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[misko27]

But my understanding here is that the killer was using perfectly legal guns, specifically two handguns.

I just felt like correcting this. It was three handguns, and a assult rifle.Most of the deaths were attributed to the rifle.

[PanH]

I think we could probably agree that sometimes having a gun would increase your chances of surviving an encounter, and that sometimes it would make things worse.   

I don't know how improving the lethality of an encounter could end well for any side. Or do you feel like rolling a dice to see who of the criminal/citizen die ?

[Sonlirain]

Hey guys we almost had 2 new shootings happen today.
One happened in a hospital in Birmingham Alabama but was prematurely stopped by 2 polecemen who shot the idiot (but not before he managed to wound one of them and 2 other people).

The other nearly happened in Bartlesville Oklahoma where a student bought a gun and made several explosives.
Being the idiot he was he decided to have his friends gather people in the gym so he could shoot them all and blow the place up before the police arrived.
The friends obviously told the police and the whole thing was avoided.

Obviously guns should be easier to get.

[Leafsnail]

If the burglar has good reason to assume she's armed, they'll go to the next house.

This here is the problem.  Guns might make criminals go somewhere else, but they'll still go somewhere.  And they'll be better armed.  It's a massive version of the prisoner's dilemna with thousands of victims.

Although actually confronting a criminal with a gun doesn't always increase your survival chances really

[ToonyMan]

If I could choose between everybody having guns for safety or nobody having guns for safety...I think nobody should have guns.

[Urist_McDrowner]

If I could choose between everybody having guns for safety or nobody having guns for safety...I think nobody should have guns.

Even if that were possible, it isn't.

But I just realized. "Wait a minute, this is a free society! I don't have to explain why I should have guns, you have to explain why I shouldn't!"

So, anti gun crowd, explain these details away.

1. Lower Swiss Homicide rate than rest of Europe.
2. Lower N.H and Vt. homicide rates than the vast majority of Europe, despite it being easier to get guns there than even the South. (Source for murder rate: http://www.infoplease.com/us/statistics/crime-rate-state.html. and the international homicide rate for the rest. Source for gun accessibility: Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.). Oh, and those states are fairly population dense.

Because until you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that guns are harmful, you can't take my right away.

[Loud Whispers]

Because until you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that guns are harmful, you can't take my right away.

Please do go on proving easy access to weapons aren't harmful.

You're not providing a good case.

[Leafsnail]

I think at least 3 people have explained Switzerland to you and if you're allowed to cherry pick two places out of fifty you can obviously get a result that suits you.

[Owlbread]

Gun control is pointless, just set up cage traps in every school hallway in the country. Hell, it works for us.

[Darvi]

I'm game. Tell me where you live, I'll come over and shoot you. Then you can tell me yourself if you were harmed or not.

[Urist_McDrowner]

Because until you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that guns are harmful, you can't take my right away.

Please do go on proving easy access to weapons aren't harmful.

You're not providing a good case.

This is a free society. Things are legal until they're a danger. Explaining those two facts is necessary to show a significant enough danger.

[fqllve]

Because until you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that guns are harmful, you can't take my right away.

Your right to own a handgun without having to provide proof of safe storage or having to undergo mandatory safety training?

Because do you realize that is increased gun control, right?

Turns out not all forms of gun control are the Manichean strawmen you're arguing against.

[Owlbread]

We seem to be discussing the dangers of guns and the merits of gun control rather a lot, but thus far nobody seems to have put forward a proposal. Exactly what should the US government do right now? Should they ban all handguns? Automatic weapons? Make guns illegal full stop?

[Urist_McDrowner]

Because until you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that guns are harmful, you can't take my right away.

Your right to own a handgun without having to provide proof of safe storage or having to undergo mandatory safety training?

Because do you realize that is increased gun control, right?

Turns out not all forms of gun control are the Manichean strawmen you're arguing against.

Can you show that it would help? Again, this is a free society. Why is New Hampshire safer than the UK?

[Loud Whispers]

*There is no fear of getting shot in the face in the UK.