Heeb

04.06.08 at 11:04 pm

heston stood up for our rights as americans to carry a gun. he does not say kill or hand them out to children in school, that is the parents faults for not raising their children. it was not hestons job to do that. many people own guns and its a shame our lives have come to this but if someone walks into my house that dosent belong, i have the right to shoot them…..........and i will. thanks charleton heston

04.07.08 at 12:04 am

Aaaah…and now we see why America has gained so much respect and affection on the world stage with the above comment.
It isn’t Heston’s job to raise other people’s children, it’s not his job to put guns in easy reach either…maybe he should’ve kept his nose out of both.
An angel? I don’t think there are any angels where Heston’s going.

04.07.08 at 1:04 pm

I dont see how Americas 2nd Ammendement has anything to do with the worlds perception of us. It’s not like the 2nd Ammendment is new. So my guess is that whatever this new ill-sentiment is that it has little to do with our right to bear arms. (a right which Americans have had since day one) My guess is that it has more to do with our foreign policy.
I realize there are some here and abroad who dont agree with the 2nd ammendment….to which I say “fuck you, you dont have to agree with it”. There are plenty of things that go on in this country and around the world that I dont agree with, things with serious consequences but I live with it. I own guns, get over it.

04.07.08 at 6:04 pm

We have a gun totin’ cowboy President who,in a facedown with the world, taunted “ Bring ‘em on. “ We have a foreign policy that lied us into preemptive war and resulted in massive loss of lives.
The illsentiment directed at us, is not about our right to carry a gun. Rather,
there is a perception outside of America, that we have become a cartoonish Wild West show…..

04.07.08 at 9:04 pm

Yeah, that’s what I was saying. I didn’t appreciate a certain someone trying to take my legitimate concern for Americas standing in the world and speciously link it to the 2nd ammendment.

04.07.08 at 11:04 pm

Well said Iconic, and I do agree…but the 2nd amendment doesn’t do you any favours.
And it’s not even a negative opinion towards the US as much as it is bewilderment and confusion and sorrow about how many children have to be murdered at school/college before the US acts to tighten up the laws. It seems to much of the rest of the world that the US cares more about the right to have guns, than they do about the lives of the countless victims of easily avoidable gun violence.
Doesn’t it ever occur to you why only the US has so many of these incidents? Australia had one mass shooting, and gun laws were tightened up immediately afterwards…it hasn’t happened before, or since…there’s a lesson in that somewhere.

04.08.08 at 2:04 am

I think what Puck is saying is that much of the rest of the world perceives that America has a bewildering disregard for the sanctity of life.
Sadly, our current foreign policy may just reinforce that belief…....

04.08.08 at 6:04 am

Murder is already against the law.

Using a firearm in the commission of a crime already carries a stiff penalty. For instance, say someone steals something from a store, they may get probation or a deferred sentence. Now steal that same item and stick a gun in someones face to do it and you go away for a minimum of ten years….and when you get out, you can’t own a firearm anymore. You dont think the law is tough enough? No gun=probation. Gun=federal prison for ten years. I’d say Americas laws regarding crime and guns send a clear message.

People convicted of domestic violence cannot own firearms.

People with a judgement ruling them a danger to themselves or others cannot own firearms.

Minors cannot buy firearms.

People must undergo liscensing and background check to carry concealed weapons.

There are so many laws governing firearms and breaking these laws carries the most severe punishments in the land. Yet people still become the victims of gun violence. Strange huh? Would you like to know why people are still victims of gun violence depite all our laws?

BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO COMMMIT GUN VIOLENCE ARE CRIMINALS. THEY DONT OBEY THE LAW.

You can pass all the laws you want, it’ll just mean more laws for criminals to ignore. It wont save anyone. More likely, your new laws will make attaining or using a gun more difficult for someone like me, someone who obeys the law and who isn’t out murdering people. It will only increase the likelyhood that my gun wont be available to me at the time when I need it.

04.08.08 at 1:04 pm

Hesed, you have good and logical arguments.
But when people can obtain guns with the “ gunshow loophole .”
When too many children have been accidentally shot.
When I read that Charlton Heston said that America ‘s “ problem “
is “ our mixed ethnicity “
it IS worrisome…

04.08.08 at 8:04 pm

Actually Hesed, in Australia (and the rest of the world) tighter gun laws have significantly reduced firearm related violence…which isn’t really strange at all, when you think about it.
None of those gunowners was a criminal until they murdered someone ;)