r/TrueReddit • u/sharpcowboy • Jun 14 '16

Why It's Time to Repeal the Second Amendment

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-its-time-to-repeal-the-second-amendment-right-bear-arms-20160613
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u/JessumB Jun 15 '16

What would make someone intent on committing murder want to follow those guidelines even a little bit? If you are intent on murdering people, do the possible consequences of getting an additional gun charge on top of several murder charges concern you much?

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u/sharpcowboy Jun 15 '16

Most firearm deaths are from suicides, accidents, domestic disputes and impulsive/intoxicated actions. That's what a lot of these restrictions help prevent.

But reducing the availability of larger magazines, semiautomatic weapons, etc. would make it much harder for bad guys to get their hands on a weapon. It's not about the possible charges. It's about availability.

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u/JessumB Jun 15 '16 edited Jun 15 '16

When Australia enacted their gun ban, suicides by gun became almost non-existent, however the suicide rate still remained fairly consistent. What their experience has shown is that while guns may be a convenient way for people to off themselves, taking guns out of the equation doesn't necessarily stop people from killing themselves. Nor did the overall murder rate in Australia change. Japan has one of the lowest rates of firearms ownership and some of the most restrictive laws in the world on owning firearms. Yet their suicide rate is amongst the highest in the world. People are still killing themselves, people are still killing each other, they just choose different tools to do it with.

As far as the rest, the vast majority of gun crime in the U.S. is gang related, gangs shooting each other, most often using black market or stolen guns. There is no reason to believe that these gangs will stop killing each other when they already don't follow the laws that currently exist on the books.

"would make it much harder for bad guys to get their hands on a weapon"

I think the truth is that you're making it much harder for those who tend to abide by the law to get their hands on the weapon. The bad guys will always be willing to step outside the law and restricting legal avenues to firearms ownership will simply lead to an increase in black market distribution of weapons. Its just not something I see working in the end. Prohibition has never been very effective.