What Would Happen If the US Applied a Gun Amnesty?

What Would Happen If the US Applied a Gun Amnesty?

After Stephen Paddock killed 58 people in Las Vegas and wounded more than 400, another unfortunate mass shooting in the US has yet again brought the ever-important point to moot: if there needs to be tighter gun control laws imposed in the US, and what could be done.

And even though homicide rates have massively declined since 1960, the US still sees a mass shooting more often than you would expect* where one major mass shooting occurs every two months.

Talks are amidst, with reports suggesting that senators are considering banning bump stocks (the device allowing Paddock to convert his semiautomatic rifles into an automatic fire) and halting the bill which will make it easier for Americans to buy gun silencers; but even though more than one person a day dies due to gun violence in the US[i], Trump quietly revoked Obama’s bill and blocked the Social Security Administration from reporting mentally impaired recipients to a national background-check database.

US civilians own 270 million to 310 million firearms, resulting in around 35% to 42% of US households owning at least one gun[1] [2], making them the country which has the highest rate of civilian guns and they were not cutting it close: in second place was Yemen (with 55 guns per 100 civilians, where the US have approximately 90 for every 100 civilians)[3]. Of course, this also means they have the highest rate of mass shootings. But what can be done?

 

Get Rid of Guns

What have other countries done to tackle mass shootings? After the 1996 mass shooting in Dunblane which killed 16 young children and a school teacher, the UK [eventually] banned all private hand guns, imposed detailed background checks on gun owners prior to the ban being lawfully imposed and the Government also compensated gun owners; since then, there has only been one mass shooting in the UK.

Post the Port Arthur Massacre, Australia also followed suit, implementing tighter restrictions by banning automatic and semiautomatic firearms, adopting new licensing requirements, and applying a 28-day waiting period for gun purchases. After significantly rising tax, more than 600,000 civilian-owned firearms were bought and destroyed. Since then, no massacres on such a scale have occurred.

Sounds like an easy solution: tighter gun laws and restrictions. An amnesty of guns, albeit a big, costly job, has proven to lessen such tragic events, and so all proponents of tighter gun laws can collectively internally scream as we bang our heads against the walls Trump wishes to build; and we scream: why can’t the US learn from all this?

It is not as simple as it sounds. Firstly, as aforementioned, the US has a lot of guns and a lot of civilians owning these guns. Not only would gaining control over firearms pose quite a challenge, but a huge uproar. Que the: “We have the right to protect ourselves” statements and the fact that the Australian amnesty cost tax-payers [all together] half a billion dollars, which would be a fraction of the cost the US’ attempt of retaining guns, and we can see why an amnesty seem less realistic for the land of the free.

The US is also unique in the sense that they have a Bill stating they have a right to be able to self-defend themselves and citizens are attached to these rights, allowing them to justify their need for guns; so, what if their rights were changed?

 

Can they change the second amendment?

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

We need not delve into this too deep as it has been debated time and time again. President Trump has made it evidently clear he is a true follower of the Second Amendment and whilst throughout his campaign he would shun Hillary Clinton for threatening to take away citizens’ rights for protection and freedom, we can all silently acknowledge the fact that the NRA endorsed him during his campaign, as they do with 98% of Republicans[4]. To all those that argue this is not a strong enough argument, lest we forget when Trump supported Obama’s remarks, before the hefty endorsement given by his pals at the NRA, for a reformation of the law after the tragic Sandy Hook massacre[5]; “President Obama spoke for me and every American”, Trump said, yet his speech post the Las Vegas shooting was nowhere near such remarks, because his words are now funded by the organisation behind the weaponry used.

The fact is that if opinion does not change, then neither will the Second Amendment; 74% of gun owners say that there is an ‘essential’ right to own a gun[6], while Pew Surveys reveal that gun owners are more likely to contact officials about gun policies, with 60% of these supporting laxer laws[7].

Mix these strong opinions for relaxed gun laws alongside the fact there is no real, solid opposing organisation against the NRA and we realise we are driving in circles around a one-way street. To add fire to fury, changes in gun laws previously made have cost millions of dollars and were not enforced enough to have a visible effect, posing the question to their citizens to why the US even bothered to try.

This brings us to our concluding, yet vital point: “buying back” guns is not really much of an option as it is the government that will need to confiscate millions of firearms. Now if the government is endorsed by the organisation supporting guns and previous restrictions have failed, this is likely to as well. The UK and Australia’s ‘buying back guns’ programme, almost bribing those with weaponry for the exchange of money and anonymity to avoid prosecution of having illegal firearms, only worked for two reasons: the government thoroughly enforced it and the law did not state any right for citizens to bear arms.

Changing legislation will not only take months, but it also seems like an impossible dream, and if the citizens strongly support their rights to bear arms, they won’t be handing in their weapons so easily; in fact, it could even cause an uproar resulting in civil war, with police forcing citizens to drop their weapons.

