws in place. They also dont look at the rate of violent crime as a whole, nor the efficacy of mental health & "justice" related treaments/punitive actions (a proven cause of crime) when these convenient stats are wheeled out on their little self-righteous trolley.
Yeah, if its legal, short barrel pump, perfect. A lot easier to hit something with a carbine style weapon than a pistol, the stopping power of a shotgun at shortish range is unbeleivable. I wouldnt worry about bullet proof vests either, at home defense ranges they would be lucky to live, and wouldnt get up for some time if they did. At shortish ranges, the pellets act as what amounts to an explosive wadcutter, and transfer energy far better than even the best hollowpoint rounds, name your calibre. Below say thirty yards, whatever you hit will be mincemeat. Literally. Ive hit a hare at say, probably twenty yards, and there was nothing left of it but bits of pelt, done much the same with a rabbit, i found one peice, 'bout 2 cm big, and blood-that was it. Pigs, with sg's, less than 5 metres, will blow a hole the size of your fist through two-three feet of flesh and bone, so there you go. Whatever you do, dont listen to this fool, he's got articles on everydamn thing, but its mostly uninformative rubbish. How does he get away with this rot? If you will, consider his arguments on over-penetration with shot-in the next paragraph, hes discussing high velocity pistol or rifle bullets, thats retarded when the transfer of energy is considered, there is no comparison, and official fbi/security tests back this up. Anyway, http://www.chuckhawks.com/guns_home_defense.htm
I'll take your word for it Yep, that's pretty shocking all right. I would not have guessed the list would be composed of 75% Mexicans.
Of course not, im sure your being churlish about individual rights though. The constitution , quite clearly, says "militia", even in this day and age, a wording CLEARLY referring to organised , para military groups, and never intending to have been interpreted as a vast collection of individuals with no common organisation. The latter makes more sense, ultimately, but that isnt what the amendment meant in spirit.
The American Revolution was made possible by gun ownership. How did that war turn out? Gun ownership keeps Governments from wresting away our rights by means of brute force. And toward that end, it has succeeded. Undoubtedly. Gun ownership does not prevent politicians from using other (nonconfrontational) avenues to wrest the control they seek. This is done via propaganda, gradual acclimation and Machiavellian tactics (problem reaction solution). Yes, tremendous help would be had if citizens actually understood their Rights and the importance of their vigilant defense. But thats the #1 reason why America is going down. Its not our "Leadership" -- there will always be shitbags willing to sell out the greater good for personal gain (and Corporations willing to back them). Its us. You and me. And the single mom down the street with 3 kids, a duplex and no interest in anything but her self-absorbed little life. Nobody cares. And our "Leaders" love that because its a blank check to conjure, rape and pillage until the State (and its people) are bankrupt and enslaved. "How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think." Adolf Hitler
good point, but that was a slightly different time, wasn't it? What I mean is... I would have agreed if you had said' It has succeeded in pre-industrial times'. That sounds about right to me. The question is, what power does gun ownership have today in terms of helping us to defend ourselves against governments? It has been shown time and time again that simply organizing and letting the politicians know that they will be turfed if changes aren't made and the populace simply isn't going to stand for this or that bit of treachery is enough to effect policy change. That's the way to fight rogue governments, I'd say. As you say, the problem is stunning apathy, not the fact that we're not armed. I only ask because you mentioned that gun ownership gives us protection against a rogue government. I think that today, the military is so organized that a popular armed uprising would be quickly quelled. That is assuming that an armed uprising could happen in modern America. Maybe my doubts about that ever happening are unrealistic.
You couldn't be more wrong. Care to read what the Founders said in their own words? "No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." (Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers, 334,[C.J.Boyd, Ed., 1950]) "The right of the people to keep and bear...arms shall not be infringed. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country..." (James Madison, I Annals of Congress 434 [June 8, 1789]) "A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves...and include all men capable of bearing arms." (Richard Henry Lee, Additional Letters from the Federal Farmer (1788) at 169) "What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty.... Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins." (Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment [ I Annals of Congress at 750 {August 17, 1789}]) "Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, The Federalist Papers #46 at 243-244) "I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for few public officials." (George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at 425-426) "The Constitution shall never be construed....to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms" (Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 86-87) "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike especially when young, how to use them." (Richard Henry Lee, 1788, Initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights, Walter Bennett, ed., Letters from the Federal Farmer to the Republican, at 21,22,124 (Univ. of Alabama Press,1975)..) "That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of The United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms..." (Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at 86-87 (Peirce & Hale, eds., Boston, 1850)) It goes on and on and on.......... Will you reconsider now?