From our conception as a nation the world has been waiting for the U.S. To 'implode'. We are still here.
Unless you live here, with all of our troubles and successes, you will never understand our culture. All you have to go on is the pablum that the media feeds you from afar.
Different parts of our nation have different cultures. We have a few things in common, however. Our 'Inaleinable rights". Our constitution (have you read it?) garantees those rights in writing. It is the glue that holds us together. It is something we are proud of. Not all things "written in stone" are bad.To remove it would cause the very "implosion that Anthony writes of.
The "pandora's box" of firearms ownership was let out at this countries conception. The firearms culture will not go away. To try to legislate it away will cause the "implosion". There are over 70 million Firearms owners in America. 99.999999999% of these folks are desent, law abiding citizens just going about their lives.
I pray that those who have lost loved ones can find peace, and understand that this was the act of a madman. I am glad he didn't drive a gas tanker into the building or pull something like Mcvey did.
We have our problems here in the States, and violence is one of the biggest.

Wayne

Thanks Anthony, that brings us right back to my original question: what is the need to carry a gun?

With the arguments on this so far all I see is the same thing. What if I get whacked over the head by some fruitcake.... I need a gun to protect myself.....etc etc. In my opinion that's no way to live, always watching over your shoulder. In some ways it's understandable for people with PTSD to think this way but this isn't normal. This is one of the things that is bad about PTSD, hypervigolence etc. If there are 70 million people in the states that feel the need to have a gun then there are a hell of a lot of paranoid people there aren't there?

I understand when people first immigrated to America there was more lawlessness and a greater need for individuals to carry guns. Is the constitution from this period? When does it date from? Why isn't it out of date now?

For me bearing an firearm is same as using my seatbelts in the car, abeying stop signs on the road, locking my house door before going away, shutting down candles before go to bed, keeping a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit in my house and in my car, and so on. Yes, only a small minority if people get fire in their vehichles (by the way, I did get it once), but in a case of fire, an extinguisher can save you life. Yes, a harricain is not likely to hurt us, but I still keep stuff I may need in a case of a natural disaster. If you will see how many people keep fire extinguishers, first aid kits, or hurricain kits, you will be surprised of how many schizophrenics are around! By the way, none of those things are used unless needed. And the criminal's life worths nothing in the country where everyone can make enough money for food!
I live in a non-safe area and want to be prepared for as many unexpected situations as I can. Attack by someone is one of such situations. We were already broken in, and I want whoever wants to do it again to know that this house owners are prepared.
The reason to carry a firearm: I need to protect my life and my honor.
But if you want to thing that this is a schizophrenia, feel free to do so. This is a freedom of speach and thinking, right?

What is meant by 'your honour'?

If someone breaks into my house it is a matter of an honor for me to put them out even if I have to give my life for that. Same is for attacking my family members.
Again: I NEED to have a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, a hurricain kit, and a gun even knowing that fires, accidents, natural disasters and attacks are rare.

do you mean kill them? Sorry, what do you mean 'put them out'?

We all have varying oppinions on this. I can understand both sides. We must understand each others personal thoughts and feelings and be careful not to hurt one another. We will never convince each other the opposing views. It is a matter of emotions and thoughts built up over both culture and personal experience.
Clair, I hope you do not believe that just because my husband owns fire arms he is an unstable paranoid person. That is hurtful to me. I feel like both my community and my country have been insulted. When I explained why we carry guns I never said people or nations who do not carry guns are stupid or naive. I only told of my own knowledge. I respect the UK. My country would not be here if it were not for the colonization brought forth by England. England is like a former parent nation to us in which we have a great deal of respect as our alleys. We also greatly respect our alleys the Austrailians.
Anthony, I do greatly understand your concern about unstable people owning firearms. It is a travesty when a gun owner commits suicide. Again I say, I wish this were a world where there were no guns. I understand, I really do. But I also understand Linda, Wayne and the others who have expressed their ideas and beliefs. And I believe if I am not mistaken that what Linda means about "Honor" is that if some crazy person broke into her house to rape her she would want to be able to protect herself and not have to be violated by a perpetrator because the police where too slow at showing up. The police here in the United States always shows up after the fact when a person's life has already been violated. I care about your feelings Claire and I do hope nothing I have said has hurt you or made you feel angry at me. I just want us all to be at peace with one another. You asked a question and folks answered the best they knew how. Perhaps there will be others from the USA who would believe more as you do. Do not feel alone in your oppinion regarding gun ownership. Many share your view and their ideas and thoughts are just as lagitimate as those on the side of gun ownership.

Love & Care
Marilyn S.

Normally, I have nothing to do with these "political" threads; however, I had to comment on that one line.

Linda, look around this board. There are many members, that live in the States, that are starving. Everyone can make enough money? I beg to differ. If that was the case, you would live in paradise. Frankly, I'm shocked such a statement would come from someone who suffers from PTSD and knows firsthand what can befall a person and the absolute lack of support when it does. How many of those said criminals do you think have a mental illness? Because most of them do.

Society itself creates the criminal and the criminal act by it's lack of properly caring for, understanding and creating attainable opportunities for survival.

I really could care less about the gun debate. However blanket statements based on ignorance of mental illness and how society creates their own criminals and perpetrates crimes, will get me to reply.

bec

I have said what my community believes and what my thoughts are, now I will say what is in my heart. I love all human beings regardless of how good/bad/honorable/ or evil they are. In my heart, even if someone where pointing a gun at me I do not think I could kill them because Jesus said, "If someone slaps you on the cheek turn the other cheek so that they may slap it as well ... do good to those who hate you ... if someone steals your cloak give them your coat ... " This is not a sermon, I do not expect anyone to believe this way. This is just what is on my heart. Every human being alive is a treasure, a unique individual treasure created by an awesome creator. I grieve at all lives lost to travesty. Those young men that flew the jets into the building in New York, they were so young and so programmed. They must have felt they were doing the right thing. How horrible, how misguided they were. I just have said all this to say, I respect you Anthony and Clair. Though I disagree with some of your oppinion, I respect and care about you and understand where you are coming from.

Marilyn S: I'm sorry if I have insulted you or your country, I didn't mean to. I certainly did not mean any of this to be taken personally in anyway. I agree we do have massively different opinions and we'll have to agree to differ! Thats fine, I am happy to do that. A healthy debate is what I wanted here and I think we should all be able to argue our point although anything like this on a forum is difficult. No-one can hear tone of voice or clarify a point as you would in a conversation. I was interested to hear yours and others points of view. We all come from very different cultures and even though we all (on this thread) speak English I do have trouble understanding everything that has been written which was why I asked for some phrases to be explained. It seems we are similar and very different in lots of ways. I agree totally with what say you feel in your heart and what you say in your last thread. I also think I am very fortunate to live in a place that is a lot more peaceful than some.

Claire