Should we lower the age to purchase guns?

No, because you just agreed to it. Guns are made and have been made for war and to kill people, but it's also been used to hunt

No, the real reason guns have been invented has been for war, but it's also been used for sport and hunting after because bows were obselete. So they were the effect of war and now are also used for hunting. Guns are historically made for war and killing other people

@thegerg: no, if you just do a quick google search like i did. You'll find out that they are made for war and that they were made for sport after

No, i still stand behind my statement that guns were made for killing people and are still made for killing people. That's their main purpose

Really?
If someone with military training can handle a firearm responsibly, so can a civilian
That's your line of thinking

Also, if there is more to this post, fill me in
Cause I aint reading four pages

We're just going round in circles, let's just agree to disagree

Obviously it's my line of thinking.

This has to be the dumbest topic I have read in a while..

...uh we already do. I don't think they give an IQ test to purchase a gun

You're getting dominated.

@purplelabel: shut up, i am not. You're not even in this discussion and you're just as silly as him if you think guns were invented only for sport and hunting and not of the consequence of war...

Well you clearly state that it isn't a consequence of war, so what else should i think?

Because you deny the simple fact that they were made to kill other people and because of this i am now stopping to argue with you because you can't understand this.

with uzis?

But why?
How do you compare someone with military training and someone with none and call them equal?
LOGIC ME

@The_Last_Ride: "Because you deny the simple fact that they were made to kill other people and because of this i am now stopping to argue with you because you can't understand this."

Thegerg didn't deny anything stop lying and I hope you are giving up now, you should have given up ages ago because thegerg has owned you for about two pages now from when you made these false statements;

"The only reason guns are made is to kill people..."

"you can't grasp the simple concept of that guns are made to kill people"

"then why do we have guns? Please enlighten me. If it's not for killing or shooting people then what is their purpose...?"

@lamprey263: "If there's a statistical reason not to give them handguns that early then I'll buy it."

You really need statistics for reasons not to give young teens guns? I thought it was just common sense but if you need statistics then here's a few;

More than one in five U.S. teenagers (ages 14 to 17) report having witnessed a shooting.

An average of eight children and teens under the age of 20 are killed by guns every day.

American children die by guns 11 times as often as children in other high-income countries.

Youth (ages 0 to 19) in the most rural U.S. counties are as likely to die from a gunshot as those living in the most urban counties. Rural children die of more gun suicides and unintentional shooting deaths. Urban children die more often of gun homicides.

Firearm homicide is the second-leading cause of death (after motor vehicle crashes) for young people ages 1-19 in the U.S.

In 2007, more pre-school-aged children (85) were killed by guns than police officers were killed in the line of duty.

Allowing young teens to purchase conceal carry guns would vastly add to these statistics.

While I'm not a big gun advocate overall, I would lower the age to own a handgun to 18. If you are old enough to vote, join the military, and own other types of fire arms, you should be able to be trusted with a handgun. I also think you should be able to buy alcohol at 18. Generally, once you hit 18 you should have all the rights of an adult.

Why are you assuming that the civilian wouldn't have training? Most states require a safety course already to buy a handgun. That's the same thing military members go through.

Like I said, if there's statistical reasons, I'll buy that. And yeah, that sounds like reason enough for me to agree with you.

@redstorm72: "While I'm not a big gun advocate overall, I would lower the age to own a handgun to 18. If you are old enough to vote, join the military, and own other types of fire arms, you should be able to be trusted with a handgun. I also think you should be able to buy alcohol at 18. Generally, once you hit 18 you should have all the rights of an adult."

So all at once a 18yr old should be able to drink, drive, and own a gun a dangerous combination for a young mind. Just bcos one is 18 it shouldn't automatically qualify them to own a gun, they are just in that transition phase of immature teen to adult, that's not a good time to throw guns and alcohol at them. Unless you want my stats ^^^ to increase a whole bunch.

@lamprey263: "And yeah, that sounds like reason enough for me to agree with you."

Lol I thought you might :P

Don't generalize. There are 18 year olds who are extremely mature.

You're also making an assumption that an 18 year old would go out and drink and then take their gun shooting. Do you have any proof that that's actually a problem? If not, it's not a valid concern.

