Should people with mental problems be allowed to own guns?

It's not funny to read the everlasting dispute between Americans and Europeans when it comes to gun control.

I've lived in both places for a long time and try to understand both points of view. My opinion, as a European-American, is ambivalent.

First of, not every country in Europe is strict on gun control. Spain isn't, Belgium isn't , and in beautiful Switzerland it's mandatory for adult males who served to have an assault rifle at home. Yet, homicide rates are low in these countries.

Devastating and twisted things like in Virginia happen in countries with strict gun control too, may be not as frequently. I remember similar incidents in Germany, where you have to jump through hoops to own a gun legally.

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/e...many.shooting/

The reason why homicide rates are high in the US is not solely due of the easy accessibility of guns. There are social issues as well.

The 2nd Amendment, on which gun ownership in the US is based has advantages too. It was not designed that Americans can walk the streets with a six gun in their belt like John Wayne, it was written as a counter balance to the government, means, in case the government goes wacko, Americans have the right to counteract. The idea might be delusional in these days, but may be not.

I have a 87 year old great aunt who grew up in Nazi Germany. We once asked her how the German people could ever allow a fruitcake like Hitler to take over, especially when only 25-30% of the German population supported the Nazis?

Her answer was: "What could the rest of us have done? Attack Hitler's paratroopers with our bare hands?"

I'n this case armed citizens might have been an advantage. Considered that WWII costed almost 60 million lives the price for armed citizens seems low. I am not saying that WW II wouldn't have happened if the Germans were armed, but it would have been more difficult for the Nazis to drag innocent people out of their homes and ship them off to Auschwitz.

Her answer was: "What could the rest of us have done? Attack Hitler's paratroopers with our bare hands?"

sorry - but that's bullshit. hitler got peacefully elected and hating on jews was a common thing since centurys.

that is the biggest amount of propaganda bs i have ever heard

the french resistance didn't seem to have much trouble.. you think they could go to any store and buy a gun?

he has a point he was voted in and no one liked the jews.The us wouldnt allow them to immigrate to the us. They knew about the death in the middle of the war and did nothing.

I saw CNN or something news channel the other day talking about the Virginia gunman and they were saying the law does not allow you to lock up people with mental problems unless they are a danger to themselves or others. The inferance being that this is a weakness in the law and if you could detain anyone with mental problems things like this wouldn't have happenned!

I was thinking maybe it would be a better idea to just not let people with mental health problems have access to firearms?

The French resistance IN OCCUPIED FRANCE and Vichy was not as big as it appears today.

For the other moron up there: You are dumber than a suitcase full of rocks, dude.
Hitler did not get elected in July `32, he only had about 37% of all votes. President Hindenburg dissolved the parliament and called for new elections in November `32. In these elections Hitler lost almost 5% an came in with 32%. General Schleicher was appointed, hoping they could crush the Nazis, which did not work out becase Hitler had an army of well armed strom troopers while other parties, like the communists and social democrats had nothing. They gave up in January `33 and appointed Hitler Chancelor.

On March 15, 1933, a cabinet meeting was held during which Hitler and Göring discussed how to obstruct what was left of the democratic Germany to get an enabling act passed by the Reichstag.

So face it. There were only 1 out of 3 Germans who supported Hitler, and quite a few tried to fight the Nazis in fierce street battles. In the end it was all pointless because Hitler's men were armed and the other's weren't.

dude? moron? dumb? well, keep believing that guns in the hands of anyone would have changed anything. and congrats on your manners, now go and wash your mouth

I saw CNN or something news channel the other day talking about the Virginia gunman and they were saying the law does not allow you to lock up people with mental problems unless they are a danger to themselves or others. The inferance being that this is a weakness in the law and if you could detain anyone with mental problems things like this wouldn't have happenned!

I was thinking maybe it would be a better idea to just not let people with mental health problems have access to firearms?

Stop whining, sissie boy, and read up on your own pathetic history. Remember Mr. Dubczek in Spring `68? Eh? Your little revolution lasted only for two days.

The reason why you guys were eating Soviet shit for decades was because you had either no guns or no spine back then (or both).

lol - i'm not czech - now stop using google and grow some manners