It is a tough one to get around, and whilst speculators around the globe shout: “Do something about this”, it almost feels like a puzzle which will never be solved.

 

*mass shooting being defined as an event where at least four people are shot

 

[1]http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/04/a-minority-of-americans-own-guns-but-just-how-many-is-unclear/

[2] http://www.gallup.com/poll/1645/Guns.aspx

[3] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/one-mass-shooting-every-day-seven-facts-gun-violence-america/

[4] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/nation/guns/nra-endorsements-campaign-spending/

[5] http://www.npr.org/2012/12/16/167412995/transcript-president-obama-at-sandy-hook-prayer-vigil

[6] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/03/gun-control-america-failed-las-vegas

[7] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/13/16468902/gun-control-politics-intensity

[i] Reports show that 346 people are estimated to have been killed in American mass shootings this year

22 Comments
  1. Raymond Swenson says

    To effectively confiscate all firearms, you would need to violate not only the 2nd amendment, but also the 4th Amendment right against search and seizure without a warrant based on probable cause of a specific crime, and the 5th Amendment right to due process of law and just compensation for property taken by the government. At that point, the government is acting illegally, and has abandoned all legitimacy, and any moral authority to expect obedience from citizens. It was the violation of precisely these rights that caused the Revolutionary War. That is why they were enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Those who are so enamored of mass gun confiscation should try out their schemes in places like Washington DC, Detroit and Chicago, and see how many armed confrontations will result in which police shoot citizens, citizens shoot police, and the result is open warfare and a total breakdown of law enforcement. In a society where Black Lives Matter angrily shouts that police are illegally killing civilians, do you really think it is a good idea to send police into everyone’s home on an unrestricted license to search, confiscate, and kill if the residents are not cooperative? Police get killed going into homes in response to domestic violence. Do you think they want to risk their lives to take a gun from someone who is not even a criminal? What the gun confiscators propose is a massive armed attack on citizens by the government, comparable to what the Nazis did to the Jews, the Communists did to business owners, and the KKK did to blacks. It will only produce more violence, riots, and the breakdown of civil order.

    1. Nate says

      Most of your statement is correct, however most police would refuse to carry out such a confiscation due to two reasons. Either a strong belief in the second amendment or the extremely high risk. Therefore the confiscation would have to be carried out by the military. The confiscation would now turn many otherwise life long law abiding citizens into criminals if they did not turn in their own weapons to be paid with their own tax dollars and many would resist. Resulting in the military killing many of its own citizens in order to stop gun violence…..perhaps it’s the constant sensationalism that fuels mad men….why stop with shredding the 2nd amendment.

    2. Jane says

      Americans are so apt at arguing against ideas to stop gun violence in their beloved country yet offer no alternatives. What will the future bring to a divided and hate filled country. It’s not a question of will America implode but rather how and when. If the guns don’t get you, climate change will. And yet there is no will to stop either. Canada needs to build its wall. It’s only a matter of time.

      1. J says

        > climate change will. And yet there is no will to stop either. Canada needs to build its wall.

        Canada needs to mind it’s own fucking business and keep it’s cargo-cult crackpot pseudo-science to itself.

  2. Super Man says

    I’d guess that’s a CZ-75 B in the picture, and 16 rounds of FJM 9mm. Anyone got other thoughts?

  3. Brad Cobb says

    Typically biased, anti-gun article, for the other side of the story: John Lott’s “More Guns, Less Chrime.”

  4. Aronberg Law says

    Thanks for sharing these tips! I am sure they will really helpful!

