Would you turn in your guns if...

[JCF]

... it could be proven, absolutely and beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the elimination of private firearm ownership would result in 95% decrease in the national violent crime rate? Let's pretend for a moment that national security, etc. concerns are non-issues, and not a compelling influence.

Yes... I know; it cannot be proven, there is no guarantee that everyone else will turn their guns in in, etc. This is just a purely hypothetical question.

It has often been argued that gun owners legitimate their ownership of weapons under the guise of concern for public safety, while in fact they actually engage in behavior which directly compromises the safety and well-being of society. It is argued that they actually exercise self-interest with complete disregard for public safety.

Added: I know your guns have no effect on the crime rate, I know criminals would not relinquish their weapons, I know it isn't possible to make the world safe, and I know firearms prohibition is a quick road to tyranny and oppression.

I am asking the question as a pure hypothetical however: everything else being equal and unchanged, if it could be proven (I know it can't) that your guns are a danger to society, and turning them in would all but eliminate violent crime (I know it won't), would you turn them in?

So... hypothetically:

If you were convinced that turning in your guns would make the world a safer place, if it could be proven to you, would you turn them in?

 

[.38 Special]

My guns have no effect on the crime rate.

 

[ProguninTN]

No

I would not turn them in. Crime rate goes down, tyranny and usurption of rights goes up.

 

[AJAX22]

No, I enjoy shooting, hunting, and the mechanical propertys of firearms.

And while the world may be a nice happy gun free place after 'all' the guns were turned in, people killed eachother for centuries with knives and clubs.

The only thing that I know for certain, is that a gun in my hands will be used in a safe responsible manner. I cannot controll how guns are used in the outside world. If anything, it is my responsibility as a good citizen to make sure that as many of these are in (My) safe hands as possible.

 

[Geronimo45]

The premise is invalid. It does not compute that the law-abiding turning in their guns will make anything but criminals and would-be tyrants safer. Besides, my guns are for target shooting, not just SD.
The criminals can turn in their guns, and I'll do my part to reduce violent crime by turning in criminals.

 

[JCF]

I know your guns have no effect on the crime rate, I know criminals would not relinquish their weapons, I know it isn't possible to make the world safe, and I know firearms prohibition is a quick road to tyranny and oppression.

I am asking the question as a pure hypothetical however: everything else being equal and unchanged, if it could be proven (I know it can't) that your guns are a danger to society, and turning them in would all but eliminate violent crime (I know it won't), would you turn them in?

 

[DKSuddeth]

I, and my fellow citizens, are the best defense of a free state. I will not give up my gun(s).

 

[.38 Special]

My guns are a danger to society only if *I* am a danger to society. If such be proven I would certainly surrender both my guns and myself.

As it is, though, I'm just a quiet and friendly gun nut who's a danger to nothing but paper targets and the occasional wild boar.

But thanks for asking!

 

[hexidismal]

Within the bounds of your impossible hypothetical, yes, yes I would. Now before anyone says thats crazy, keep in mind that the previous responses to this poll are not answering the question. If turning in my guns, would somehow make a magic genie or something eliminate all crime, then of course I'd do it. Since it's not possible, they'll have to pry them from my cold dead hands.

 

[JCF]

Hexidismal... thank you for reading the question

 

[10-Ring]

What guns?

 

[kludge]

No.

Government, not crime, as history shows, is the biggest danger to society.

Left alone the community will get rid of their own crime problem. We have been sold a bill of goods if we think the government can do anything to stop crime.

Crime will stop when the community will no longer tolerate it and gets rid of the perpetrators.

Jails are not "correctional institutions" they are the breedings grounds.

 

[.45&TKD]

Your question is based on a false premise.
It is not true, therefore it can not be proven.

I think this is the worst hypothetical thread ever started.
You sound like an anti-.

 

[RNB65]

Government, not crime, as history shows, is the biggest danger to society.

+1 I could not agree more.

 

[Chris Rhines]

If you were convinced that turning in your guns would make the world a safer place, if it could be proven to you, would you turn them in?

I don't care about making the world a safer place. I don't care about the greater good, social justice, civic duty, or any of the other rephrasings of altruistic swill.

I will never turn in my guns.

- Chris

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

sure...

 

[Geronimo45]

Even considering the initial premise to be true, no. There's still 5% that's still unaccounted for, and there's still the government to worry about. The 20th century wasn't the best time to be a civvie. I don't expect this one to be much different.

 

[Axman]

I'll gladly turn in the bullets to whoever wants to try and take my guns. The empty shell casings I'll keep!

 

[Glockfan.45]

No. Need I say more?

Aside from the original statement being 100% invalid, my guns are more than just for self-defence. I hunt, enjoy target/clay shooting on a weekly basis (to me its like golf is to some), and appreciate the mechanical, as well as asthetic value of a nice gun. I even have one that was passed to me from my Grandfather, that was passed on to him by his father. I would never turn that one in, it may not be worth much money but it is the most valuable to me, and I plan to pass it on to my grandson some day.

 

[Green Lantern]

Something this dude named Franklin once said, about trading liberty for security is a bum deal...

And anyway like Geronimo said...you said 95% I'm not much of a gambling man...

 

[Ryder]

No. I am part of that public and my safety is provided for with a gun. I don't see how my safety as part of the public can be provided for better without one.

 

[Ed Ames]

Within the bounds of the question.... no. I would rather run the risk of being a crime victim, or for that matter one of the 1500 people a year (or whatever it is) that are accidentally shot due to negligence. Safety is not a reason for existence... exploration, adventure, passion, discovery -- these legitimize life. Safety may facilitate some of those... but it isn't a goal in itself.

 

[DirtyBrad]

Funny how it's nearly impossible for people to stay within the bounds of the question.

I think it's a pointless question because it's an impossible situation for obvious reasons. "Would you rape an 8-year old if it would make society safer?" Seems more relevant to look at the motivation of the questioner than the actual question.

 

[AJAX22]

I think we can agree that its a B**L S**T question, and can only provide ammuntion for the anti's.

 

[cloudedice]

I'd turn in my guns if they gave me much more than they were worth. Then I could spend the profit on more guns.