there goes the neighborhood

[bigbird]

Here in Australia we look after our own. We have a health system that everyone can access for free. Yeah like a heart transplant for free. Hospital for free nursing for free, unemployment assistance for free and addiction for free.

Love Australia. A country founded by Englands waste, the Convicts

Same situation here in Canada.
Love Canada. A country founded by curious English and French entrepreneurs.

What would you rather have, free heart transplants or the right to easily carry a concealed weapon?

[Hornblower]

What would you rather have, free heart transplants or the right to easily carry a concealed weapon?

One thing that some of us have figured out...there is no such thing as FREE...anywhere

[shooter]

Ken its great to be associated with guys like you. Hey Bird , we live in different cultures. To me , your country is a socialist culture. Almost communism. You're not free to make your own choices. Your government makes your choices. Down here , without the gun , you may not live to need the heart transplant. Bird once again I say this with respect. Just expressing my opinion. I've carried a handgun every day for over 30 years. To me it seems normal. If I left the house without it then I would feel half dressed. Its not like that with everyone but for me that's normal.

[Elroy]

Same situation here in Canada.
Love Canada. A country founded by curious English and French entrepreneurs.

What would you rather have, free heart transplants or the right to easily carry a concealed weapon?

Quick answers, Elroy.

All the things you mention are legal, some being mandated by law or home insurance requirements.

In Canada it is illegal to own a handgun unless you go through many expensive and ponderous hoops, one of which is mandatory membership in a gun club and the other being a permit to move that gun out of the gun club, to your home, and back to the gun club. Handguns in Canada are classified as restricted weapons. If you want to read about how difficult it is to obtain and own a restricted weapon (handgun), knock yourself out here:

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/restr-eng.htm

Children are inquisitive and resourceful. A rifle lying about unlocked, even separated from its ammunition, is a source of curiosity even for a toddler.
I didn't need a rifle lying about to trigger (pun intended) any possibility of accidental or purposeful discharge by a child. And I wasn't about to spend hundreds of dollars to obtain the necessary lockable rifle cabinet required by law.

To your first question, either is a fantastic privilege/right. However, nothing is free, don't care how it's wrapped up and presented. And secondly, the fact it is fairly easy to obtain a carry permit, it does vary state-to-state, does not influence my decision to do so. If it were harder, had all the hoops and red-tape that you refer to in Canada, I would still go through the process.

And in response to your response; so you only do those things because they are required by law? I quite doubt that. I wear a helmet in states with no helmet laws because...go figure, it protects me.

And yes children are curious creatures, have you also ridden your home of lighters, knives, plastic bags, cleaning chemicals, aerosols, do you have plastic covers on all your outlets? I hope you don't own a pool. OR, have you instead taken the necessary preCAUTIONs to prevent or limit their access to these items? Not degrading your decision to keep a child safe in your home if your not willing to take the necessary steps, but the home of a responsible gun owner is as safe as "Jill the soccer mom's" home is.

[Elroy]

Here in Australia we look after our own. We have a health system that everyone can access for free. Yeah like a heart transplant for free. Hospital for free nursing for free, unemployment assistance for free and addiction for free.
My father was a person of addiction, not his fault, he came home from Korea a bit screwed up (D company 3RAR Kapyong) suppose it was better to drink than go crazy ????? Took his own life when 66
And for the Gun ownership supporters. DID YOU KNOW BECAUSE OF GUN DEATHS IN AMERICA IT CAN LEGALLY BE DECLARED A WAR ZONE ????
Don't believe me ????
More than 10000 a year ??? in America
Check them numbers against the deaths in recent wars like Vietnam on-wards ?
Remember that"s 10000 a year
Love Australia. A country built by Englands waste, the Convicts

Terry, I would love nothing more than to avoid statistics. There are 3 types of lies, #1 lies, #2 damn lies, and #3 statistics. Frankly the logic of your comparison of the day-to-day of the lives of US citizens to the brutality of a WAR is warped. Vietnam lasted 21 years with over 5mil casualties! Do you realize how long it would take to reach 5mil deaths at 10,000/year? I'll do the math for you, 500 years! Talk about apples to oranges......

And I love America. A country built by England's unruly children.

On a lighter note - I've always to wanted to see Australia

[terrydj]

So true, but the truths the truth.
10000 a year is 10000 a year end of story
I have owned guns all my life
Beat an Australia Olympic Gold Medalist (Russel Marks) in shotgun.
Can double pop from the draw ??? with ease to 30 feet 45cal an under
Was in the Military here in Australia with a training unit that America sent its best too.
To kill your own when not in a state of war to stay free then ??????
The term America the free scares me.

And Wow Vietnam lasted 3 years??????????
Australia was their for ten and America was their for longer with deaths I believe of over 50000 ????? Thats deaths of half a year less than in America.

And honestly I thought America was originally built by people who wanted to be kings

[taxfree4]

As far as health care, no one flies to Canada to get major surgery, sorry my Canadian friends that is an American monopoly. People from all over the world do anything they can to get here just to tap into the expertise and advancement of American medical knowledge. Free enterprise, even in health care will always produce a better quality product than a single payer program. However, I would give a kidney to party with Rob Ford and even relocate just so he could be my mayor. That man made Canada cool.

[Elroy]

So true, but the truths the truth.
10000 a year is 10000 a year end of story
I have owned guns all my life
Beat an Australia Olympic Gold Medalist (Russel Marks) in shotgun.
Can double pop from the draw ??? with ease to 30 feet 45cal an under
Was in the Military here in Australia with a training unit that America sent its best too.
To kill your own when not in a state of war to stay free then ??????
The term America the free scares me.

And Wow Vietnam lasted 3 years??????????
Australia was their for ten and America was their for longer with deaths I believe of over 50000 ????? Thats deaths of half a year less than in America.

And honestly I thought America was originally built by people who wanted to be kings

My apologies, I had mistakenly searched Korea. You mentioned your father was there, as was my grandfather, so the Korean War was on my mind. I edited my post, 21 years. Excuse me.

Please tell me where in the world do people not kill their own when not in a state of war? By your logic, everywhere must be a war-zone. I don't know why the term "America the Free" scares you or has to do with you. You do not live here.

Yes, of course, they wanted to be Kings......I must've missed all the mentions of "monarchy" in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution....

[tinknocker]

I personally do not buy into the "disease" theory ...Life is full of choices, sometimes you make the wrong one ! When society categorizes unacceptable behavior into a disease, then that makes the action "OK". Why can't the behavior just be bad, why is everything a disease??? Pick your poison, obesity,gambling,porn,drinking,smoking crack and the list never stops !!!

On my original post ..Why not join them...."keep you enemies close and your friends closer" It IS coming so why not join in and see if you can steer this in a way that would be acceptable to you and yours?

this is where I have gotten to...there are still a few avenues to trot down but I am now trying to get questions answered and concerns addressed...trying to get these things done ON RECORD so if something happens someone is held with their feet to the fire

[bigbird]

To me , your country is a socialist culture. Almost communism.

That's funny.
Ever spent any amount of time in Canada?

I spent 6 weeks in the US in 2012. Drove to Florida. Two things stood out in my mind.
1) The lack of common sense used by drivers of all types of vehicles on the roads.
2) The fear of everything non-American.

I was very happy to cross the border back into Canada after those 6 weeks.

BTW, I never in those travels felt threatened by anyone or the need to have a weapon for protection. That included downtown Tampa at night, New Orleans downtown and in the French Quarter at night, wandering around downtown Memphis at night, and many motel and gas pit stops along the way. Either I was lucky, or the boogeymen were on holidays.