@airshocker: at know point did I make a generalizing comment.

You called them all "young minds". That's generalizing. I was extremely mature when I was 18. I owned my own rifle(the AR-15 I have to this day), and I never drank alcohol and shot it.

You also said they're in a transitional phase. True enough, but that doesn't necessarily make them immature, or incapable of owning a firearm responsibly.

@airshocker: "You called them all "young minds". That's generalizing"

What!? They are young they have young minds.

"I was extremely mature when I was 18. I owned my own rifle(the AR-15 I have to this day), and I never drank alcohol and shot it."

Good for you bro but not everyone is like you.

Also there is a reason why the drinking age and driving age is so far apart from each other, so the idea of allowing a 18yr old to buy alcohol purchase and carry a gun and drive all at the same time is just asking for trouble IMO.

You're being too literal. Just because someone is 18 doesn't mean they're immature. That is what you're implying.

And not everyone is like what you're suggesting they're like. You're assuming that because 18 year olds would have access to alcohol that they would drink and drive, and drink and shoot. Sure, some will. 21 year olds do as well. There will ALWAYS be people who are going to break the law. Not doing something because something bad could happen is not a good enough reason to not make a change.

@airshocker: there is a reason why the driving age is far apart from the drinking age, what do you think that reason is?

The fact is that young people are more likely to act irresponsibly statistics can prove that.

lol
You are worth your weight in gold

And you're a coward.

Three or four years isn't far apart.

Why are you bringing up statistics? Where have I questioned your statistics? This isn't about statistics. This is about freedom.

@airshocker:

"Three or four years isn't far apart"

Hmm the difference between a 12-16yr old in maturity is vast and from 16-20 even more vast what are you talking about?

"This is about freedom"

Yeh the freedom of teens to act irrisponsibly with alcohol and guns.

And you keep ignoring my question, why is it that the legal age in which a person can drive is so far ahead of the legal age to drink and purchase alcohol.

12-16 year olds can't get drivers licenses. So I'm not sure what point you're trying to making.

You haven't proven that all teens will act irresponsibly.

Your question is irrelevant.

@airshocker: it is relevant, your government doesn't seem to think A 18yr old being in charge of a potentially dangerous thing(a car) while being allowed to purchase and consume alcohol is a good idea, so why would a 18yr old purchasing and carrying guns while being allowed to purchase and consume alcohol be any different.

I really can't understand your logic, you really think allowing the legal age to purchase and carry guns and purchase and drink alcohol to be 18 would not result in more gun violence, more accidents with guns.

"You haven't proven that all teens will act irresponsibly."

I never said all teens, stick to the facts and don't tell lies, I said teens are more likely to act irresponsibly. You seem to have know clue about reality as you need proof that teens are more likely to act irresponsibly.

"12-16 year olds can't get drivers licenses. So I'm not sure what point you're trying to making."

The point i'm making is quite clear, a 3-4yr age gap is huge a difference in maturity when it comes to kids and teens, in adults there is not much difference in maturity in a gap of 3-4 yrs.

You appealing to the authority of the federal government means absolutely nothing to me. The federal government is quite often wrong. They have banned gay marriage, after all. Nothing you're saying is relevant. You're giving me a bunch of what-ifs that don't even make any sense. Firstly, you're assuming that 18 year olds will consume alcohol while driving. Secondly, you're assuming that 18 year olds will have a concealed carry permit which is unlikely since most people in this country can't carry handguns concealed. Finally, you're assuming that these people will also then consume alcohol while they have these firearms on them. Your posts are full of assumptions with no proof to back any of it up.

You didn't qualify your remarks. You said teens. It's not my fault you are unclear. My point still stands, however. You can't prove that all teens will act irresponsibly. Thus your whole basis for limiting these freedoms is null/void.

An 18 year old is considered an adult by law. So by your very own definition there is no difference between an 18 year old and a 22 year old. Thank you for agreeing with me.

Damn
That escalated quickly
But explain never the less

I'm not sold either way. I feel there are both arguments for and against.

You're scared of something bad happening. It's pretty obvious.