Was Bob Costas Right? page 2

**dw1** · 12-04-2012, 12:21 PM

Primalrob is right about gun control. It just doesn't work. Funny thing though, none of my guns ever killed anyone. There are other reasons to own one.

**JoanieL** · 12-04-2012, 12:27 PM

this just doesn't make sense to me. how is it that if everybody has a gun, the evil people are automatically going to stop being evil?

They won't. But we could fight back, and I really think just a few news stories about little old ladies offing muggers would start to deter the behavior. Also, any time you make something illegal, you open up a black market. People will buy what they want. They can either do it in the open, or they can deal with criminals.

But you're correct, people that feel they have some right to steal my stuff, or the right to hurt me physically will still feel that. No amount of legislation or lack thereof can change people's misguided (or right minded) thoughts.

**primalrob** · 12-04-2012, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by IcarianVX

They don't stop being evil. However, if law-abiding citizens had to give up their guns (if there were a law for that) then they would have one of two choices; either to be unarmed in an attack (with a chance that the assailant has a gun - not caring about the law obviously) or to break the law and carry the gun to protect in the slight case that they do get attacked and if the said assailant has a gun, the odds are better. It just levels the playing field moreso than NOT having a gun.

i totally understand that reasoning, but that's the thing...evil people aren't deterred by guns. not all, but some rapists, muggers, criminals, etc. live their daily lives under the threat of death in one form or another. handguns, concealed or not, don't seem to be a deterrent.
i don't think there is an easy or obvious solution to a problem like that, but i'm pretty sure it isn't give everybody a gun.

**iniQuity** · 12-04-2012, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by JoanieL

Because the government would still be armed, and kind of the point of having the right to bear arms (or arm bears if you prefer) and the right to have state militias is to protect against a corrupt government.

Also, if we were all armed, don't you think maybe the average street thug would think twice before mugging someone? The snatch and grab rapist might not be so successful if all women carried guns. It's not fail-safe, but nothing is.

I think we would have seen more instances of such behavior by other developed nations instead - I can't recall an instance out of the good side of Europe, but def educate if you know better. I think it's a bit neurotic personally to think the government is going to put us all in jails or some shit - keep in mind that the people in the military are still part of the country, not mindless drones (well...) I think they wouldn't just listen blindly and overtake the population simply because they have the guns. I guess I could be the naive one, but again, I can't recall evidence of that in other industrialized non-communist/etc nations.

I strongly disagree with your next statement though. I think more guns would lead to more violence or more "trigger finger" behavior. Have you ever seen those Russian dash cam videos? they're all the rage on youtube (I'm a big fan) and usually involve motorists capturing accidents with their dash cams (apparently insurance isn't mandatory, so this is how they prove their innocence or whatever) and about 50% of them also involve fights. I just googled quickly, and it seems you need a license to get a gun in Russia, but it's not very hard to obtain one. All the videos I've seen don't have people carrying firearms, but many of them do seem to keep knives and bats, almost specifically for traffic altercations. I think if these people had guns instead they would just shoot each other, that does in fact happen, just not as often. My assumption is most Russians are too poor for guns.

I could almost guarantee there would be more road-rage fuled deaths in the U.S. if EVERYONE had a gun, as you suggested. You already read plenty of reports of mindless violence, people killing others over loud music is one I just read about. I am convinced these would be more common place.

I don't think it would count as a deterrent either. Assuming a rapist operated with the knowledge that all women have guns, he/she would just drug or otherwise knockout their victim and then proceed to do whatever they wanted to do. Remember that not all rapes are the kind where you don't know the assailant.

As far as the thug goes, I also think they would be quicker to just shoot the person and rob them, instead of waiting to see if they pull their gun too. Desperate people won't stop being desperate just by knowing they too could die as a result of their actions.

I'm actually not on the "nobody should have guns, ever" camp either. As far as this NFL guy goes, he could have killed his wife any other way then ran into traffic to kill himself. I DO think guns make it much easier to kill though. Take guns away from gang members for instance, and you eliminate drive by deaths and would force these idiots to actually knuckle up.

**Scott F** · 12-04-2012, 01:23 PM

Begs a question: how would you take guns away from gang members when they could learn to make their own? If kids can make ammo and learn to make guns in Pakistan mud huts US gangs can buy the machining tools to make their own weapons

Video: Gun making in Pakistan - Snotr

FBI Stats: Gun Sales Up, Violent Crime Down

MILLER: Gun ownership up, crime down - Washington Times

**justyouraveragecavemen** · 12-04-2012, 01:34 PM

Did I not hear that the Colorado theater shooter passed by a closer theater and picked the only one in town that specifically prohibited even licensed gun carriers? Did I make that up?

**Daemonized** · 12-04-2012, 01:55 PM

I think it's great that Bob Costas can say what ever he wants on TV as long as his employer is willing to let him say it. I, on the other hand, have my CCL and think that guns are fine in the hands of responsible adults.