Americans, Write Your Congressman

[ninja9578]

I already did, ask them to reinstitute the ban on assault weapons. This is not a politican issue, 33 people are dead.

[Elwood]

Please be more specific. Im pretty sure you mean the shooting at the college, but i could be wrong

[Led]

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.[/b]

[ExoByte]

From what I hear, the VT shooting was not using an assault weapon. From what I hear it was a handgun, but I didn't see the news so I'm not sure.

[ninja9578]

You are right. I originally heard that the gunman had an Uzie, turns out it was a pair of handguns, but still ask for the ban, assault weapons aren't used for hunting.

[Universal Mind]

You are right. I originally heard that the gunman had an Uzie, turns out it was a pair of handguns, but still ask for the ban, assault weapons aren't used for hunting.[/b] But they sure do make it fun! I'm kidding. I've never been hunting. Really though, automatic weapons are great for when you're being attacked by a gang. I know people who have been in that situation. The people who will use them for criminal purposes already have them. A ban on automatic weapons, which we do already have in the United States, just makes it less likely for people like me to be able to defend themselves against the criminals who already have automatic weapons at this very moment. Notice that I said "less likely". If I really tried, I could have an automatic weapon before sundown tomorrow. You could too. It's not that difficult. Such bans are just for nice and lovely symbolism, like the war on drugs. A war on guns would be just another war on drugs.

[Led]

You are right. I originally heard that the gunman had an Uzie, turns out it was a pair of handguns, but still ask for the ban, assault weapons aren't used for hunting.[/b] SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS That being said, yes this is a horrible tragedy, but society/mental illness is to blame not the guns. Oh and guns are not just for hunting. sometimes you need to kill someone. (my 2cents)

[Elwood]

It wouldnt matter anyway! Because theres such things breaking the law. If someone was going to shoot numerous amounts of people i dont thing they would care about getting a gun black market.

[Burns]

If people want assualt weapons, they will get them - no matter if they are legal or not. I have two assualt rifles, and I don't think anyone has the right to say I can't bear arms. Even though I don't have any stats off the top of my head to back up this statement, I would think more people are killed each year by handguns than assualt rifles.

[Courtney Mae]

If people want assualt weapons, they will get them - no matter if they are legal or not.[/b] Exactly.

[Umbrasquall]

Banning assault rifles won't make a difference, because handguns are many times more prevalent, and kill people just the same. In addition, the right to bear arms is one of the fundamental rights, thus will not be rid of easily, and probably preserved and protected for generations to come.

[Man of Steel]

On topic, exactly what Led said, plus this: If catapults are outlawed, only outlaws will have catapults. As regrettable as the Virginia incident is, banning assault weapons has absolutely no bearing on the matter. Veering off-topic for a moment: If people want assualt weapons, they will get them - no matter if they are legal or not. I have two assualt rifles, and I don't think anyone has the right to say I can't bear arms. Even though I don't have any stats off the top of my head to back up this statement, I would think more people are killed each year by handguns than assualt rifles.[/b] Burns, I think I love you. Be mah Huckleberry?

[pj]

Ok... this is the place to say it, I guess. You go to a bank or a museum and you find security guards who are ARMED. When we move money, it is moved in armored cars with armed guards. You go to our schools, where our children are, and the guards aren't allowed to carry arms. In fact, the schools are hailed far and wide as GUN FREE ZONES... meaning that anybody with a hankering to create some serious carnage has a well advertised location full of ready victims and a guarantee that he'll have all the time in the world to do his evil. That says a lot about our values here in the U.S. We guard our money with weapons. We refuse to guard our children. This was a horrible tragedy - one that could probably have been cut shorter if anybody had been around with a weapon and the training to use it appropriately. Taking away MY ability to buy or own a weapon isn't going to make this better. In fact, it will make the overall situation worse - it will make all our homes "gun-free zones" and safe for criminals. Besides - the old "assault weapons ban" wasn't about assault weapons, which are already very tightly controlled. It was about scary looking guns. The NEW bill being pushed would even ban Ruger 10-22s. For the uninitiated, that is a freaking PLINKING rifle that shoots rimfire .22 rounds. If you really believe the government is going to protect you enough to advertise to the world that you aren't armed, go for it. But don't ever make the mistake of assuming that the rest of us are going to join you.

