RevDisk
Member
My post. Bit lengthy, but oh well.
I'm sure you could come up with many statistics regarding gun control. Some for gun control, others disproving it.
Such statistics are rather meaningless. Without "Due Process", I'm sure many more criminals would be in jail. Without freedom of speech, there would be less hate speech. Without a trial by jury, I'm sure society would be much more orderly. I'm sure we'd have a lot less contriversial subjects if freedom of the press was removed from the Bill of Rights.
None of that matters. The US is not a pure democracy, it is a constitutional Republic. Specifically, civil liberties cannot be removed by a 51 percent vote. Such laws can be passed, and often are. They are illegal, and unfortunately our Judicial branch often (but not always) upholds them. This does not make such laws legal or proper, even if they are enforced regardless.
I own firearms for a couple reasons. One is keeping in practice, because firearms are a part of my work. Another is recreation. I enjoy shooting. I also have a CCW license, so I can carry a concealed handgun if I wish to do so. Do I need to carry a gun everywhere? Nope. I can choose when and how I exercise my civil liberties.
Plus, guns are here. Removing them from society would not just be a violation of the Second Amendment, but also the Fourth amendment (right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures) and Fifth amendment (nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation). One could argue that the Sixth, Seventh, Nineth and Tenth amendments can or could apply.
Do you wish to strip away your right to be secure from unreasonable search and seizure? Due process? I assure you, gun confiscation would be impossible without destroying both of these amendments even before the second amendment was questioned.
Ah, but that's just the theoretical. Now the practical. You would have to locate every gun in America, and take private property away from their lawful owner. Mind you. You'd have to be depriving gun owners of their property. Most gun owners are not very skilled with firearms. (ie, trained in combat or tactics) However, a significant percentage are VERY skilled with firearms. Many law enforcement personnel are gun owners themselves. A significant percentage of police would not comply, and would assist non-LEO gun owners in varying degrees.
The military is legally forbidden from law enforcement except under specific circumstances. Confiscating private property is not one of those exceptions. Not to meantion, in a poll conducted by the military, 70% said they would not obey such orders. It's a sad statement that 30% would, but I do not think that 30% would question the 70% and would quickly fall in line. If the govt ordered the military to turn on its citizens, many would mutiny. Others would simply not comply.
Few rational people would even consider asking UN personnel to assist in the confiscation of private property of American citizens. But just out of curiousity, I asked a small sampling of UN police officers and military personnel if they would follow orders to confiscate guns from Americans. To a man, they individually said they would refuse. They believed they would be quickly slaughtered. I agree with their assessment.
The US has been very kind in providing me in training of firearms. I have fired several hundred thousand rounds through assault rifles. Real assault rifles, capable of automatic fire, not "evil looking black rifles". I would not need to start off with a gun to cause havok. I've kindly been taught how to 'obtain' firearms if I need them, make explosives, etc etc. At worst, I can manufacture my own. It's not as hard as you think. At best... heh. I doubt you want to know the details. Don't think I am some rare case. I am far from alone. Hundreds of thousands of American citizens are much more skilled than I. A good number of them have never been a police officer or served in the military.
All of this is just chest beating anyways. On both sides. Guns are here to stay. They are codified in our legal system, and would be impossible to remove from the citizenry. Deal with it.
Go ahead and say what you will about gun confiscation. Freedom of speech and all that. It's not practical, nor is it legal, to remove guns from the US. Gun control is annoying, counter-productive and harmful. But it does little except harass law abidding citizens. It does not deter criminals, nor is it intended to do so.