Tom,
that's a little iffy,
depends on the state and or Sheriff.
North Carolina State law will not allow you to shoot at a fleeing felon.
However both South Carolina and Georgia will allow the you to kill a fleeing felon"If a felony has been commited"Thats up to the lawyers.
In Texas if you kill a Texan the state will kill you right back.
My advise?Make sure the blood trail goes the right direction,or live in Texas.
Wholley.
The implementation of Uk style gun licensing is too late to work in the US to cut gun crime, as he number of guns already in circulation would make it impractical to enforce, with the diea of keeping them out of ciminals hands. I must also point out that wholley & whitey you seem to be listing violent crime & not specifcally gun crime if that's right your data isn't valid to this argument a distinction must be made. I don't think guns are too blame for Columbine or any massacre carried out in the states, I sadly do think though that something in the nations culture is partly to blame. Whilst a tormented kid probably would find it hard to get a gun here, he wouldn't find it hard to make a few bombs, or some improvised napalm etc. a knife or some such to wipe out a few pupils at school, however, you just don't really seem to hear of it. But many reasons could exist for this, US is much larger in pop. so therefore more people to do naughty things, but something exists in the culture of America. I do think some wepaons available to the public are ridiculous though, I mean e.g. who needs a .50 sniping rifle or an M60 MG, fun to shoot I suppose but extreme for the public domain don't you think.
I watched F 9/11 and I asked for my money back after the show.
If I want to see a fat man rant and rave for 2 and a half hours bringing up 3 points somewhat close to the truth I would watch John Candy in 'Canadian Bacon,' which I think was probably the best film directed by Michael Moore.
So whats the first thing that you did when you heard the planes struck the twin towers? First of all until that point I had never even heard of these towers until then, but my first reaction was shock I probably sat down and watched the planes crash about 5 or 6 times. So what if he didn't know what to do for 7 minutes the damage was done. I've seen people die in terrible ways but I was definatly more shocked and confused by what I saw on TV that morning.
I mean e.g. who needs a .50 sniping rifle or an M60 MG, fun to shoot I suppose but extreme for the public domain don't you think.
People who plan on maintaining a free republic and guys who like to shoot watermelons at the range. Duh. Read our Constitution and our history. America has a history of greedy maniacs who sometimes use their power against the people. Example is the war between the states, yeah we lost, but the federalist's paid a price they aren't willing to pay again anytime soon. Private arms made in your country by the way in the hands of ordinary citizens from farming back grounds kept a huge professional force at bey for 4 years. 2nd Amendment isn't about hunters rights, it is just the last of the checks and balances options.
but something exists in the culture of America.
Ghetto culture, drugs, 50% of marriages failed or more, women who want to be like men and all raising little bastards the state won't let anyone discipline.
Yeah we know what is wrong with it, you just have to look around, plus over population and illegal immigration and the crime that goes with it. Put a bunch of rats in a small cage and see what happens.
Ben,
I sort of liked 9/11 movie. Moore did some things you may not have caught, exposed some things anyway that are dangerous to the world and the US. The Patriot Act was written by a Vietnamese former commie exile and Congress doesn't read the laws they pass.
The role of America in the world acting on policy no one reads may prove , devestating? Perhaps someday?
Let them call me a rebel and I welcome it, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of demons were I to make a whore of my soul. (Thomas Paine)
Oh don't get me wrong, he did bring up some good points but at the same time the movie was a waste of my time if I want to see those points brought up I'll just watch the news, anytime the communist CBC is on you can see arguements made against Bush.
It was just a rant and reaffirmed my belief that Moore is the sleaziest man in America. Bush maybe wrong but at least he's doing something.
bigbart wrote:As much as I get what you're saying , Whitey, and to a certain point I do agree... Guns can not be blamed for Columbine any more than syringes can be blamed for heroin addiction. But I grew up in the UK, where guns and gun licenses are much harder to come by, and over here, you just don't hear of kids shooting each other. Okay, we've had a few massacres, but when things like that happen, we tighten the gun laws. Since the dunblane incident, it's been near impossible to get a handgun over here. You might disagree, but if the gun laws were the same in the USA as they are in the UK, I don't think Columbine would have happened. Those kids would have still been f*cked up, and they might have tried blowing the school up or something, but it's unlikely that those 15 people would be dead. (As we know, their bombs weren't too succesful)
Actually...i was watching a program on BBC Canada awhile back and it was interviewing English street hoods (faces blurred out) who were saying it's easier than ever to get guns. You think because of Dunblane and a man with history of mental problems you should tighten gun laws?? You think criminals care about gun laws??
Yes i do think criminals care about Gun Laws. If the Laws are Lenient then it is much easier for them to get a gun as apposed to a country that has tight laws.
I think that's true, Edwards, with one caveat. In the U.S., there are now too many guns to effectively control them. That battle got lost about 30 years ago. Best we can hope for is to try to control the urban assault weapons and require training of the people who buy guns. But the gun lobby opposes that, too, so there we are.
By the way, I read back through this thread, which started before I joined the board. I wanted to comment on one thing: the Columbine shootings. Turns out I have relatives in Littleton, CO where the shootings happened and have done a fair amount of business in Colorado.
I think Littleton is typical of many "edge" suburbs. Working parents in white-collar jobs. Long hours, high mortgages. Big houses on lots of an acre or two, which means people can live in an area without ever knowing or even speaking to their neighbors. Beyond that, my observation is that Colorado is one of the least community-minded places I've ever been and I've been to all 50 states.
There's this fantasy in the Western U.S. in general, that has reached its peak in Colorado: The individualist ethic. People are encouraged to think they do it all on their own and they really do. No one needs anyone else, nor do they need to care about anyone else. In Colorado, they don't even need police or courts. Their attitude is that everyone can arm themselves and if it gets to court he with the most expensive lawyer can buy his way out of it. It's really not very surprising to me that the school shootings would have happened in Littleton and Colorado.
