Somehow, there should be a rule about posting gun control topics whilst the resident gun zealot is off slaying Bambi!
BTW, I'll post a full trip report soon, but the long story short is that I harvested a doe with the rifle, and we ate some of the tenderloins tonight, yummy.
Look, I own many handguns. Are they easy to get in NC??? Well, there are only two ways to legally buy one here.
#1 You go to your local sheriff's office, and pay $5 bucks for purchase permit, which incude a background check. Once you have the permit, you can go to a dealer, and give the Sherrif's form to the dealer, fill out a 4473 form (Are you a fugitive from justice? YES/NO/DUH questionaire. This is typically called "an over the counter sale from a license dealer"
This info is then called into the ATF (all Things Fun
) who do another check
Now, If I wanted to buy a pistol from my dear friend, Cooter, I would still have to obtain a permit from the sheriff, and give this form to Cooter, who would have to maintain it indefinetely.
#2 You obtain a concealed handgun permit. This requires you to sumbit to an FBI background check, be fingerprintedd, take a course, qualify on a shooting, and written test. Tital coast for this perimit is about $250. and it is good for five years.
This permit lets me carry a concealed handgun on my person or in my vehicle, subject to certain conditions, like can't carry at a parade. funeral, a place you have to pay admission, school, state building, place that sells alchol for on premise consumption. Ther ar more restrictions on where I can carry, but I won't get into them.
So your original queston is:
"Does gun control protect or harm people, and does owning firearms, handguns in particular, make society safer?"
If by gun control, you mean that law abiding citizens are hindered from owning them, then yes, it harms people.
The answer from part 2 of the question is that as long a sthe people owning the handguns are law abiding citizens, then yes, it does make society safer.
And your restated question is:
Gun Control: Are handguns too easily acquired, and are they causing more harm because of it?
Each State has different rules, see the rules for NC above. As a law abiding citizen, I have followed all of the laws, and they are not easily acquired. However, the unsavory element will not fill out a form, or get an Concealed Permit before stealing a handgun,or buying one from the street.
D.A.R.K.[CotC] wrote:
When private people own firearms, you'll never find one that will knowingly and willingly shoot at someone or kill someone because it goes through their head as just being wrong. People will hesitate, or rather just threaten them with the gun to see if they run away or what-not. The thing that goes through my mind is the fear of getting incarcirated for shooting or killing somebody, and I would never be able to do it, unless under extreme pressure of death to myself and all those around me, and even so I would think twice.
My friend, I will absolutley drop the hammer on a bad guy that is presenting a deadly threat to me or my family, in fact, this is the
only time I will.
We have a "duty to retreat" when confronted with a deadly threat here. If you cannot retreat, you can then use deadly force.
D.A.R.K.[CotC] wrote:
Would the courts be on your side if you took a shotgun or pistol to a man just because he broke into your home and could be armed and dangerous? Sometimes the proof isn't there, and the law often resides on the side of victim, even if they were committing a crime.
In the state of NC, this is considered a deadly threat, and you are authorized to use deadly force to stop the threat.
Now, my guns have never killed a human being, and they are unlikley ever to kill somone. BUT, if the situation presents itself, and I must eliminate a deadly threat o myselef or my family, I can and will use them to do so.
Sorry for the long post!