[Neruo]

Taking away MY ability to buy or own a weapon isn't going to make this better. In fact, it will make the overall situation worse - it will make all our homes "gun-free zones" and safe for criminals.[/b] lol. Y'err be needin' ur gun to defend urself from the criminéls 'n such? Hm? Seriously, all the numbers speak against you, countries where you can't just buy guns have Way less deaths thanks to bullshit like shit. Try getting a few guns and tons and tons of ammo in Europe. Also, there is a name for a school with armed people guarding it, it is called a prison, or a concentration camp. (Exaggeration, yes, but still).

[Identity X]

Write your Congressman? WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN? AAARGH damn mucked up American grammar.... your whole nation should be ashamed! Signed, IdentityX, gun-free Englishman and part-time grammar whore

[Led]

Write your Congressman? WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN? AAARGH damn mucked up American grammar.... your whole nation should be ashamed! Signed, IdentityX, gun-free Englishman and part-time grammar whore [/b] I don't get it.

[eightyape]

[topic="http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/audio/detail.asp?ID=10101"]http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/audio/detail.asp?ID=10101[/topic] %!!!$@@Mthrfckrspolishitans

[Ynot]

just out of interest how old do you have to be to own a gun in the US? as opposed to say, buying a beer.....

[Oneironaut Zero]

just out of interest how old do you have to be to own a gun in the US? as opposed to say, buying a beer.....[/b] They flashed some of the Virginia state gun laws on the news yesterday. Something like "There are no laws against minors owning rifles, shotguns, etc." It didn't seem to single-out handguns, though, from what I saw. It also said "There are no laws against the selling of (above) to minors, ages 12 and over." Also: "There is no waiting list for the sale of firearms." That's all news, to me. Every place I've lived, I figured the legal age to be 18. But, now that I think of it, I'm not quite sure. =/ Legal drinking age is 21, by the way.

[Umbrasquall]

just out of interest how old do you have to be to own a gun in the US? as opposed to say, buying a beer.....[/b] 18 and above to own shotguns and rifles. 21 and above to own handguns and other guns. You need a special license to own civilian assault weapons, and another license and ex-military status to own military/automatic assault weapons. This all doesn't matter of course, because it's only limitations of owning a gun, not access to them.

[Burns]

You need a special license to own civilian assault weapons, and another license and ex-military status to own military/automatic assault weapons.[/b] I don't think that first part is true... We didn't need any special permits to buy our AK47 and AR15. You just can't have any prior felony convictions. As long as you are 21, and have a clean record, you can go do to your local gunshop and buy an assault rifle. There wasn't even a waiting period, if I'm remembering correctly. Legal assault weapons are semi-automatic. The max (legal) clip size is 5 rounds. Fully automatic weapons are illegal, unless, as Squall said, you have a special permit.

[pj]

I don't think that first part is true... We didn't need any special permits to buy our AK47 and AR15. You just can't have any prior felony convictions. As long as you are 21, and have a clean record, you can go do to your local gunshop and buy an assault rifle. There wasn't even a waiting period, if I'm remembering correctly. Legal assault weapons are semi-automatic. The max (legal) clip size is 5 rounds. Fully automatic weapons are illegal, unless, as Squall said, you have a special permit.[/b] An assault weapon, by definition, is full auto. You do need a special license, and you need to pay an annual fee to keep it. Again... the prior "assault weapons ban" was only about scary looking weapons. It didn't have a thing to do with real assault weapons, which weren't affected by it at all. If you are a weapons owner of any kind, you need to be aware of the new ban working its way through congress. They are calling it a "re-instatement" of the Clintoon era one, but it's not. This one should be frightening to anybody who exercises their 2nd amendment right to keep and bear.

[Burns]

An assault weapon, by definition, is full auto.[/b] The military versions are fully auto, but the ones civilians can buy in gunshops are semi-auto (though you can modify them to be fully-auto, but this is not legal since civilians cannot own fully-automatic weapons without a permit). But either way, they are considered assualt weapons. And actually, I take back what I said before - I think there was a 1 week waiting period. And I'm not sure what the laws are in other states, but in Michigan, you don't need a special permit to own an assualt rifle, as long as your record is clean. They might require permits in other states, like Squall was saying. I know that many people don't own guns for various reasons, but I'm of the the mind that it never hurts to know how to handle one, whether it be a handgun, shotgun, rifle, etc. You never knew what may happen in the future, and it's not a bad skill to have.

[Ynot]

well, if I lived in a country full of nutters carrying guns I'd sure want to arm myself against them you can't trust these gun-wielding loonies

[Seeker]

9mm Handgun with standard clips was what I heard. I am pretty sure you can buy those at Wal-Mart. Good luck writing your congressman, in the end its the big money that talks. I personally don't own any guns, not because I dislike or am afraid of them. There is just too much potential liability in having one around.