By contrast, I lived for five years in Newton, Massachusetts, which is arguably the most liberal place in America. My congressman was Barney Frank. My street had nice houses on small lots. Everyone knew everyone else. Kids playing in the street. Some of the mothers had set up a table on the sidewalk and kept it out there all summer long. They'd get together every afternoon and sit and watch the kids play. The grade school was four blocks away. Moms and dads would go to the school plays and games.
The schools were a huge thing there. I knew someone who taught in the Newton schools, where among other things they did the whole diversity thing including gays, and he said that nothing happens in those classrooms that the teachers and administrators didn't know about. Ditto for the playgrounds. At least in Newton, a "trenchcoat mafia" would never exist without being closely monitored. And you simply wouldn't have the athletes pounding on the "goths" and calling them fags. No way, no how. Not just because of gay sensitivity, but because you don't get to pound on anyone.
People who think MA is some sort of loose liberal place where anything goes don't have a single clue about how that place really works. Say what you will, but they really don't screw around when it comes to the schools. Even in Boston, they're working hard to try to turn it around. They don't turn their backs on anything in Massachusetts, not like they do elsewhere. In that place, "liberal" means that problems get attended to, even if just to have people constantly bitch about how they're not being solved. Not a lot escapes notice.
I remember having a conversation with one of the mothers on my street one day. I remarked about the table and the kids in the street and what I had heard about the schools, and said, "I look around here and I know one thing: There won't be any school shootings in Newton."
Edwards159.
Strict"Gun laws"in the UK have led to increased violent and invasive crime.
As ,yes you guessed it,only criminals have guns.Don't give me the BS that gun laws restrict felons from obtaining guns,last time I checked sh*t rolls downhill,not up.
Contrary to what Snyder said legal gun ownership is controlled here,
Clinton era"Assault Style Weapons"bans achieved nothing.
New York states"Fingerprinting of new firearms"has cost the taxpayer millions of dollars and has netted not one firearm used in the commision of a crime.
In states that have enacted a "Right to carry concealed"law the violent crime rate has plummeted as the bad guy's don't know who's armed.
I know a little about this topic as I'm an ex Deputy Sheriff.
Wholley The Lone Ranger.
In states that have enacted a "Right to carry concealed" law the violent crime rate has plummeted as the bad guy's don't know who's armed.
Violent crime has dropped in most places in the United States, including New York City where the gun laws are quite strict and in Boston where gun ownership is strictly regulated and not very common. On a statewide basis, rates of murder and other violent crime are higher the farther south you go. Arizona is higher than Montana; Texas higher than North Dakota; Alabama higher than Indiana; Florida higher than Massachusetts or Vermont.
In states that have enacted a "Right to carry concealed" law the violent crime rate has plummeted as the bad guy's don't know who's armed.
Violent crime has dropped in most places in the United States, including New York City where the gun laws are quite strict and in Boston where gun ownership is strictly regulated and not very common. On a statewide basis, rates of murder and other violent crime are higher the farther south you go. Arizona is higher than Montana; Texas higher than North Dakota; Alabama higher than Indiana; Florida higher than Massachusetts or Vermont.
more massaged numbers from 'the source'. 'Reported' violent crime is what the general means ta say. If it ain't reported, it isn't there... right?
If the numbers are distorted, the question is whether or not the distortion factor has changed. If it hasn't, then you can make comparisons. Besides, there are a bunch of ways at the issue. There are not only crime reports but victimization surveys. They corroborate the decline in crime rates and the regional variations. You can also look at secondary factors, such as living patterns and real estate prices. And then there's common sense; anyone who has been going to NY City off and on for 25 years as I have knows how much it has changed.
I do honestly think that tighter gun laws prevent criminals obtaining guns. In UK it certainly proves. If the policies in the UK were the same as that in US i am confident that there would be a sharp increase in gun crime. Weapons are more accessible. Also i think alot of the gun crime in the US is down to the culture and the Gun Hoe attitude. A little bit of this was shown in Bowling for Columbine. Belief it or not but there are groups in America who dress ups in army clothes, Purchase weapons and run around in the woods, setting up ambushes etc. I mean there's got to be something wrong somewhere.
I think Littleton is typical of many "edge" suburbs. Working parents in white-collar jobs. Long hours, high mortgages. Big houses on lots of an acre or two, which means people can live in an area without ever
. . . . .
I remarked about the table and the kids in the street and what I had heard about the schools, and said, "I look around here and I know one thing: There won't be any school shootings in Newton."
That was a really interesting post, Synder. Thank you much.
We are "new location shopping." Any recommendations?
I do honestly think that tighter gun laws prevent criminals obtaining guns. In UK it certainly proves. If the policies in the UK were the same as that in US i am confident that there would be a sharp increase in gun crime. Weapons are more accessible. Also i think alot of the gun crime in the US is down to the culture and the Gun Hoe attitude. A little bit of this was shown in Bowling for Columbine. Belief it or not but there are groups in America who dress ups in army clothes, Purchase weapons and run around in the woods, setting up ambushes etc. I mean there's got to be something wrong somewhere.
In the US, there is no lack of laws. Just total lack of any meaningful enforcement of most anything. Except for when we have a "new problem of the moment." Like the War on Terra. Then we go insane the other direction. So we pretty much bounce between half-assed neglect and half-assed over-zealous insanity.
Everyone knows there is "something" not right, but there is no concensus on what. The only time we get half-way together is when we can find some (usually not guilty of the charge) "enemy" to attack.
And the top is not a whole lot more sane than the bottom. But while the bottom only does dress-up and run around in the woods, the top dogs have nukes.
