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I personally find that citizens who have guns to protect themselves usually don't use them to cause hrm to other people unless they are being attacked.
I must say that the screening for gun ownership must be a little more rigorous, like maybe even include a psyche evalution, but of course an intelligent person can get through an obstacle like that, but someone who is intelligent, isn't going to shoot people for his revenge so...
inana, didn't mean to sound rude, I apologize if I did. Just wanted to let you know that not every American feels that way.
deathshadow, I agree with you - a huge part of the problem is the screening/background check. Gun sellers are required to do criminal checks, etc, but anyone without a commercial license can trade used guns as much as they want, and they don't need to do background checks or anything. The really scary thing is that it's not just done at gun shows or person to person anymore, now people are doing it over the internet.
I get the feeling it's inana who overreacted here. I didn't find either of your posts to be offensive in the least. It IS important not to generalize. I realize that America does have a fair share of people who like to own guns, but guess what? I've been an American all my life, and I've yet to be in a house where somebody DOES have a gun. Granted, I lived in a pretty crime-free environment, though.
But I do agree with inana in the sense that it is likely going to be very, very hard to ever outlaw guns here. Still, if enough school killings go on, I can see it being seriously discussed either way.
But despite the "facts," don't forget that America is one hell of a big, rich country with the means to have things that half the world can only begin to imagine. Of course we would have more guns than anybody else.
(Firstly, I'm sorry for my poor english ^^" I hope I am understandable...)Quote:
Your government's policy concerning gun ownership and whether you agree or not - or want some changes?
Well, in France (and in New Caledonia ^^") guns are forbidden... Of course you can have a permit when you are a policeman or a hunter, but in my mind that's very difficult to imagine a country where everybody can have a gun, even students ^^" That's why I don't want to go in USA, in fact New Zealand seems safer to me. I don't want to go in USA and be shot just because even a brainless person can have a gun.
I saw the film... er... movie... "Bowling for Columbine" last year, about your amendement about wearing (bearing ?) guns... I was a little shocked, this Moore shows us a lot of horrible things, especially about the NRA. O_O And there is a picture in yesterday (or before, I don't remember) newspaper about some kind of NRA meeting, showing a woman trying a gun, with her baby near her. Poor child.
But even in New Caledonia, there is murders with guns... Too much alcoholic hunters... Weapons are a scourge (thanks you, my dictionary XD). :notrust OK, now I should throw all the knives in my house out... :s
(Sorry if you didn't understand at all ^^" At least i can tell my father "I'm working ! I'm improving my english on internet, yes, that's true ! XD" )
Moore is very heavily criticized for being untruthful in his film productions. I wouldn't judge my country by what he says. But I do agree that I think we need to forbid guns altogether for citizens.
Actually I should have mentioned this before, I DID date somebody whose father was a redneck with a gun who would shoot any trespassers on his property, and I think that's just not how we're supposed to live. He would probably have shot me if he knew about me dating her, too. Hence why I never entered THAT house =p
And French is a beautiful language, I really need to learn it better ^^
Well, you must be really brave if you want to learn french XD Even french students can't write french without a hundred of mistakes >.< I think that's because child are too lazy to learn all the rules properly. After all, it's their first language XD
Ahem, that's not the subject. In fact, after watching Moore's movie, I was thinking two things : first, the NRA is evil (>.<) Second : Americans would have left their country if life was so dangerous... So I suppose Moore is showing the worst. But that's really disturbing x_X And the fact is : people in USA really HAVE guns in theirs houses. And childs, too.
In my country, this kind of people exists, too. And they have shotguns. Or *checking dictionnary* yeah, clubs... er... machetes... That must really hurt X_x However, we are on an island. Criminals can't run away. So they try to control themselves... I hope it ^^"Quote:
Actually I should have mentioned this before, I DID date somebody whose father was a redneck with a gun who would shoot any trespassers on his property, and I think that's just not how we're supposed to live. He would probably have shot me if he knew about me dating her, too. Hence why I never entered THAT house =p
(how do you call an inhabitant of USA ? We call them "etats-uniens", because USA is "Etats-Unis", but I don't know how you can call that x_X America is a continent, people from Canadia, Argentina or Chile are Americans...)
MIss America used a hand gun to stop intruders from taking her farm equipment (Fri Apr 20)
In this case gun is not bad at all... So i think totally banned gun in USA would never work...
