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The
shooting of four teenagers in Birmingham is the most recent example
in a growing catalogue of gun crime in the city.
Do
you think plans to introduce a minimum five year sentence for anyone
carrying guns will cure the problem?
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Gun
crime does not exist! Unfortunately, we have criminals who obtain
guns illegally & use them to carry out serious offences. The
only people who can now obtain hand guns legally are the police
& the Armed Forces. This leaves the normal, law abiding citizen
with no legal defence against criminal attack. Do not outlaw
guns. Most people are responsible adults, & if taught how to
handle them responsibly & safely ARE safe. Criminals, if using
or possessing illegally held firearms should have an automatic
life sentence awarded them. On the subject of custodial sentences
to act as deterrents, get rid of several sentences running concurrently,
run them consecutively, as one is finished; start the next!
No time off for good behavoir, time added for being a bad boy
instead!
Bill Gough, Coventry |
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The
easy way to deal with the gun problem is to arm all law abiding
citizens as a deterrent. It seems very strange to me as an American
to see so many Brits affraid of the firearm. Criminals love
a populous that is disarmed because this lowers risk to themselves.
In time most of you will change your attitudes as you see your
loved ones fall to crime. The brittish government doesn't want
you to have this power to police yourselves because you might
soon become a threat to them. A well armed militia on the most
basic level can cause great change in your society and it won't
turn your streets into Dodge City. Remember that they have been
unable or unwilling to protect you and in the end it is your
responsibility to protect youselves.
Scott Wassner - Pensacola Beach, Florida |
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The
English governmental policy of self defense and gun prohibition
has obviously failed and English people are being unnecessarily
murdered. As found in Joyce Malcolm’s book Guns and Violence:
The English Experience, the English experience has been increasing
violent crime with self defense and gun prohibition while
the American experience has been decreasing violent crime
with an increasing number of states passing concealed carry
laws. Doesn’t anyone over there read reliable research on
crime and violence? Read John Lott’s More Guns, Less Crime
for a detailed discussion of the American successes in reducing
violent crime through liberalization of gun laws. We have
declining violent crime in those states with concealed carry
laws and high rates of violent crime in states with restrictive,
gun control laws.
Joseph
L. Bass - Suffolk, Virginia
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Since
I am American and staying at the moment here in Birmngham
I hope you don't mind me putting my two cents worth in here
about gun control. I feel there should be even harsher laws
in tact than this...perhaps anyone committing a crime with
a gun automatic life inprisonment...offering rewards for anyone
knowing of someone owning a gun and upon conviction the rewards
granted. My personal feelings are you can not be strict enough
to stop crime which guns are used! If you don't get it stopped
now you never will and it will spread, the law has to get
tough
Lynn
Reid - Birmingham, UK
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It's
time to get tough - as a nation, we're getting softer on criminals
year after year, so much so that the criminals are starting
to claim that they're victims. Politicians need to stop thinking
about their own image and acting in the needs of country by
tackling gun crime, among others, head on; they seem too afraid
to make hard-hitting decisions in case they're made to look
"evil," or "uncaring." My opinion is that if you are caught
with a gun, you should be tried for attempted murder. After
all, a gun is not really designed to, "give you a bit of a sore
finger," is it?
Simon, Cannock |
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I get tired of hearing excuses for people's actions whether
it's violent computer games, television, or music-if someone
pulls the trigger and kills they and they alone are responsible.
Everyone is capable of judging what is right and what is wrong
and should be held liable for their actions. Make the penalties
so tough that nobody should even consider using a gun.
Little D - Bedford
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I believe that the solution to our problem is truth. If we
deal with truth we can't go wrong. After all God is truth.
The truth is, things are going to plan. It was intended for
black to be killing black. It was intended for black to hate
black. The truth is, most have been deceived. Minds have been
minipulated. Most are being controlled. The truth is, most
need to realise the fact (which is not easy), before there
can be any change. The truth issss..........this IS the truth.
Seek God and not the things of this world. You can't go wrong.
Oh, and another truth. This is all just my opinion. God bless.
Michael - Birmingham
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Music does not make these manz go out and shoot the music
is reflecting on what their life is already like. The five
year sentence does'nt mean anything to these manz because
what the police need to realise is that they are not afraid.
Cheryl - Smethwick
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I
was a health visitor in newtown and handsworth for 4 years,I
now live in Shetland I made this choice to give my kids a
better chance the reason for guns in this particular part
of Brum is drugs namley Crack, THE POLICE KNOW IT THE GOVERNMENT
KNOW IT AND THE RESIDENTS KNOW IT, when will they all do something
about it together, it needs a zero tolerance approach by all
sides mentioned the decent people need to take back control
there are more of them.
The
one thing they should do it for is the kids I would look into
the eyes of children at the nurserys and feel like crying
for their future, they deserve better, but its exhausting
fighting on your own!!!
Valerie
Smart - Shetland Isles
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I
think that there are a few different problems that need to
be tackled in order to stop gun crime. Why do people want
a gun,
a)
It makes them feel powerful and important,
b) It makes them more able to gain what they want from people
by threatening them, control, money, etc.
c) They think that they gain more respect from there peers.
I think prision is not the total solution. It would frighten
kids for a short while, but it is not going to frighten an
experienced criminal. If any thing they will get a free roof
over their heads, free food, free education, free TV, and
it gives them an opportunatity to gain more criminal contacts,
and learn about criminal skills.
