Why did the people lose the right to resolve disputes through gun duels?

[davmat787]

Anybody got a spare butthurt report form?

Here you go, just made some fresh copies for desura since the Boston bombers turned out to *shock* not be white gun nuts.

 

[her209]

Because we evolved beyond the level of barbarians?

Not really. We just have better weapons.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Because it is barbaric and inhumane. It is time for us to evolve. Shooting guns at each other is sooooo 20th century.

 

[her209]

The second is intended to have the right to bear arms (defense)

I don't think this is right. The amendment makes no mention of defense. Gun owners list other reasons for owning and using one include hunting and competitive shooting. Although, I do question if hunting is a right if the state requires hunters to buy hunting permits and limits how much game you can shoot.

 

[davmat787]

I don't think this is right. The amendment makes no mention of defense. Gun owners list other reasons for owning and using one include hunting and competitive shooting. Although, I do question if hunting is a right if the state requires hunters to buy hunting permits and limits how much game you can shoot.

Limits are set on how much game can be harvested to help conserve the animal population and ensure it won't be decimated. Hunters actually help US Fish & Wildlife in many respects. Licenses are needed to help correlate game tags, otherwise one person could buy as many tags as they want, it would essentially become a loophole to over harvesting.

 

[Moonbeam]

Limits are set on how much game can be harvested to help conserve the animal population and ensure it won't be decimated. Hunters actually help US Fish & Wildlife in many respects. Licenses are needed to help correlate game tags, otherwise one person could buy as many tags as they want, it would essentially become a loophole to over harvesting.

Actually it is more like insuring the population is only decimated.

 

[EagleKeeper]

I don't think this is right. The amendment makes no mention of defense. Gun owners list other reasons for owning and using one include hunting and competitive shooting. Although, I do question if hunting is a right if the state requires hunters to buy hunting permits and limits how much game you can shoot.

The purpose of a well regulated militia is to be able to band together to defend your home,community and way of life from other forces that are attempting to take such away. By banding together, the sum of the parts is stronger than each on its own.

The individuals in the militia were expected to have their own weapons. Way of life at those times. Heavy weapons were the responsibility of the overall group. Extra spare weapons powder and shot were also cached

 

[DucatiMonster696]

The purpose of a well regulated militia is to be able to band together to defend your home,community and way of life from other forces that are attempting to take such away. By banding together, the sum of the parts is stronger than each on its own.

Furthermore the purpose of the 2nd amendment is to ensure that the "right to bear arms" is itself held separately from having to be part of a regulated militia itself.

 

[shira]

Because it's stupid.

Exactly. Why does anyone believe that having superior skill shooting a pistol correlates with the "correct" side of an argument?

 

[davmat787]

Actually it is more like insuring the population is only decimated.

I assume you meant 'only partially decimated'?

Not at all. Do you know what would happen to the deer population here in the US if there was no controlled and legal hunt every year?

Many more benefits from hunting exist, such as land conservation and ensuring genetic diversity for long term species survival but I don't feel like making a big post on since this subject is OT.

Besides, I would wager you think the typical hunter is a blood thirsty drunk redneck who only hunts to get his kill boner.

 

[momeNt]

Dueling and having dueling arenas to minimize the chances that errant bullets kill innocent bystanders is a good idea, and one that I champion myself.

Murder rates have drastically increased since we started having the only lawful killing be self-defense. It's important to recognize that and maybe correct our error in the near future.

 

[her209]

Exactly. Why does anyone believe that having superior skill shooting a pistol correlates with the "correct" side of an argument?

Because dead men tell no tales.

 

[mect]

Yet if the winner was to declare self defense because they we shot st...

Lord, I never drew first but I drew first blood

 

[piasabird]

It is murder! It does not prove how is right, it proves who is best with a gun!

 

[poohbear]

huh? because murder is illegal!!! is the OP really serious??

 

[Muse]

It seems like a quaint old tradition, something you think of with the hatted/mustachioed foppish fools of the 19th century. Thankfully we've evolved from that stage. Murder is not legal anymore.

 

[mect]

Would duels really classify as murder? Doesn't seem like it, so long as both are willing participants.

 

[God Mode]

Job security for lawyers, courts and law enforcement thus correction facilities etc.

 

[monovillage]

If i'm sitting on the jury, i'd find the surviving dueller not guilty.

 

[ericlp]

I say we swap in the Dueller rights for the ban on assault rifles... But you don't get to play a human opponent... You play an "UNBEATABLE" robot. EVERY city should have one... And the stupid gun nuts that don't like the ban... Well, yes...

Of course... they are STUPID... So, anyways.... We tell em, if you can beat the "unbeatable" robot ... You get to keep all your guns! Lets, see... Crazy fucked up gun nuts dead plus all the assault rifles taken off the street! Problem solved!

What ya think?

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

Well, in all reality, we lost the right to fight duels because technology advanced to the point where it was beyond impractical, and society stopped believing God or fate would prevent the other guy's bullet from killing you because you were just.

Duels weren't actually supposed to be contests of skill. Fate - and god - were supposed to decide the victor, not aiming skills. Dueling pistols were not rifled in most cases. Just hitting the other guy was lucky, and an instant kill shot was real unlikely.

Course, back then there were no antibiotics, so even a flesh wound had a good chance of becoming lethal from infection when a big ass lead ball drove your dirty, sweaty clothes into your bullet wound. There's at least one case where one of the parties of the duel knew this and thus showed up naked.

With better medical care and antibiotics, you were less likely to die from an infection, the whole affair became less lethal and thus less practical.

You could make it more lethal with better weapons - but then it becomes a contest of skill. The entire concept only worked if it was God deciding who won. Skill with a weapon did not prove righteousness the way divine intervention on a bullet was supposed to.

And that's about when society as a whole decided this whole affair was stupid to begin with. God didn't especially seem to protect the just from harm anywhere else, so why would he in a duel? Weapons skill was not something decided by righteousness either, nor was your ability to afford doctors if you got shot. Which mean letting this go on meant society was going to be paying for medical care or losing possibly important people in deadly contests that only proved who was lucky, not who was right.

We decided that was moronic even before taking into account that random pieces of lead flying at high velocity in populated areas can hit people entirely unrelated to this whole insane affair.

So we got rid of it, and their was much rejoicing.

 

[momeNt]

Duels are banned for the simple reason that you do not control your life. Society has the rights to your life, and there are only a few instances where you can legally be discharged of your life.

 

[nextJin]

I'm not sure why the liberals are bitching, if duels were legal there would be a hell of a lot less conservatives.

 

[nehalem256]

huh? because murder is illegal!!! is the OP really serious??

Except if you win the duel that means you are in the right, so it would be justifiable homicide.

Also, a clear case of "Stand your ground" if I ever heard of one.

 

[Agent11]

I think it probably has roots in the ancient act of proving your right to rule through conquest.

Seems like similar psychology would come into play to me at least.