Is the second amendment outdated?

[vern_humphrey]

I am very happy with our gun control laws thank you very much. And most of the people who live here that I know want to keep those laws in place. None of my neighbors are calling for guncontrol to be repealed. In fact many of them are part of the increase the peace inititative. The people here (aside from the thug wannabes) are very against guns to the point of restriction of any imigry in school that reference violence. Alot of Urban kids like to waer Scarface shirts to school, many with him holding a machine gun. Needless to say, kids are reprimanded immediately and are told to turn the shirt inside out or go home. For those who didn’t know, Our basket ball team was called the BULLETS before there was a huge inititative to change the name to the washington Wizards. It seems DC has bad luck when it comes to choosing names. We are indeed still getting flak about our NFL team as well. Point is, People in DC do not think like ppl in texas. We live very very very VERY close to one another and it’s easy for tension to escalate. add guns to the mix and all Hell breaks loose. And yes there is some crime but. We are NOT the murder capital of the world anymore. If it was All those rich Suburbanites from Virginia wouldn’t be moving back here to live in all the expensive apartments with gouged prices that the original working class tenants can no longer afford. The major issue with crime in DC all boils down to this:Social Class. It’s always been social class and it will continue to be the main issue until something drastic is done about it. Gun control laws will stay, but the poverty induced crime will simply move to Maryland where guns ARE legal.

First of all, gun laws in Maryland are still quite restrictive.

Secondly, the areas with the strict gun control laws somehow seem to be the high crime areas.

Third, areas where people are allowed to be armed somehow seem to be the low crime areas.

Fourth, when “shall issue” laws are passed (allowing any citizen without a criminal record to carry a gun), violent crime goes down, not up.

Fifth, there is a Constitution. If Constitutional rights can simply be ignored – as in the case of the 2nd Amendment, what assurance is there that other Constitutional rights, such as freedom of speech, right to trial by jury, and so on will not also be ignored?

The answer is, none. The techniques used to vitiate one civil right can be used to vitiate all civil rights.

 

[Swan]

First of all, gun laws in Maryland are still quite restrictive.

Secondly, the areas with the strict gun control laws somehow seem to be the high crime areas.

Third, areas where people are allowed to be armed somehow seem to be the low crime areas.

Fourth, when “shall issue” laws are passed (allowing any citizen without a criminal record to carry a gun), violent crime goes down, not up.

Fifth, there is a Constitution. If Constitutional rights can simply be ignored – as in the case of the 2nd Amendment, what assurance is there that other Constitutional rights, such as freedom of speech, right to trial by jury, and so on will not also be ignored?

The answer is, none. The techniques used to vitiate one civil right can be used to vitiate all civil rights.

Vern, I don’t know what to say. Just when I thought we agreed on not one single thing, you go and prove me wrong. Maybe that means that stereotyping is a bad idea.

I’m the only liberal I know who is against gun control. It is a bad idea. That bumper sticker “if guns were outlawed only outlaws would have guns” is exactly correct. I think we should liberalize our gun laws and let people arm themselves. I’m a petite woman living in a big city. I think I’d be a less likely target if the thugs realized I might have a gun and would shoot back (or shoot first). As it is now, since I obey the law and don’t carry a gun, they know I’m not armed. Great. And criminals will always be able to get guns - just like they get drugs or any other “contraband”.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Vern, I don’t know what to say. Just when I thought we agreed on not one single thing, you go and prove me wrong. Maybe that means that stereotyping is a bad idea.

I’m the only liberal I know who is against gun control. It is a bad idea. That bumper sticker “if guns were outlawed only outlaws would have guns” is exactly correct. I think we should liberalize our gun laws and let people arm themselves. I’m a petite woman living in a big city. I think I’d be a less likely target if the thugs realized I might have a gun and would shoot back (or shoot first). As it is now, since I obey the law and don’t carry a gun, they know I’m not armed. Great. And criminals will always be able to get guns - just like they get drugs or any other “contraband”.

Perhaps we can also agree that the Constitution means what it says, and we have to either follow it or amend it.