The data doesn’t support that, but I’ll play devil’s advocate.

You admit the people who you have the real problems with don’t legally posses their guns.
You also admit that Mexico is not a good example for your cause as they have VERY strict gun control, but their troubled govenment is unable to enforce the laws they have.

Wouldn’t you think that maybe the US inner cities suffers from the same problems? It’s pretty obvious that these people need to break multiple laws to commit the crimes they commit (also have you read the rap sheets on those Philly Cop Killers? Are you as suprised as I am that dangerous people like that are allowed to walk the streets? Also most of them have been on parole at the time. Obviously parole supervision needs to be revised as well as sentencing for violent crimes) So it seems that the problem is the enforcement of our current laws needs to be ramped up.

I mean if the laws we have aren’t working, why propose new laws? Especially when you look at the broad scope of something like the Gun Control Act of ‘68 (text posted in link above), and the generally ineffective scope of something like the ‘94 Assault Weapons Ban.

If a really good law isn’t working, what help is a really bad one?

On the issue of ‘assault rifles’, full automatics are already strictly regulated. Citizens can only own full auto rifles that have been registered with the BATFE before 1986. Next, an FBI background check is done and a local chief law enforcement officer must sign off on you acquiring the machine gun. Lastly, on top of the grossly inflated price is a 200 dollar tax stamp.
The ‘assault weapons ban’ deals with semi-automatic rifles, the sort you get one bullet per pull of the trigger. There is plenty of reason for owning one. There are no finer defensive arms in the world! Your military style rifles like these are easier to use, more ergonomic, lighter, more reliable, and often easier to maintain than many ‘hunting rifles’. Most people from 10-70 can use an AR-15 and use it pretty well. They make fine hunting rifles too. The semi-auto AK-47 clones when fitted with 5rd magazines and using softpoint ammuniton are insanely reliable in bad weather and in bad backcountry conditions. They can and have taken a deer in many states. It may be a military design, but it does very nicely. Guess what, most hunting rifles are descended from military rifles!
In that vein, a ’sniper rifle’ is really indistinguishable from a long range hunting rifle. They do the exact same thing. Hit living creatures accurately at long range. They do not on average have large magazines either. One is black and looks a bit meaner than the other. That is the main difference.

To respond to your previous question… (apparently it was eaten by wordpress or moderation?)

A. Price, it was an allegorical reference.

However, I’ve observed hateful folks operating from fear and emotion at both ends of the political spectrum that I would consider deeply unwise to find in a dark alley.

And you fail to consider the effect of “I’m dating your 25yo son” on even the very most liberal (but untested) parent. Those magic coming out moments CAN go completely sideways.

Specifically, some of the responses I’ve gotten as a gay man who doesn’t hew closely to the popular political group-think left me in significant doubt of some individuals on the lefts anger management skills, violent tendencies, and general self-control.

My observation is that regardless of the perpetrator, at the end of the day I will be just as dead or beat up should they go rogue in my direction. I don’t care to cooperate in producing that set of situations.

I do have a question for you – in those regions in the United States where the gun control is strictest, the rate of violent crime tends to be highest – even when the areas are demographically similar. Why is extending that situation to less-plagued regions a good thing?

Purely as an aside, my comments are also preserved at http://nwfreethinker.blogspot.com

However, I’ve observed hateful folks operating from fear and emotion at both ends of the political spectrum that I would consider deeply unwise to find in a dark alley.

And you fail to consider the effect of “I’m dating your 25yo son” on even the very most liberal (but untested) parent. Those magic coming out moments CAN go completely sideways.

Specifically, some of the responses I’ve gotten as a gay man who doesn’t hew closely to the popular political group-think left me in significant doubt of some individuals on the lefts anger management skills, violent tendencies, and general self-control.

My observation is that regardless of the perpetrator, at the end of the day I will be just as dead or beat up should they go rogue in my direction. I don’t care to cooperate in producing that set of situations.

I do have a question for you – in those regions in the United States where the gun control is strictest, the rate of violent crime tends to be highest – even when the areas are demographically similar. Why is extending that situation to less-plagued regions a good thing?

Purely as an aside, my comments are also preserved at http://nwfreethinker.blogspot.com

I asked for a convincing argument, you came up with nothing.

There’s a reason for that. I’m off to Bed.

BTW you come up with an argument my blog is posted.

how exactly would one go about supporting that kind of statement? where would one find decent evidence either for or against it?

Are you ready to give up now, Price?

I regret you’ve been misled by a common fallacy. I lawfully carry to, should my other pre-cautions against gay-bashing and the general run of street crime fail (chief among them “don’t be where the bad things happen” – for health reasons, “run away, run away” doesn’t work for me…”run, fall over, gasp” is just not helpful.) deal with felonious assaults upon my person or those of other known innocents in my presence.

Under the law in my state (YMMV), that means that once I’m faced with multiple or large attackers, knives, clubs, exotic weapons (“Why yes, that IS an authentic Aztec-era obsidian axe!”) I am lawfully able to utilize my sidearm to ensure my continued health and well-being.

Just because you and your three best buddies are, in the course of an attempted gay-bashing, attempting to cave my skull in with a 2×4 doesn’t mean I’m limited to hunting up my own 2×4 – once it’s established you intend to do me serious harm, I can lawfully trump a 2×4.

Like fire extinguisher, I rather hope never to need to use a pistol to defend myself. However, having a pistol and the accompanying skillset available strikes me as a worthwhile fallback position, and in the mean time, shooting bullseye targets both enhances my skillset and provides a harmless afternoons enjoyment.