G5: Those reasons do exist and will always exist. In a simple context, gun control is an inversely proportional measure of how much a government trusts the people that it governs. If I am trusted to vote, pay taxes, and come to the defense (using a gun, of course) of my country in times of need, shouldn't I be trusted to possess guns for private use?
For the longer answer:
The framers of the US Constitution ultimately had one goal in mind: The power must remain in the hands of the People. As long as the People control the government, all is well. When the governement controls the People, its power will only increase until is becomes uncontrollably oppressive (i.e. tyranny). "People" is capitalized on purpse.
Would we ever reach a situation where I would have to go up against a brigade from the local Army base? Of course not. (I hope. Then again, look up "Bonus Army" on Google.)
On the other hand, should a government fear its citizenry? Hopefully not, but it increases a little bit at a time. The greatest steps in gun control in the U.S. have come at a time when the government was most fearful of civil unrest--post Civil War, the Great Depression, and the late 1960s when there were many riots.
When did Germany inacts its gun control--when the Weimar Republic was trying to maintain power from the rising factions after WWI. Hitler didn't need to enact gun control--it was already there when he took over. No matter the name given it, gun control is simply about control.
Last edited by cuervo; 08-24-2004 at 06:58 PM..
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