Come on, Matt, you know you haven't had a 'humble' opinion in your life!!!

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

OK, now I am confused. Is there or is there not more violent crime there?

As far as "perpetuating" violence, I think you'll find that the vast majority of people who are licensed to carry engage in absolutely no violence.

From time to time, I carry a firearm when I am out and about. Nobody knows it is there, and I have never drawn it.

How, exactly, is that "perpetuating" violence?

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Just like that, eh? You seem to think that people are responsible just because they have a clear criminal record, bullshit. There have been quite a few road rage cases where legal gun owners have shoot at each others cars in traffic.
Better gun control and harsher punishments for carrying without a permit might help.

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It all comes down to this on election day: Are you a racist, or do you look down on spastics?

We've tried that and it has not worked. Look at Washington D.C, crime is through the roof. The criminal mindset does not take into consideration the consequences of their actions and most criminals don't care about getting caught because they actually function better in prison. Gun control has no effect on criminals because the illegal gun trade is almost completely separate from the legal gun trade. Laws have no effect on the black market. As long as criminals demand firearms, other criminals will provide them. You can shut down every gun store in this country, but it will become no more difficult for a criminal to obtain a weapon.

Um, no. In most jurisdictions, you cannot have a loaded firearm in the car without a carry permit.

The folks you are talking about (and I doubt it is 'quite a few') are not carrying legally.


Fine, but what does that have to do with a law abiding, licensed citizen carrying a gun?

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Matt, Australia is considered to be one of the most law-abiding countries in the world. I'm not saying that there isn't violent crime, there is, just as there is in the US. On the other hand we do not consider our nation to be a violent one. Apart from a few nutters, and we have our share of them as well, I doubt anyone in Oz sees the need to go armed. This is the difference between our two countries.

Some do want to keep their guns for hunting. Gun carrying is a non-issue here.

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

This is news to me. As far as I am aware there has been a few half-hearted efforts for gun control but the groundswell from the NRA and like-minded groups seems to have put a stop to any viable gun control.

Of course criminals will get guns, but making it harder and harder for them to do so could be an answer. For a start, gun owners being more responsible would help. Look how easy it has been for those children to get guns.

Anyway, I haven't seen any new arguments for gun carrying, as this isn't the only debate I have engaged in re gun control. Much of it is just re-hashed bullshit from an NRA brochure.

Silly bloody Heston with his 'cold dead hand' piffle, and children are being mourned.

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

Carring a gun should be a PERSONAL choice, law shouldn't enter into it.

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What you don't know, won't hurt you nearly as bad, as what you think you know that ain't true.

That is because there are no new arguments. I have never seen a reasonable argument that supports gun control. When has any sort of prohibition of anything ever worked? When has infringing on rights ever made for a better society? It is not the government's responsibility to be looking over our shoulder for us. We have to accept what life throws at us for the sake of maintaining our freedom. Part of living in a free society is accepting that there will be those who abuse their rights. Authoritarianism is easy and works well, but I will take freedom.

Yes, i carry 2. Its not all the time these days, less often when i'm home in the states but when i'm overseas generally all the time, there's more of an aoura surrounding it and more an issue though which can be a hinderace as most countries round the world don't allow for possession of firearms.

So I am assuming that you don't pay taxes because you make your own roads, educate your own children, have built your own hospital, etc etc. So you feel that industry should pollute the atmosphere without their rights being infringed by government control, you like a 'russian roulette' type of world where all control is passed to the individual.

Well, that would be a world where an individual would have NO control. Not even over his own property, let alone that of his community, because there wouldn't be one! Someone or some others could just come along and take it off him.

Arkansas, is that where 'squeal like a pig' is the state motto? Anyway, enjoy yr 'freedom'!

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

Ummm! if you come to Australia, Traveler - leave it at home. It will only be taken off you anyway. In fact, you may not even be able to stay, they might ship you right back home.

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

As for new arguments for gun control - I think the old ones are good enough. Dead children and mourning parents.

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

Overseas where? Which other countries would allow you to carry a gun - it cant be here in Europe.

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It all comes down to this on election day: Are you a racist, or do you look down on spastics?

Following this logic we need to ban cars, knives, baseball bats, alcohol, and most household cleaning chemicals. You're right, the old arguments are the best.

There are millions of responsible gun owners over here. I am one of them. I vote pro-gun and give to the NRA. Because I want to remain a gun owner.

I keep explaining, but I don't know why I am expecting a lady on the other side of the earth to understand.

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If common sense were common, we would all have it (including me).