[Mekanik]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Mekanik's post is a good read, and I couldn't agree more. Your's too Tactical Lever. I've quit arguing with those that are pro-ban or restrictions. Too many better things to do with my time, like go and shoot my guns for instance.

Nothing wrong with healthy discussion with anyone, regardless of their bent as long as it's reasonable. I believe that by reasoning with people, the truth tends to come out and there's middle ground found. We all love our firearms here. Some just love different kinds. Some people who are "antis" by nature, education, or experience have never really thought their position through and should you actually challenge them in an intelligent, respectful manner, I believe progress can be made. If not, we've still resisted.

To me, the shame is that if you take the last few months, the ones that've seriously hit the news, the two in Toronto and one in Colorado, you need to remember that the firearms in Toronto were hand guns and the ones in Aurora were semi automatic rifle, a shotgun, and a hand gun. None of these firearms are prohibitted in Canada, there are hundreds, if not thousands of the specific type used in all three shootings and let's be honest, really, how many incidences in Canada versus how many law abiders?

I ask again (not of you gitrdun), banning these particular firearms, how are they going to stop these crimes from occuring? Will it make you feel better? Feel safer? What are your criteria for choosing these specific firearms? Appearance? Their similarities in firing design or heritage in action or chambering? Will you sit with a catalogue of pictures and point and go, "nope" "not this one" and "that one's okay" Because when you look at the prohibitted list, in some cases, those examples have already happened.

What happens when someone smuggles one up from mexico or in a container into the country and they end up in the hands of someone who has every intention of using them? I'm not arguing self-defence law or the use of firearms as a means of protecting us from the bogeyman having his own firearm, I'm saying that those who will use these firearms to harm "us" have no intention of behaving legally. They will use whatever means necessary to inflict harm, regardless of what we do to the definition and listing of firearms.

At the end of that time, once again, I state, you have not made anyone safer in reality, just appearence and in a touchy feely sort of way. You've restricted the liberty and rights of your fellow enthusiasts for a noble purpose but at the end of the day, for no result and failed to address the problem. The problem is with people who have no regard for your safety, mine, or any one else and they will do you harm in whatever method they have at hand.

Until we have ways of appropriately dealing with the people who commit these crimes, no amount of firearm control will ever be effective beyond making you feel safer.