Originally Posted by jayeff

New Scientist, 2003: "People who keep guns at home have a 72% greater chance of being killed by firearms and are 3.44 times more likely to commit suicide than those who do not keep guns at home..."

"Among 26 industrialized nations, 86% of gun deaths among children under age 15 occurred in the United States."

Although assault rifles get the highest-profile publicity, handguns are the biggest menace. They only account for one-third the number of guns estimated to be in circulation, but for more than two-thirds of gun-related deaths. And the handguns people keep at home "to defend against intruders" are 22 times more likely to be used in a homicide, suicide or unintentional shooting than to be used in self-defense.

Real hunters who don't slaughter game with assault weapons apart, guns are about dick-swinging. People can have them and once someone has one, someone else has to have one that is newer, more powerful, more expensive, or whatever. The rationalisations are bullsh*t so that the guy talking doesn't come across as an immature, insecure assh*le.

And if the day ever comes that we get a government against which we might need weapons for self defense, guess which part of the Constitution it will repeal first...