CanuckInUSA

I consider automatic weapons to be military assault weapons. I can see handguns as self-defense weapons and hunting is well hunting (a whole different ball game). But things like Tec9s or AK47s (just to name a fraction of the stuff out there) just shouldn't be on the open market. But they are. Hey if you want to go shoot military quality weapons? Why don't you either join the military (I'm sure they'll find some war for you to shoot people) or setup some sort of system where licensed (if that's what you want to call it) gun clubs have these weapons. But in a controlled environment on gun ranges. But the weapons are already out there in circulation and calling them back just isn't going to happen. I don't know? I would like to see less semi-automatic weapons out there in the public's hands. But the will of the pro-gun forces (and the history of the USA) are just too strong for the Feds to have the balls to controls those type of weapons. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Wow ... leave it to Michele to step in at the right time and say the right thing. Who would of thunk'it. You actually beat me to the punch (the why people kill people question). But humans have been killing each other for a long time now, and we're likely not going to be stopping anytime soon. So yeah haw!!! It's open season, where's the closest gun shop? Just kidding of course. LOL ... I can see the headlines. "DZ.COMer gets wasted by fellow DZ.COMer. Why? Because the DZ.COMer doing the wasting knew that the other DZ.COMer getting wasted wasn't armed. News at eleven ..." Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

yada ... yada ... yada ... did you say something? I didn't hear you. Man this sucks!!! If the weather was better I'd be thinking about jumping instead of talking about this stuff. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Michele For the record, I wasn't a close friend of Anne-Marie (at best I was an acquantence). But the girl I was dating at the time knew her and the circumstances surrounding the event did not in anyway help the state of my relationship (which failed soon after). I know Marc Lepine was a psycho with little respect for life and women. And as far as I remember all of his victims (dead or alive) were assaulted with a firearm, not a knife. One other thing, I do realize that it is the person not the object initiating the killing. But guns are just a much more efficient killing tool than someone's hands, a knife, or most other objects lying around. When a gun is used on someone, traggic results often occur. I'm not saying the answer is strick gun control (personally I hope the solution is for people to decide that they don't need that weapon under their pillow). But I do question why private citizens need military assault weapons. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Having a gun in the home makes killing a living creature much easier than some other tool which can be used to kill. Why do you think the suicide rates may be higher with homes equiped with guns? If I cut my wrist with a razor blade, will I die? Likely not. But if I put a pistol to my head, I'm a goner. Geez, I never considered the CDC (Center for Decease Control) voodoo science. Dude you and I will never agree. To you guns save people's lives. To me, they take them. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Hey I'm a foreigner (your classic case of taxation without representation) in the USA and must be careful on how I come off in such discussions. So even if I had (which I don't) a solution to America's problems, it wouldn't matter as I have no voice in government and nobody representing me. Now I choose to debate this topic, because I am concerned with the unnecessary loss of life and I do like this country. So when 10000+ people die on average each year due to some sort of encounter with a firearm. I have to stand up and ask why (just as Mr Moore does in Bowling for Columbine). Why do Americans like killing each other with guns more than any other modern society? Why? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

In the late 1980s, the gun industry began targeting women to counter slumping handgun sales among its primary market of white males. The false message delivered by gun makers was clear: the greatest threat posed to a woman was an attack by a stranger and, the best form of protection a woman could rely upon was a handgun. But based on some studies by the "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)", women were far more likely to be the victim of violent crimes committed by intimate partners than were men, especially when a weapon was involved. Moreover, women were much more likely to be victimized at home than in any other place. Furthermore, a June 2003 study about the risks of firearms in the home found that females living with a gun in the home were nearly three times more likely to be murdered than females with no gun in the home. Another study reports, women who were murdered were more likely, not less likely, to have purchased a handgun in the three years prior to their deaths, again invalidating the idea that a handgun has a protective effect against homicide. While many of these studies do not focus solely on domestic violence homicide or guns, they provide a stark reminder that domestic violence and guns form a deadly combination. Firearms are rarely used to kill criminals or stop crimes. Instead, they are all too often used to inflict harm on the very people they were intended to protect. Our loved ones. Here's a few key facts taken from these studies: - Within the period covered, twice as many women were killed by husbands or intimate acquaintances using firearms than were murdered by strangers using firearms, knives, or any other means. When a woman did use a handgun to kill in self-defense, it was usually against someone she knew, not against a stranger. - Family and intimate assaults involving a firearm were 12 times more likely to result in death than non-firearm associated assaults between family and intimates. And with one or more guns in the home the risk of suicide increased nearly five times and the risk of homicide increased more than three times. - More female homicides were committed with firearms than with all other weapons combined. Of these, three quarters were committed with handguns. - (My favorite) For all of the promises made on behalf of the self-defense handgun, using a handgun to kill in self-defense is a rare event. Looking at both men and women, over the past 20 years, on average only two percent of the homicides committed with handguns in the United States were deemed justifiable or self-defense homicides by civilians. To put it in perspective, more people are struck by lightning each year than use handguns to kill in self-defense. Now I obviously will never change yours (and the other gun lovers minds) concerning the logic for arming oneself. And I'm not naive enough to think I can change the world and get rid of gun violence in the USA. But I am trying to get some people to think and talk about the merits of guns in society. In case anyone is interested, there is some interesting reading material on the following web site: http://www.vpc.org/studyndx.htm. Obviously this material will be perceived as propaganda by many of the pro-gun supports out there. And if you are one of those people, just don't read it. I'm sure you've got better things to do with your time (like cleaning your weapons). But for the others, I think you will be enlightened by some of the information provided by these studies. Now how's that for emotions? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