It
will add to their reputation, just like a normal person would
add new skills to his CV. In order to stop gun crimes we need
to take away the illutions of a/b/c. We need to make the Law
and Prision fearful and threatening to the criminals. We need
to make the saying Crime does not pay, actually mean something
again. We need a bigger police force which work with communities.
The only rights a criminal should have is the right to life,
food, shelter, medical attention, their religous beliefs (within
reason) and re-education. Contact with the out side should
be minised probably a lot more than what it is now.
Contact with other criminals should also be kept to an absolute
minimum for duration of time. Even the simplest of privilages
that we take for granted in the free world should be taken
away from the criminal, if the criminal wants the simple privilages
back, then they are going to have to earn them back, but over
a long period of time.
J.Conroy
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Being a teenager i have fired weapons (with the military)
and believe if people wish to use firearms they sould join
the army or a cadet force as thi would allow them to use weopons
in controlled enviroments as well as learning self disipline.
Anon- BIRMINGHAM
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It started with westerns, then war films and cops and robbers.
all American violence, they were shot groaned a little then
limped off, only to reappear later, fit and well. It is about
time we stopped hiding the truth about the effects of gun
shot injuries. Lets demand that film makers show in detail
the result of a gun wound, that it is bloody, painfull and
in most cases fatal or incappacitating. We have a magnificent
tool in television, able to demonstrate to millions the result
of our actions. LET US BE HONEST WITH OUR SELVES
J.C.TONES - BIRMINGHAM
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Music does not make these manz go out and shoot the music
is reflecting on what their life is already like. The five
year sentence does'nt mean anything to these manz because
what the police need to realise is that they are not afraid.
Cheryl - Smethwick
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The criminals have the guns. What a laugh
Stepen - Clover USA
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You will not stop the gun gangs by offering them a computer
course or a job in sainsburys,if they are driving around in
BMWs have lots of money/girls/jewellery/status in there own
groups/etc etc.the only way to stop it is to concentrate on
the next generation and get this one of the streets,as they
are a lost cause and will never conform to what we call a:A
NORMAL LIFE :
Paul - Birmingham
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I LIVE IN THE U.S. AND GUN CRIME IS OUT OF CONTROLE.ITS HARD
FOR ME TO BELIVE GUN CRIME IS IN YOUR GREAT COUNTRY.
ERIC BROEN- conoga park USA
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Guns don't cause crime, this is true. But having said that,
pointing your finger at someone and shouting bang isn't going
to kill them. You need a gun for that. NO GUNS=NO SHOOTINGS.
And if using a potentially lethal weapon is your idea of sport,
try taking up paintball
Matt Standley, Birmingham
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Only responsible persons should be allowed to ear guns. As
criminals are not responsible persons nor good ones, then
for the sake of the protection of the people, you should not
be left behind in the amrs race.
Maximiliano Braun- Santa Cruz, Bolivia
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what ever happened to the old fasion way of fist fighting
but now technology has produced killing tool for tommarow
why can it not be that people of earth can just settle there
differences by talking them over or comming to a settlement
anymore . guns are the worst thing to be on the streets is
coward to own one.
mr johal
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It apparently takes about 1 hour in London to get a gun (illegally),
and quite cheaply. It took me 8 weeks and approximately £1000
to get a shotgun licence and a shotgun!
If I was a criminal, I suggest that I would take the former
route, which avoids being a "registered" gun owner. More restrictions
on gun ownership, and longer sentences will make no difference
to the use of guns for crime.
If you are going to commit a crime, you don't want to fill
out forms, and why not be prepared with a nice 9mm? The only
deterant to use of guns is if the gun user is likely to be
met with the barrel of another gun, and someone equally likely
to use it. You can't play fair in a war with no rules.
Richard
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Yet
again the government talks about controlling guns as a way
of preventing gun crimes. Before Dunblane I held several friearms
legally and was a range officer at a pistol range. Nobody
turned up with a submachine gun for target practice and the
police would only issue a Firearms certificate after three
months membership of an approved club.
Almost immediately after the handgun ban, several children
were injured by a drug and drink crazed lunatic in Wolverhampton
from the same community involved in the shootings in Birmingham.
The proposed five year sentence comes in the presumption will
be that anyone carrying a gun is guilty of an offence, yet
the laws on possession of cannabis have just been relaxed.
I don't propose bringing back hanging, just the execution
of drug dealers in public, using an overdose of the rubbish
they sell. Then the streets might be safe again.
John, Cannock
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Well this is my own opinion. I think that if it wasn't for
all these music crews like so solid crew and the hoodies n
hats and caps no-one would be like this. As i say this is
my own opinion
Emily
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If ever a society took a wrong turn and drove off into the
abyss, it is yours. First, there is no such thing as "gun
crime." Just crime.
Gun control isn't about public safety, it is all about "control."
The public safety motive is just a shill to enlist public
support. Gun control in britain is a resounding success -
creating a helpless, defenseless population of sheeple has
been achieved.
The rise in your overall crime rates is, of course, an unintended
consequence, but since you are all effectively disarmed, you
won't be able to do much about that.
Guns don't create crime. People do that. And when good people
can't defend themselves, bad people tend to catch on to that
and voila, you have a crime wave.
The right to keep and bear arms is a priviledge and a responsibility
of citizenship. Thank God for the Second Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution. Lawrence C. Ransom, Jr. from Tucson,
Arizona, USA
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More Legal Guns = Less Crime
Less Legal Guns = More Crime
C'est la vie. But most hate realities.
Mark from Switzerland
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