Gun Control Poll

[MYCAR47562]

Sorry Forgot To Put It In The Other

[Engels]

Thank you for putting this in the Forum-Political site.

The problem with Polls in general, and this one in particular, is that most contentious issues are too complicated to be answered or even addressed adequately with just a simple "yes or no" question.

Gun Control? Does that mean restricting civilian access to machine guns? Howitzers? Flame-throwers? If that is the question, I'd vote say "Yes, the State has a right, indeed an obligation, to restrict possession of these sorts of weapons to military organizations." It might be fun to blast off a couple of belts on the 0.50 cal. - but the amount of damage this sort of weapon can do; and the carnage that would follow their criminal use, or even a bad accident - would be such that any "right" to own them is trumped by the danger that civilian ownership would present.

But if the question is "Do citizens have a right to possess a gun for home protection?" (And in this case, the most logical weapon is a handgun) I'd say "No" - I'm not in favor of Government restrictions.

But its more complicated than that. What about people convicted of violent felonies? Should they be allowed to own handguns? Or people with a history of mental illness, or domestic violence?

["shazbat"]

It is currently illegal for convicted felons to purchase or own a gun of any type in many or most states so I don't think that is the issue.
I lived in MD outside of DC for 20 years and their governance is very complicated by the fact that it is not a state or the city within a state. They have no representation in national government yet can vote for the president of the nation.
Technically they are governed directly by congress and yet have a city government whose rulings must be accepted/tolerated by congress.
Personally more than the ban on handgun ownership I am disturbed by the fact that any legal long guns kept within the home must be unarmed and trigger locked.
I personally believe that the government can enact laws that ban certain types or classes of "guns" without an accross the board total ban on responsible gun ownership. And by responsible gun ownership I believe that we should have the right to keep loaded ready weapons at hand within our own domiciles and businesses for our protection.
Statistics can show whatever you want them to show but without doubt criminals will find ways to get guns and the fact that DC has a ban on handgun ownership has not prevented that.
They either steal them or go 5 miles in any direction into the states of MD or VA, make up an address, purchase them and carry them back accross the border.
The early reports appear that the court is leaning to upholding the 2nd ammendment so it just remains to be seen whether they rule that states/cities do have the right to restrict ownership of certain types of weapons.

[Captain Dan]

Controls, but no limitations....

[MYCAR47562]

I See Your Point On Certian Guns And Yes Point Takin On The Machine Guns I Was More Focusing On The Dc Ban Of Hand Guns

I Believe That This Will Be Shot Down And It Should Be It Is Against The Constitution They Have Taking Or Money And Rights Away To Much If They Take Away The Ability To Defend Ourselfs I Do Believe That We Could See Another Civil War I Truly Hope Not But I Do Feel We Need Something To Change,

None Of The Presidential Canidate's We Have This Year Will Do That The Only Canidate I Like Doesnt Have A Chance. Ron Paul Seems To Have The Same Feelings On Wherethis Country Should Go As Me The Only Thing I Dont Like Is How He Wants To Immediatly Pull Out Of Iraq And Veitnam I Believe Both Would Cause The Country's To Fall Apart And Turn Back To The Same Thing As Before.
But Then Again I Dont Know That Much But Either Way I Believe We Are Screwed With The Canidate's This Year