You know, it's the same with English...I'm an English major, and my mom still corrects my grammar all the time. But I studied French for a long time, and it's actually a bit easier than English - not as easy as Spanish though :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Christa
We would call ourselves Americans - but you're right, Central and South Americans are 'Americans', too, so it does get a bit confusing :amuseQuote:
(how do you call an inhabitant of USA ? We call them "etats-uniens", because USA is "Etats-Unis", but I don't know how you can call that x_X America is a continent, people from Canadia, Argentina or Chile are Americans...)
But to stay on topic... Michael Moore's movie did raise interesting questions, but he isn't very good about presenting both sides of an issue, so it really has to be taken with a grain of salt. He's very good at making provocative movies and inspiring debate, but I wouldn't necessarily quote him for truth. GK's right, especially with Farenheit 911 he got a lot of criticism for being untruthful.
Interesting about Miss America...didn't know that :blink
hmm in Poland it's rather that only policeman, military, and I dont know, agents which prtects somebody.. bodygourds, can have a weapon. Other way around I think it's not possilbe, but if you will end a course on using weapon, I think it's possible for citizens to have a weapon. Actually I didn;t look deeper into that ;p
Ont thing for sure: if somebody wanted to have a weapon illegaly, it's, like probably evrywhere else, possible -_-
I forgot to mention I didn't meant the current miss America...Quote:
Originally Posted by weixiaobao
the some long time ago miss America (she pretty old now)
What's that ??? O_O I don't understand ^^" Do that means you're an english adult ?Quote:
Originally Posted by PaperYomiko
Well, i think english rules are a bit easier than french rules, but I can't remember them when I speak. Too different XD So of course I use french grammar rules when I write or speak in english ^^"
To stay on topic, I never saw... watched... this "Farenheit 911", because I was really... how to say that... shaked by what had happened... Even if I'm not american... then I can't watch this movie.
About guns, Americans have this right since a long time, I suppose they can't lose this "habit" instantly... Well, before that, they could forbid the death penalty >.< Then forbid guns for "normal" citizens. About policemen and others, I don't know... Do you know that, in France and in other countries where guns aren't allowed, we can walk in the streets without fearing of being attacked by somebody with a gun... ... Yeah, that's not a good argument T_T because we can be attacked by somebody with a knife... But's that's rare !!
alright first things first
ok to the topic in hand.... I live in Australia and the gun laws state that the police, military and heavily licensed gun owners are the only people that are leagally allowed to not only own a gun but to hold one aswell. The only way to get a gun license is to have a ligitimate reason other than protection ie. a farmer for foxes etc. and then you need to go through a whole lot of tests to see if your physically and mentally fit to own a gun and an inspector will come by and see where the gun and amunition is kept to see if it is safe enough that children or people other than the gun owner can't reach it. Also Military personel and the law enforcers are not allowed to posess any type of fire arm outside their field of work without a license ie. a police officer locks their gun in a case at the station.Quote:
Originally Posted by Christa
also i'd like to say this works fine but its just the illegal firearms that get into the country through the coffin cheaters and the organised crime groups is when the real problems arise
I don't know what you are talking about, but I went to NEw Zealand tree times and the place is really nice. Australia seems to be cool, too, but the problem is Australian accent isn't really good when you want to learn english... and moreover, I'm hard of hearing, I need the purest english XD
Eh, even if I don't understand a lot of english words, it seems you're speaking very bad. Could you be less rude and agressive ? I'm feeling offended...
edit : Since the previous post was edited, now mine is a little strange... because I was answering to something which was erased... XD But thanks, moderator, now I not feeling offended XD
It means that Paper Yomiko is studying English at his university. English is his "matière principale". ( I can't speak French, I had to look this term up :darn )Quote:
Originally Posted by Christa
Also, I believe most Americans walk down the street without being afraid of suddenly being shot, though it depends on the area. A city with an abnormally high crime rate may change this behavior, however.
I really don't know why stricter restrictions on who may buy a firearm hasn't been introduced, but it really needs to. Specifically, people with questionable psychiatric histories shouldn't be allowed to have one, at least for a certain amount of time. Even if banning the civilian use of guns doesn't work, states could just work on raising the bar on who can have one.
I agree with that, though - and also, some people can just make their own lethal weapons by making bombs and such - there's recipes for them on the internet, even. Outlawing guns probably wouldn't solve the problem entirely at all, and in fact might put some people more at risk especially in underprivileged neighborhoods.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffDoogins
I think the best problem to solve this problem that I think in order to be a gun owner you have to sacrifice more of your time to helping the police or your neighborhood in some capacity though. Hence if you want guns THAT badly, then you gotta be, say, an informant, or an active participant in helping your local area crime-free.