Supreme Court Ruling On D.C. Handgun Ban

[thetroy]

The illegal guns could pretty much all be eliminated pretty easily, we just don't have the balls to do it.

How? You might ask.

Simple. You must turn in all guns by (date). After (date), anyone found holding a gun will be put to death by public hanging. No trials or appeals or waiting years, you get taken to see the hangman immediately.

[rjohnstone]

No trials or appeals or waiting years, you get taken to see the hangman immediately.

You would have to repeal the 5th, 6th and 8th amendments first.
Not gonna happen.

A little light reading for you.

• Fifth Amendment – due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain.

No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

• Sixth Amendment – Trial by jury and rights of the accused; Confrontation Clause, speedy trial, public trial, right to counsel

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

• Eighth Amendment – Prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

[thetroy]

I'm aware of those. Just saying it IS possible to eliminate guns.

We would have to stop being pussies though and doing things like allowing murderers to get off because the "glove doesn't fit."

[Cygnus X1]

Good going, Rick...
I had already assigned troy to reading the SCOTUS transcript, and now you want him to read the Constitution.
See ya in another 24 hours, troy!

[rjohnstone]

We would have to stop being pussies though and doing things like allowing murderers to get off because the "glove doesn't fit."

It's called due process.
Eliminate that and I could simply say you sexually assaulted my daughter and you should be put to death.
You would get no trial, no hearing, just a rope. And I would be able to do this without a single shred of proof, just my word against yours.

The system we have may not be perfect, but what you suggest is unthinkable in any modern society.

Show me one country in this world that hasn't either wrongfully convicted and/or put to death an innocent person. Or to the reverse, set a guilty person free due to the lack of evidence or reasonable doubt.
There is no "perfect" system.

[thetroy]

FWIW, I read most of the former and am plenty familiar with the latter though I don't necessarily agree with everything in either document. Anyway...

We're throwing out wacky ideas on a forum. Why should we limit ourselves to things which follow the Constitution?

Following the Constitution obviously has not eliminated violent crime, so it seems we need some 'out of the box' ideas.

[thetroy]

I wasn't advocating the elimination of the whole judicial system. I was saying it's possible to eliminate guns entirely if you make holding a gun punishable by a swift death.

Whether or not that would be a good idea, I don't know. It would certainly work.

[rjohnstone]

I have a funny feeling that if the second amendment were repealed there would be a second revolution.
Guess who would win... the people with the guns.

[thetroy]

Ah yes the old Might = Right argument.

[rjohnstone]

Ah yes the old Might = Right argument.

Not an argument really... pure and simple fact.
Right or wrong, the simple fact is that if you try and strip away the second amendment, there will be several million pissed off, and well armed US citizens that are gonna have something to say about it.

[horns666]

I'll play the "what ifs".

What if you were made to suggadick at gunpoint..in the parking lot at Walmart during store hours..that would be wrong IMO!

BUT what if you were armed and made the perp suck your stuff on principality. That would send a message to perps everywhere! Now we're talkin' national news, talk shows, a youtube vid perhaps..possibly a spot on Oprah!!

How easy to go from fuckee to fucker by packin' some heat, blue steel, your rod..these are puns with guns people!

[Snoogans]

also kind of interesting is the ban on Knifes in the UK. any Brits want to chime in on this? Doctors want to now ban kitchen knifes that have a point. i guess the crime rate is very high with stabbings. A ban on guns, now a ban on blades? whats next?

In order of implementation -
#1 Sharp Pencils
#2 Harsh Language
#3 Voting

[Vass]

In order of implementation -
#1 Sharp Pencils
#2 Harsh Language
#3 Voting

Love that.

[RacerX]

Remember that dude that was shot and killed in NY City, the cops fired something like 80-100 bullets at the guy and only hit him like 8 times. Remember that? Those are cops that are trained to shoot. Just imagine what a citizen without that training would do.

It was "only" 50 shots, you exaggerator you
and the dead man was struck twice, his friends a total of 14 times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/27/nyregion/27fire.html

[442w30]

On a related note - this will leave a mark..If only more people did this, theives would think twice:

http://www.kxan.com/global/story.asp?s=8619402

Austin woman shoots attacker in the face

An Austin woman credits her handgun and her own quick thinking with saving her life after she shot a man who was trying to attack her. Leonie Burgos said the man scaled a fence outside her apartment near Barton Skyway and South Lamar.

When Burgos saw the man jump the fence, she ran inside and grabbed her .38 caliber pistol. She went back outside to see if the man had left. She said that's when he attacked her by tackling her to the ground from behind.

Bergos said she shot the man only after trying to scare him with the gun first.

"First I tried to point it up in his face so that he would see that I had a gun so he would take off running," said Burgos. "But he didn't."

Burgos said the man continued to hold her down and the two struggled. She said she pulled the trigger three times and did not know if she hit the man. He ran away before police arrived.

Thirty minutes later, a man went to the emergency room at Brackenridge Hospital with a gunshot wound to the face. Hospital personnel called police. An arrest warrant said Christopher Benavides,20, told police he intended to steal the woman's cell phone and sell it for cash before he was shot.

Benavides had two warrants out for his arrest at the time of the attack for criminal trespass and criminal mischief. He now faces a charge of robbery by assault, as well. Burgos is not facing any charges.