Pro-gunners disagree on the limitations that gun control would put on their lifestyle. Some people believe it should be absolute, and any and all arms should be legal. Some pro-gunners and declare that heavy military equipment such as tanks, bazookas, etc., should be illegal, while reasonable controls on items such as automatic machine guns are all right. At the same time many people believe that even owning a simple handgun should be illegal and strict regulatory control should be enacted when

Contrary to myth and misrepresentation, most murders are not committed by previously law-abiding citizens either going berserk, or because a gun was handy during a moment of uncontrollable rage: suddenly “blow away” their spouse, friend, neighbor, acquaintance, or all four. Studies conducted at both the local and national level indicate people with previous criminal records commit the overwhelming majority of murders. Domestic homicides as well are preceded by a long history of violence. The “crime of passion” homicide is much more the exception rather than the rule. In 1998, firearms were used in 65% of homicides, and 52% of homicides were committed with a handgun. (FBI)

Gun suicides outnumber gun homicides. In 1995, there were 18,503 gun suicides compared to 13,790 firearm homicides. In the United States, guns are the most common method of suicide (61%). If we could magically make all guns disappear, would the number of suicides decrease? Probably not. “The full body of relevant studies indicates that firearm availability measures are significantly and positively associated with rates of firearm suicide, but have no significant association with rates of total suicide. Of thirteen studies, nine found a significant association between gun levels and rates of gun suicide, but only one found a significant association between gun levels and rates of total suicides. The only study to find a measure of “gun availability” significantly associated with total suicide...used a measure of gun availability known to be invalid. This pattern of results supports the view that where guns are less common, there is complete substitution of other methods of suicide, and that, while gun levels influence the choice of suicide method, they have no effect on the number of people who die in suicides.” (Kleck, pp. 285)

III. Refutation: People Kill People.

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