Give everybody guns and eliminate the police force

[Hugabear]

Here's a great idea to save billions of dollars - make it mandatory for everyone to own firearms, and then just eliminate the police. After all, the reasoning goes, if everyone was armed, then criminals would be less likely to commit crime! And if they do, the victim could just blast them to Kingdom Come on the spot. So therefore, we could also eliminate the entire judicial system, as well as the prison system! Every man for himself!

:sarcasm:

[Silent3]

1. While we're at it, grant everyone a medical degree...

...and we can all have free access to medical care! :)

[Hugabear]

3. We can eliminate the fire department by giving everyone water hoses!

Damn, we can save a shit load of money!

[cherokeeprogressive]

2. Go ahead... Just LOOK at my wife and see if I don't pop a cap in your ass.

I don't want everyone armed. Just don't come for MY guns, because I've never even THOUGHT of using them for an unlawful purpose.

[Kablooie]

4. Instead, give everybody a policeman and eliminate guns.

[cliffordu]

7. Now we're talkin'

:rofl:

[SteveM]

33. Wasn't there a quote attributed to Steinbeck?...

(paraphrase) I carry a gun because a policeman is too heavy.

[Spoonman]

19. Just crunching the numbers,

so before I say yes, would the deal include having to supply the donuts?

[kenny blankenship]

5. I know! Just mandate everyone buy a house and homelessness would disappear overnight.

But it seems to me I heard someone cracking that joke before. Someone - now who could that be? Who was that? I wonder.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. Archie Bunker was years ahead of you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLjNJI54GMM

[951-Riverside]

8. Its called Detroit. n/t

[Incitatus]

9. It's a good thing you used that sarcasm tag.

[Hugabear]

10. I've been around DU long enough to know that

Although I'm sure that even with the sarcasm tag, some might think I'm literally advocating that.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

31. ...and high-fiving you enthusiastically. Did we not see people praising Rand Paul here? -nt

[krispos42]

11. I think it's against your constitutional rights to force you to own and carry a gun. n/t

[the other one]

12. Either the gun lobby or the sarcasm police are unrec-ing

Is the NRA infiltrating du?

[Hugabear]

13. And this is how a satirical take on the GOP approach to health care winds up in the gungeon

Oh well

[Callisto32]

18. "Infiltrating" suggests secrecy.

We are pretty much out in the open about it.

Besides, your weak attempt to make a point does nothing, because it presents a false dichotomy.

[slackmaster]

21. I Unrec'd it because the OP is silly

:hi:

[SteveM]

28. Don't worry, Eleanor will defend us. nt

[AtheistCrusader]

14. The only sad stereotype here is your post.

You assume gun owners have any interest in law enforcement. Most of us have zero. We are not in the business of tracking down robbers and theives. If someone breaks into my home while I'm at work, me with my gun can do nothing about it.

We need the police, REGARDLESS of our personal posession of firearms. Self defense is not vigilanteeism, nor is it law enforcement.


Your sarcastic analogy fails, and only serves to illustrate your own prejudices.

[Euromutt]

16. I'm not particularly interested in performing traffic stops either (n/t)

[spin]

30. I'm not a cop nor do I play one on TV or DU ....

I have great admiration for anyone willing to put on the uniform. It's a dangerous and often unrewarding job.

[LaPera]

15. Give everyone a firehose too....

[pipoman]

17. Unrec

for erroneous, flame bait assertions..

"After all, the reasoning goes, if everyone was armed, then criminals would be less likely to commit crime!", show us where you have read such reasoning, if it is as common as you are claiming, shouldn't be a problem to show examples..

[slackmaster]

20. Straw Man is a straw man

After all, the reasoning goes, if everyone was armed, then criminals would be less likely to commit crime!

Oddly enough, only gun control advocates cite that "reasoning".

[guardian]

22. You'd make R. Heinlein happy

Robert A. Heinlein: "An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."

[jody]

23. Or just let each person be responsible for her/his self-defense. Oh wait, that's the way it is.

[Tim01]

24. Neither the cops or the gun owners want that. nt

[proteus_lives]

25. If you think anyone wants that, then you haven't been paying attention.

:eyes:

[gorfle]

26. Who would question witnesses and gather evidence?

The police may not be of much use in stopping crimes or protecting victims, but someone has to question witnesses and gather evidence to assist in the prosecution of crimes.

So we can't eliminate the police force.

[SteveM]

27. Is this the latest punking tactic of the gun-controllers? Corrections:

(1) Making firearms "mandatory for everyone" would violate any number of laws, some supported by both the Brady outfit and the NRA; to wit, no firearms sold by FFL-dealers to convicted felons or those adjudicated mentally incompetent;
(2) Age restrictions prevent the implementation of your uncivilized proposal;
(3) Eliminating LEOs would prevent them from investigating crimes and apprehending criminals;
(4) Eliminating the judiciary would eliminate constitutional protections of the accused;
(5) Eliminating the prison system would allow thugs/criminals to continue their mayhem;
(6) Eliminating your "sarcasm" would reveal the bankruptcy of your "reasoning" (which is why you inoculate yourself accordingly).

All clear, now?

[Hoopla Phil]

29. I'm sure the people on the Danziger Bridge in eastern New Orleans

felt that way but with out the sarcasm.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/us/25orleans.html?hpw

[Big Al Mac]

32. Ever heard of Kennesaw, GA?

Gun Ownership-It's The Law In Kennesaw

This is an old article but the rates continue to be lower than the surrounding cities.

According to the Kennesaw Police Department, the city's most recent crime statistics show 243 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 1998, or .243 per 1,000.

The city's crime rate continues to be far below other metro Atlanta city's with similar populations, like Decatur. In 1998, Decatur recorded 4,049 property crimes per 100,000 residents.

[Callisto32]

34. SELF DELETE

Realized this is an old thread to which I already responded.....months ago.