Guns Don’t Kill People, People Kill People!

Hey, if a criminal even thinks you are carrying a gun he'll leave you alone. That is why gun laws in towns cause crime rates to go up.
Hey, if it's illegal to own a gun a criminal thinks "law abiding citizens are fair game for mugging"! AND only the criminals will 'own' and have guns.

I dunno if we should promote gun ownership so much as promote safe usage and extensive psych and background checks.

Shoot responsibly. Ask questions first.

Imagine how airplane hijackings would stop if you handed out guns to everyone on board! A would be bad-guy wouldn't even be able to ring for an attendant without fear of being shot! (yes, extreme example to make a point)

Its a difficult issue and i believe neither extreme option is the answer. Our society has a lot to learn...

Guns don't kill people, bullets kill people

This may surprise some people, but I agree. Making guns illegal will not stop crime- criminals by defintition BREAK the law, so what do they care if guns are illegal?

I also don't know about "encouraging gun ownership", I don't think there is any reason for that. Some people are pacifists or refuse to touch guns and that's certainly their right as much as it's your right to carry one.

Once again, education is the key here, and I agree with Nettle about extensive background checks and whatnot. But all of this will not prevent criminals from taking advantage of the black market. All in all I think gun ownership is an individual's choice, one that should be made with a great deal of knowledge and sense of responsibility.

Our Founding Fathers did all they could to assure that we would always be able to protect ourselves, even from a runaway government. The right to own guns is a basic American right. Nuff said.

Why do people let politicians interpret the Constitution for us? I can read just fine and I have a right to own, carry, and use my firearms end of story. To take those rights from me would be treasonous.

If you took away guns from those who can legally obtain them, the only ones left would be those owned illegally, crime would sky rocket. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. Look at what Australia's crime rate did when they outlawed the right to own firearms over there. Crime went up something like 300% over night. If someobody wants to kill or harm someone else and there are no guns, they will find another weapoin to do the job.
People have the right to defend themselves and quite honestly that is just the end of it. I would rather be able to shoot somebody for charging me with a gun or knife to harm me or kill me, than I would want to get into a knife fight with them.

Can someone give me some links and sources to the claims that gun control laws increase crime?

A kid that lived down the street from me got killed. He decided to get a gun out and show it to a friend and was not suposed to. The other kid was playing with it and pointed at Emanuel and accidently shot and killed Emanuel. Emanuel and I had gone to school together and were friends.
I firmly believe in firearm safety being taught to children. My husband lets our boys help him clean his rifle, etc. Both boys have BB guns and pellet rifles. Both have shot .22 rifles, etc. They have had the experience of dealing with guns and are not curious in the least about guns. They know what they are. They know what people do with them. Hunt, etc. They know guns are not to be fooled with at all without me or their dad being right there with them. They have never and they are 10 and 7 now, never picked up or touched a gun out of curiosity or behind our backs. People act like children touching or looking at a gun is crime and then the kids know nothing about them and don't understand them. Kids are curious and learning. They want to know. Acting like it is wrong will only make them more interested. That is dangerous.
They need to know, at least then, if they should pick one up, they know not to point it at other people and to handle it with extreme care. I would rather they know about it, how to use it and what happens when the trigger is pulled than to be curious and try to play with one and end up killing themselves or somebody else.

that is quite a tough call on which option is better but i think that the encouragement of gun ownership will only make things worse. but you never know, maybe if everyone carries a gun, people will be more careful. there should a more thorough background check and more of an effort on promoting gun safety

GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

bullshit.

Guns make it far to easy to kill . You do not even have to look 'em in the eye . It is a cowards way - the path of the fearful .

Guns Don't kill people. How many guns have you seen jump up load themselves and pull their own trigger without a human on the other end? Let me guess, NONE.

As times get tougher, the world gets warmer, and people grow ever more over-crowded, responsible gun ownership and a willingness to use it will be what grants ones survival. Teach your children at a young age - gun safety, practice in gun use and care, quick and decisive threat evaluation, and shoot-to-kill targeting.

That is if you want to see them survive...

@DeliaTheArtist - OK, So you want some statistics, here we go!

Look at what happens when you make a LAW saying that you HAVE TO OWN A GUN!
http://www.rense.com/general9/gunlaw.htm

Go to Gun Law on this Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennesaw,_Georgia#Gun_law

Gun law
On May 1, 1982 the city passed an ordinance [Sec 34-1a] requiring every head of household to maintain a firearm together with ammunition. It was passed partly in response to a 1981 handgun ban in Morton Grove, Illinois. Kennesaw's law was amended in 1983 to exempt those who conscientiously object to owning a firearm, convicted felons, those who cannot afford a firearm, and those with a mental or physical disability that would prevent them from owning a firearm. It mentions no penalty for its violation. According to the Kennesaw Historical Society, no one has ever been charged under the ordinance, but it has still had the effect of reducing crime by at least 50%.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n15_v46/ai_15729634/

http://www.mcsm.org/kennesaw.html

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55288

http://kennesaw.ga.us/DocumentView.aspx?DID=131

When people have guns and people know about it the crime goes down. When you take away the guns from the people, then only the criminals have them and crime goes up.

False dichotomy.
Gun control advocates do not promote gun prohibition. All that is needed is a sensible policy where guns are always registered and gun ownership is closely monitored, with appropriate back ground checks and examinations for competency.

repeat after me... NO ONE IS BANNING GUN SALES!

Actually people with guns kill people. So play it safe like the military does. Get rid of both.