The Second Amendment

[liljp617]

Don't be ridiculous.  People have been trying to get the Second Amendment removed from the Constitution since it was put there.  Hell, people (Federalists...many of whom we deem our Founding Fathers) were avidly opposed to the entire idea of having a Bill of Rights in the first place.  It's not going anywhere.

Yep, I don't think It will be going anywhere. Isn't there something protecting it from being banned?

Well there would have to be an Amendment to the Constitution removing it.  That in itself is a ridiculously difficult feat the way our government is set up.  Obviously getting an Amendment passed isn't too easy considering only 27 Amendments have been ratified since 1789 and there have been literally thousands of Amendments proposed.

Then, of course, you'll have the obvious backlash from the citizens (even those who don't own guns will largely be involved).  It would be political suicide for almost any Congress member to push legislation removing the 2nd Amendment.

I'm not aware of any specific law or anything barring the government from removing aspects of the Bill of Rights.  They're consistently changing anyway, based on how the Supreme Court interprets them.

[AmyTrivitt]

My dad always taught us (my brother and I) really early at age that guns do not kill people, people kill people. I was raised in the country till I was a teenager so my dad and brother would always be out hunting on the weekend.

[cynybiny68]

I beleive in the second ammendment, but I don't know if I would want a gun in my house.  We had shotguns growing up, but we never got to shoot them and were never taught how to.  I am not afraid of guns, I just prefer not to have one in my house.

[liljp617]

My dad always taught us (my brother and I) really early at age that guns do not kill people, people kill people. I was raised in the country till I was a teenager so my dad and brother would always be out hunting on the weekend.

A gun clearly exponentially increases the amount of killing that can be done in just a matter of seconds.  Kill 25 people in a bank with a knife...now kill 25 people in a bank with an AK47.  Quite the difference.  There's nothing wrong with the philosophy overall, but to pretend the presence of guns doesn't allow room for increased killing in a matter of seconds is being naive.

[bschumacher]

I don't have a problem with gun ownership per se. My husband has both a shotgun and a pistol. I do have a problem with the lax way in which gun laws are enforced in this country. There are still plenty of vengeful ex-husbands with restraining orders and ex-cons who buy weapons from gun shows where the greedy salespeople don't bother with  background checks. Also, ever heard of the Mexican Mafia that's taken over entire towns in Mexico & runs most of the drug trade up here? They do it because our lax enforcement of gun laws makes it so easy to smuggle arms across the border. Yes, folks, the U.S. is arming Mexico's narco-trafficking murderers. Makes me real proud to be an American.

[AmyTrivitt]

My dad always taught us (my brother and I) really early at age that guns do not kill people, people kill people. I was raised in the country till I was a teenager so my dad and brother would always be out hunting on the weekend.

A gun clearly exponentially increases the amount of killing that can be done in just a matter of seconds.  Kill 25 people in a bank with a knife...now kill 25 people in a bank with an AK47.  Quite the difference.  There's nothing wrong with the philosophy overall, but to pretend the presence of guns doesn't allow room for increased killing in a matter of seconds is being naive.

If you think that way what about knives? What about drugs? O for that matter Antifreeze, I read an article the other day on a man killing hes family with Antifreeze. And the gun does not shot itself the person who is holding it does.

[liljp617]

My dad always taught us (my brother and I) really early at age that guns do not kill people, people kill people. I was raised in the country till I was a teenager so my dad and brother would always be out hunting on the weekend.

A gun clearly exponentially increases the amount of killing that can be done in just a matter of seconds.  Kill 25 people in a bank with a knife...now kill 25 people in a bank with an AK47.  Quite the difference.  There's nothing wrong with the philosophy overall, but to pretend the presence of guns doesn't allow room for increased killing in a matter of seconds is being naive.

If you think that way what about knives? What about drugs? O for that matter Antifreeze, I read an article the other day on a man killing hes family with Antifreeze. And the gun does not shot itself the person who is holding it does.

Read what I said again.

[wildpurple1978]

I am so scared to have a gun in the house with my little ones.  Fortunately we live on a military base where you can't have guns in your house, you have to store it at the local military shooting range or in one of their armor rooms in a basement which doesn't serve a purpose there for protection in your house. 
I believe in the 2nd Ammendment and will allow a gun in the house when my kids are older.

[Falconer02]

"Guns don't kill people."
"So what does? You?"
"No. Bullets do."

I'm really glad everyone is on the same page in this thread. Everyone seems to have similar opinions on gun laws.

There's nothing wrong with the philosophy overall, but to pretend the presence of guns doesn't allow room for increased killing in a matter of seconds is being naive.

I'd add accuracy to your argument.

[arms1977]

I firmly believe in the right to bare arms. I feel that if the criminals are going to point a gun at me, then I should be allowed to extend the same courtesy. I do warn readers that it has been proven that many victims are killed with their own guns...just be careful.