  5. Mike says

    To the one that wrote this, and all the idiots out there that says Americans should be made to give up their guns ( dumb American hating liberals) Would of loved to have said that in a different way. But I’ll be kinder than normal… And jut leave it at ( dumb, American hating liberal SOCIALIST! DemocRATS. To me, anyone wanting socialism in America is a traitor to this country…. And once again I’ll be kinder for now. All this P.C. bullshit! Don’t everyone realize they’re all ready dismantling the first? EVERYONE in this country has the right to feel, live, say what’s on their mind… faith, THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP THE ONLY TRUE God, Christ, our Lord and savior…. Oh I’m sure that will fire some people up! ( Idiots ) Did you read anything where I’ve said that others that worship all the other FALSE gods should be made to stop worshiping the way they want? No! And you never will, I may not agree with you. But due to the constitution, which is for all legal true Americans, though I would never support any false god. But for those that do, if they try and try to take that God given right of yours, me as a Christian will stand on the front lines with anyone, if their constitutional rights are being infringed on. I’ll stand right with anyone…. Do people realize how long our government has trampled all over the constitution…. Not just the first or 2nd…. Way before Trump. And before you women and beta -males get you panties in a bunch (As I said… I’ll change it up a little…. If you fear filled panzies don’t wake up and understand the globalist are hate filled, but it has NOTHING to do with race. It’s that we’re all trash to them, the ones that look worst to them, is if you have no skills to profit them, the elderly, the poor, people on disability etc. etc…. Which all races have these people, which is who they HATE. Their trash…. A burden… Wake up sheepeople!!! You might be with them now, and you may agree with these idiots you people keep voting them into office ( WE IMPOWER THESE COWARDS/TRAITORS TO ONLY BE LEFT IN SILENCE ) Wake up! Because you may agree with them now, but what happens if you are able to have an original thought, or conviction that came from your heart, your soul…. But oops! It’s not what they want you to believe… Are you going to be one of those on your knees. really only begging to be a slave. I would rather die for my faith, than to live only to be a slave. Wake up people, the time is now… If not America wont be America to much longer. I love this country. I will die to protect my 2nd amendment… I will for the constitution. I will for this country… But at the end of the day I will not forfeit my guns for really only ONE reason….. My faith, Christians are soon to face some really hard times…. In other countries it’s getting pretty bad…. But it’s already starting here. To you out there that are Christians? We know, we will face genocide…. The Bible tells us what we’re in for. And to the writer, and the people that agree with taking our guns…. You COWARDS…. If you had any true principles… You wouldn’t only be supporting this idea because your scared little bitches that want the government to come take them from us…. And when police and citizens are dying because you bitches don’t realize, with the elite, globalist bankers… Your time will come…. And they’ll take all that you are, away from you too…. This isn’t about socialism, or Marxism… The end result they want us…. Collectivism…. Yes, all the different times through are history of different races, or faiths that we’re thrust into slavery….. Which is one of the saddest things man has ever done to each other…. But another is on its way…. And when it happens all the rest will seem simple in comparison. It won’t be about race or faith…. It will just be human slavery for only the 1% of the 1% of the richest people…. And satan will be pushing all the buttons…. Call me what you will… You want them to take our guns, which not even in the smallest ways make any since…. But how much would you be calling for it, if the government said okay…. But it’s you the people that have to go door to door and get the guns, and the loud echo of a voice in the background saying “ If you don’t get them, no matter how you have to, then it would be wise of to come back…. How brave would you be then? That was to the writer of this…. Who ever you are…. I say loud and clear to the government, THEN COME TAKE THEM…. Because I have no problem dying for my father in heaven….. Writer, you willing to possibly have something bad happen to you, just to take peoples rights from them? A cherry you… You would be pissing your pants. But if your willing to try…. To you also. Then come take them. Your truly kind caring, I would never want to hurt anyone III’er

    1. WTF says

      Firstly, Anyone who believes in any God is completely delusional, he’s as real as Santa or the Tooth Fairy. This is not the middle ages, God idea Fairy tale.

      Secondly, im not against guns, but Americas laws are f##ked up, no civilian needs a machine gun, and guns in general are too easy for nutcases to get their hands on.

  6. I agree with this report and think that the object of the Amnesty is to reduce the number of guns people have. The amnesty is, perhaps, improperly applied here.

  7. JustAnotherStatistic says

    It’s all too late even if we realized we truly never had “rights”. It is a psychological trick to easily get someone to do something they really wouldn’t do. Look it up it’s used on children by parents to get them to eat healthy or drink milk. If you ask them do they want a glass of milk they will say no of course but if you ask them in a way that seems like a choice but really isn’t. Like what color cup do you want for your milk red or blue it tricks them into drinking the milk without thinking about it. Its because you distracted their disgust in milk by letting them believe they had a choice and so they focus on what color they want they are happy they have a choice without realizing they never had a choice of what they wanted to drink but how they drank it. This is my example of what has happened to are real freedom and rights as people. What rights do we really have? Both sides of this argument are distracted from the truth “we are getting our rights taken from us” or “we should have the right to change these rights to be safe” either way you look at it all of you are distracted too from not realizing what “rights” do we have?These “rights” that the government chose to give us. How is this freedom as humans at all? We have a choice of what has already been chosen for us to choose from and it worked its proven by people like this on here arguing about this because the belief that we have “rights” and “freedom” the people calling people sheep are sheep because they believe we already had our “freedom” and “rights”. It’s all controlled and has been throughout history it’s way too late for eyes to open up to the truth it has been too late now we are just controlled lives made to conform by law and poverty.

  8. john burman says

    in the uk when after the Dunblane massacre (school children killed) the government banned all handguns and made the possession ao all other firearms much stricter (a shotgun is not a firearm BTW), and a shotgun licence more difficult to get. Commercial compensation was paid and all handgun licences were cancelled. There was opposition from gun owners but not the public who were wholly in favour. There have been subsequent gun amnesties, where you turn your illegal weapons to the police. There is a level of gun crime, all self respecting drug gangs have a few 9mm guns usually for hire to other drug gangs, but the level is low. A Question for you. If Osema Bin Laden or another person not allowed to fly, got off a plane in the US, went into t gun shop and bought a machine gun, or a pistol, would he be allowed to? Nobody in the world understands the super-lax US gun laws, and the strict driving (and DUI) laws!

