The Cookout

[sourgrapes]

This is something that has bothered me for some time now. Cities across the US have such strict gun laws that it makes it damn near impossible to own a gun legally, especially for black families. If they made it easier to access and own guns, crime rates would go down. Do you think a criminal would post up on a house if there was a chance the man inside had guns? It would be too risky. The reason crime is so high in the city areas is because criminals know people lack proper protection and this tends to hurt black adults the most, this is especially true for places like Chicago. I have heard stories of men going outside the state lines to obtain guns just to protect their families and getting the book thrown at them when they are caught using it for the very reason they bought the gun in the first place. And I know damn well white people don't get the same treatment for doing this either.

All US citizens, no matter where they live, should have the right to keep and bear arms in their own property at the very least. I want to see something changed about this, especially for black Americans. I feel like these laws were set in place not to "keep people safe" but to keep black families unsafe. It makes no damn sense that a city can tell someone they don't have the right to protect their home, their family, or their property. It never sat right with me.

Maybe I am missing out on the finer details here but it just never felt right.

 

[Kzzl]

Owning a gun is not guaranteed to stop criminals from going at a home or reducing the crime rate.
I live in a very gun friendly state, I'm also a legal gun owner, most people I know are as well.
And one could accurately predict illegal gun owners are in spitting distance down here.
Despite all of this, crime is still high and raises the question of whether laxed guns laws are actually the problem.
Knowing a potential victim could be a gun owner can deter non-violent criminals.
But violent criminals that are armed themselves are a riskier gamble.
And in truth, being armed while being the victim of a crime doesn't always benefit the victim.

I do agree that some places, specifically gun vendors, can be racially bias towards their treatment of black buyers.
And that the intent behind gun laws, and their enforcement, can be racially motivated as well.

There's also an argument that not all citizens should have that right or have that right revoked.
But that's more a case by case issue of their history.

 

[Jay]

Owning a gun is not guaranteed to stop criminals from going at a home or reducing the crime rate.
I live in a very gun friendly state, I'm also a legal gun owner, most people I know are as well.
And one could accurately predict illegal gun owners are in spitting distance down here.
Despite all of this, crime is still high and raises the question of whether laxed guns laws are actually the problem.
Knowing a potential victim could be a gun owner can deter non-violent criminals.
But violent criminals that are armed themselves are a riskier gamble.
And in truth, being armed while being the victim of a crime doesn't always benefit the victim.

I do agree that some places, specifically gun vendors, can be racially bias towards their treatment of black buyers.
And that the intent behind gun laws, and their enforcement, can be racially motivated as well.

There's also an argument that not all citizens should have that right or have that right revoked.
But that's more a case by case issue of their history.

The only thing that is going to minimize crime is equality and opportunity. Firearms are more of a defense against a tyrannical government than the average every day person IMO.