Gun Control: South African Style...

[solinvictus]

Worried Citizens Arm Themselves Using Archaic Weapons
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=757&e=1&u=/nm/20050317/od_nm/crime_safrica_crossbows_dc

[alwynsw]

1. How many times has this scenario been predicted in the gungeon?

Just shows to go ya. Both crooks and honest people will find a way to defend themselves.

It's a damned shame that the crooks - as predicted in this very forum - are better armed.

[enfield collector]

2. another victory for gun control...not

[Pert_UK]

3. For what it's worth.......

you'd never hear me arguing against law-abiding members of South African society being able to buy guns. This is because SA has one of the highest numbers of murders, assaults and rapes anywhere in the world, and where there is a genuine and realistic chance that general citizens will find themselves in a violent situation that they could not have avoided.

I do not believe that the same applies in the UK, and I doubt that it really applies in the US. South Africa is a wonderful country but unfortunately its crime is completely out of control.

Having said all that, it's only recently that one of SA's world class rugby players shot one of his children dead when she tried to sneak off in the family car early one morning and he thought it was being stolen.......Yes, it was his fault but it would never have happened if he hadn't had a gun.

[Township75]

4. on your last point...

"Having said all that, it's only recently that one of SA's world class rugby players shot one of his children dead when she tried to sneak off in the family car early one morning and he thought it was being stolen.......Yes, it was his fault but it would never have happened if he hadn't had a gun."

I don't doubt it would never have occured if the father hadn't owned a gun. But by the same logic, don't you also believe that maybe on of the SAa who was murdered/raped/assualted would not have been had they been able to protect themselves with a firearm?

[Pert_UK]

6. Errrrrrr........what?

Didn't I just explicitly post that I thought that South Africans should be allowed to own guns in order to defend themselves?

I think I did......and then I pointed out one negative aspect of having an armed citizenry.

[Township75]

7. what you wrote was..

"you'd never hear me arguing against law-abiding members of South African society being able to buy guns."

which just states you never argued against them owning guns, which isn't the same as supporting their right to own guns...also, merely not arguing against something doesn't mean support for its opposite.

Anway, I think we can just both agree that the good people of SA should be allowed to own firearms, and leave it at that.

[Pert_UK]

8. OK then.........

Sorry. In the UK, the expression, "Well, you won't hear me Xing...." is used as ironic understatement to affirm the contrary.

E.g.

"You won't hear me complaining about a tax cut" = "I'm in favour of this tax cut"
"You won't hear me backing Tony Blair in the next election" = "I am against Tony Blair"

I didn't realise it wasn't the same in the US.

[goju]

5. I dont know

If I lived on the ugly side of the tracks in some place like DC or Atlanta or Chicago or LA, with a wife and kids, I dont think I would be too encouraged by your assessment of the danger. Id just as soon be able to make that decision or assessment myself.

[hollowdweller]

9. I don't feel unsafe, but I'm hoping for good weather

So I can go out in my yard tomorrow and crank a few rounds out of my CZ52. I own a lot of pistols but this has got to be one of the cheapest and funnest to shoot of any I have ever owned. Surplus ammo is cheap too!