    1. Elton O'Neal says

      No, If a person is not a US citizen with a clear criminal background check then he cannot buy any type of firearm in the US. No one in the US can just buy a machine gun. The US does not make it’s citizens into subjects as other countries do. US citizens maintain the right and ability to resist tyranny, unlike foreign subjects.

    2. Ronnie R. says

      You clearly do not understand US gun laws. NO ONE can just walk in and buy a machine gun or even a pistol. We are strict with cars because car crashes kill twice as many Americans as gun homicides. Maybe we should ban cars instead.

  9. JR Morgan says

    There is too much fear mongering in the US which props up the ‘need’ for gun possession. Look at Hollywood media productions where 90% of the movies have little story lines and all end up in an epic shootout or gratuitous gun violence. This type of brainwashing is now being spread as a producer’s ‘business model’ not only to all US movie and video releases, but is the framework for most overseas non-US themed releases as well. Take a look at the Netflix lineup: US gun violence, then a plethora of productions set in South America, Italy, Norway, Russia, Middle East, you name it. Gun violence makes Hollywood money, the entire industry benefits, in spite of their ‘liberal’ rhetoric. Mass shootings just follow the lead.

  10. Chuck McKenna says

    In the US it is a right, covered by Amendment 2 in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. It was the least debated of the 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights.

    It would take a Constitutional Amendment to change it, and no matter which of the two ways the Constitution allows an amendment to be presented, and it must then be approved by three quarters of the states. 38 states would have to overwhelmingly vote in each state to appeal that right. With about as many guns as people in the country, that probably would never happen, especially as we see places that resulted in tyranny after first removing the population’s guns, and countries that now also have areas in them where their police try not to go.
    Some people give guns away as Christmas presents in the US.
    Many employers understand that Deer hunting is pretty much a Human Right, and many of their employees simply will not be at work for part of deer season, though they may find hunting seasons for other species in other states negotiable. Many will be missing some work. Maybe more than the Monday after a Superbowl Sunday.

  11. Chuck McKenna says

    Yet, there are less assaults and less violent crime where guns are allowed.
    We do note the rise in knifing assaults in the UK, for example and in the US most of the shootings happen in places where guns are not allowed. Mass shooters prefer unarmed victims.

    There simply is no way that 38 states will agree to amend the Constitution to get of guns on a National level. 3/4 of the States would have to agree to ratify any changes to an Amendment. It is #2 on the first 10 Amendments that make up the Bill of Rights and #2 was the least debated of the 10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights when the Constitution was first signed and implemented.

  12. Carl Bankston says

    If people legally own ugly black rifles and somehow Congress passes a bill that forbids a citizen to own such a gun and the President signs it into law, what would be the effect on the citizens who own those guns now? Would the Constitutional prohibition of Ex Post Facto laws prevent the government from confiscating the AR and AK type rifles?

  13. Iggy says

    Even though Obama and the NWO had been pumping those kids full of chemicals that would make them more subservent to their needs by mind control. Instead of putting the blame where it really goes you’re going to put the blame on Trump because you’re subservient to the f****** New World Order just like almost everyone else! You would have rather had a murdering devil worshipper as president just because she was a woman. I guess you wanted to make sure that Obama got a use all them coffins american tax payers went more in debt for? Well no need to fear cuz the media and the rest of the people is playing right into the devil worshippers hands aren’t they?! They bought it Hook Line & Sinker just like 9/11 and John Lennon and JFK! Shame on you! Those shooters have been brainwashed, JUST LIKE ALL Y’ALL brainwashed drones that are STILL praising the Antichrist while making sure Trump doesn’t get a moments peace. Oh, it’s going to get much worse before it gets better! Blame yourselves for burying your brains in the backyard and letting it get this bad! The deceived are going to the same place as the deceivers. Because they were warned and didn’t listen. Ignorance of the law, is NO excuse. Especially when you didn’t have to go to lawschool to know all God’s laws!

  14. jack says

    lets make criminals out of law abiding citizens, and let law breakers go free, sounds libtard to me

  15. C Hobbs says

    Guns save 10-50 times more lives than they take. The amount of people who die from gun homicide is a statistical zero compared to other forms of death. We have a second amendment for a reason and if they try to take our guns there will be a second American revolution and this time they will seal up the loopholes that the anti American power grabbers try to use to take away our rights.

  16. Frank Russell says

    Dear Fed,

    Come get some.

    “…from my cold dead hands.”

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