What a bunch of crap. I don't like guns, yet do I sound like someone who wants to see children die? You flamed me for generalizing things (and publicly referred to me as a fool) and then you spew crap like this? Dude you don't know me, you don't know why I dislike guns (except to say that I knew a murder victim of Marc Lepin and have seen what happens to a family which lost a loved one thanks to a gun). I'm done with this thead and I'm especially done with you. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Good god ... bringing guns into the schools? What business do guns have in a school? That's like a bank handing out guns to their customers. Don't get me wrong, people who handle firearms need to be educated in how to operate them. But in a public school? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Lock boxes help (they should prevent 6 year olds from taking a gun to school and blowing away other 6 year olds) and sure a tax credit might help out here. But I was looking more for a solution to solve the 10000+ deaths which occur each year at the hands of a firearm in the USA. PS: It's obvious neither one of our opinions are going to change. You believe weapons play a vital role in our everyday lives and I feel that guns aren't as necessary as many people believe they are. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Assuming Sunshine isn't abusing him , you can always borrow my Kenny jacket (it's a down filled jacket certain to keep the wearer warm on the coldest of cold days).

Andrea Yes it is a tad chilly in Eloy at night (so do bring some sweaters, fleece, jacket, etc, etc, etc). But it's not like it's Canada cold and it's not a humid cold either. I will be bringing my Kenny jacket again this year just in case someone like Sunshine needs it. But she better not neglect Kenny like she did last year (the poor boy needed to be rescued). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Well maybe we can get another x-country planned this year like we did last year out of the DC-3. It's a slow climber, but still fun to jump out of. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Have you jumped a Porter? If not, they have one of those at Eloy and it's pretty neat to take for a jump or two. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Yes ... jumpsuits will be required. You know if/when I am to marry a skychick, I think a wedding in the skies would be just too cool. I'm not at all like the rest of my family, and this would only be the icing on the cake. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

If you plan on staying in the hanger during the festivities, then you can dress up as much as you please. But it gets cold in the Arizona dessert at night. So if you venture outside (which a lot of people do), wear some warm clothing. And watch out for the naked girl wearing only a towel. Strange things happen when alcohol collects in her blood stream. Some sort of Power Puff Girl phenomenon. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

You can sight instances where the use of a firearm saved someone's ass all day long. And in this last case it is clear that the perpetrator had what was coming to them. But where the US differs from most other modern societies is the reliance on their firearms to resolve their disputes. There seems to exist the mentality here that I need to use my gun on some bloke before they use their gun on me. I am not arguing that criminals don't exist and that they have little respect for society's rules. Where I am arguing is the mentality that I have to pop the other bloke before he pops me. It's the old shoot first and ask questions later mentality that is responsible for so many gun deaths. And this mentality just doesn't exist in other (dare I say it) developed countries. Once again, I am not trying to take people's guns away from them. But I would like people to think first before they act. Is that too much to ask? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Dude guns were invented to kill living creatures (mainly humans). Scared of the media hype? I think not. Scared of the devaluation of life. You better believe I am. If you have such a low regard for life, then I am truly sorry for you. I for one respect life. The person who over reacts to a situation, and pulls out a gun to resolve the issue has no respect for life. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I already told you that I wasn't naive enough to think that guns would go away. What I'm trying to do is get people to think twice about resorting to weapons to resolve their disputes. And I'm not referring to the standard gas station or ATM hold up scenario which have been shown here. I'm talking about the bloke who sleeps with a gun because they feel someone will break into their home while they sleep. I'm talking about the bloke who carries a gun in their car and then uses it when the slightest hint of road rage wields it's ugly eye. I'm talking about the bloke who keeps loaded weapons at home in easy reach of those who do not have the maturity to know better. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Still waiting to hear about your solution. If there is a problem, then you must have an idea as to how to make it better. But your silence makes me think that you think there is no problem of humans killing other humans. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Okay, if you do agree that there is a problem, what's your solution? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Good god ... I can't believe you're arguing that I got my stats wrong by about 1%. I guess there is no problem in America as only 9369 people died last year at the hands of a gun. Good grief. To educate people to think twice before they resort to firearms. What's yours? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I'm not trying to take away your gun (I'm not that naive to think that guns will go away). But I am trying to open up people's minds to the thought that they aren't in as much danger as they constantly think they are in and that resorting to carrying and using a gun isn't always necessary. Now for sure, you living in Philadelphia are exposed to more potential violence than myself living in Boulder CO. And I choose to live in a part of the world where I don't feel theatened by other people. Not everyone has the luxury of choosing where they live. But most do. And the armed people of suburbia America are over reacting to the treat of violence from the evil black man (imho). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Keep telling yourself that America does not have a problem. And don't forget to tell the families of one of the 10000+ people which are murdered each and every year at the hands of a gun that there is no problem. Oh and while you're at it, tell the families of the countless children who die each year because their irresponsible parents left a loaded gun lying around (of course it's there to kill that evil black man who preys upon society). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

And this plays into a point which Mr Moore discussed in this flic. And that is the fear many Americans have towards their fellow citizens. Regardless of whether you believe him or not that the media and popular culture have painted the evil black man as the villain. The fact remains that in most parts of the country the people of the inner city are NOT breaking into homes. If anyone is breaking into homes, it is suburbian teenagers, breaking into homes while people are off at work in order to fund their habits. Why? Likely because they are bored. I mean mom and pop are off at work neglecting their kids because both parents must work to pay for the monster home in order to keep up with the Jones'es. But I digress ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over