Underwaterant

It's a separate issue of being licensed and trustworthy to conceal and carry, compared to being able to accurately send one out to a hostage taker in extreme stress situations without hitting an innocent bystander or aircraft structure.
You are not trained for that, even dreaming security guards.

Bazamac Loc: Manchester, UK

Just out of interest, do you think it is possible that Americans could discuss gun ownership WITHOUT making any reference to the 2nd Amendment? That way, maybe the debate could concentrate on the actual pros and cons of widespread gun ownership, rather than on the relative value of decisions made by a group of men (no women, of course) over 200 years ago. It might also allow the rest of the world to join in the debate without being accused of poking their noses in where they're not wanted. Gun control is not just a US issue.

shadows creation Loc: san antonio

Just a quick question for BOTH side of the coin here, where would america be today if the colonies adapted the rule of no guns? 8-)

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

First of all, what is an 'aeroplane'?

Kombiguy Loc: Cedar Rapids, IA

As a gedanken, would the outcome of the flights that struck the WTC on 9/11 have been any worse if all the passengers had been armed?
I tend to think the outcome could only have been better.

Bazamac Loc: Manchester, UK

It's the English word for what Americans call an 'airplane'

TimS Loc: GA

Gun owners ARE allowed to fly with their guns on aircraft in the USA. I've flown with mine a couple times - in my checked baggage. I think restricting who can carry a firearm to trained LEO on aircraft is logical. An errant shot - even if it doesn't hit anybody can still take down an aircraft.

Background checks when purchasing a gun are nowhere near the scrutiny that would need to be employed to ensure the person isn't a potential terrorist. If everyone had to pay $4000 for a high public confidence national security/ restricted data background check just to purchase that Ruger LCP then yeah, sure - let them carry after they obtain specialized aircraft training. I suspect most people don't want to wait 6 months before they can take possession of their gun.

As far as churches and so forth, it should not NOT be law prohibiting carrying there. Churches are private orgs and it should be up to each church to set their own policy. If some nit wit fires an errant shot in a church and hits nobody - aside from a lot of panic, the church will not fall 35,000 feet killing everyone.

Kombiguy Loc: Cedar Rapids, IA

I find it humorous that an Englishman, from a country with a monarchy over a thousand years old, complains that our constitution was written a mere 200 years ago.

Underwaterant

This can be taken jokingly, sarcastically, or seriously.
However some may agree ??

If guns never existed, America would not exist in history !! ??

Bazamac Loc: Manchester, UK

Yes, we'll I'm a republican (small r, please!) and would abolish the monarchy in a flash given the chance. So comments about the monarchy are neither here nor there to me.

Anyway, i wasn't complaining that the US constitution was written 200 years ago, just querying the relevance of parts of it today and wondering if the constant references to it by supporters of gun control obscure the real debate about the pros and cons of widespread/unrestricted gun ownership.

The US Constitution itself I regard as generally excellent, forged as it was during the revolutionary fervour of the late 18th century. Ironically, that fervour also gave rise to the abolition of another monarchy and the establishment of a republic in another country - that country is one of the bêtes noires of the American right -France! Excellent as the US Constitution was, however, nothing is perfect and, as times change, it's reasonable to suggest that it might need reviewing from time to time - there's a clue in the term "2nd amendment" somewhere.

So my point is that surely it is better to consider the merits or demerits of gun ownership or restrictions on that on their own terms and then decide whether changes in the law need to be made - and that applies everywhere in the world - the issue is not US specific.

lovesphotos Loc: Colorado and Arizona

Spending a day confined in an airplane is not representative of day-to-day life.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

And while MOST holders of concealed weapons permits are responsible decent citizens, the current requirements to get a permit vary from state to state. In Florida you have to take a 2-hour course on gun laws and pass the background check. You may get a concealed carry permit having never actually held a weapon in your life! In other states there is an expectation that you have at least taken a handgun course like the one sponsored by the NRA, which emphasizes gun safety and requires some range time and familiarity with a pistol.

A RATIONAL approach would be not to register weapons but to register anyone allowed to possess any weapon other than a single-shot hunting rifle (about what the framers of our constitution were familiar with). No one other than a registered owner could possess or purchase pistols of any type or semi-automatic weapons.

But the REALITY is that a huge percentage of Americans, living under one of the most democratically elected governments in the world, fear their government! They are afraid of their elected government providing health care (and would rather get it from large multi-national corporations) and they feel that they need to be prepared for the day of a national uprising against their government. And THAT was the mindset of our founding fathers, so it will be hard to get rid of that.

FutureLook Loc: Florida, USA

You posted a question but never made your comment. I would like to read your comments on this matter.

bcheary Loc: Jacksonville, FL

As a long time gun owner and a staunch believer in the 2nd Ammendment I don't
believe that weapons should be carried inside the cabin, just checked in ba
ggage. Just my thoughts[quo
te=NOTLguy]I can see that the issue of gun control isn't going to go away any time soon, so I would like to pose a question:

Do you believe that everyone should be allowed to carry guns on aeroplanes?

If yes, would you feel more or less safe flying than you do today?

If no, and you feel that flying would be more dangerous, then why not adopt the same rules for day-to day life on the streets?

I'm just asking :?:[/quote]

DennisK Loc: Pickle City,Illinois

Nope.He asked his question of gun ADVOCATES,not gun CONTROL advocates.