[kyp275]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Something that I think needs to be born in mind is the effect more guns in wide circulation has on criminal organizations. It makes them much stronger. And, eventually, it gives them power that can be used to defy state law enforcement.

No, money is the source of their power. As long as they have money, they can procure weapons regardless of whatever policy you have in place. Like I mentioned earlier - Taiwan, a country with one of the world's most restrictive gun control laws which practically bans them for all civilians, still have problems with gun-related crimes, especially when it comes to organized crime.

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Yes, it will help in the hypothetical "home invasion" scenario, but that's not actually what I'd be most afraid of. It's organised crime that's the far bigger threat.

Just what exactly are you doing that would have the cartels and mafia coming after you? You say home invasions are "hypothetical" when they actually do happen quite often, yet think the non-existent threat of the mafia going after you to be a far bigger threat?

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

The average person cannot stand up to an organised crime group. No matter how you look at it, 1 gun does not beat 6 guns, in an organised formation (no matter how many action movies you watch). This creates the situation where criminals can "tax" civilians at will. Civilians will have to either fork out substantial amounts of cash for "protection" or pay to maintain a private militia, or pay more tax dollars for a larger police force. Ultimately the same outcome -> less safety for everyone, and everyone has to pay an economic cost, paying protection money to criminals is ultimately the same as paying to maintain a militia (or larger police force). And many militias end out morphing into organised crime anyway. Consider, what are those militiamen going to do once civilians feel the criminals are gone and are no longer needed? Will they peacefully put down their arms, or will they use their power to maintain their position? I like to think the former will occur, but greed is a powerful motivator.

And this is not an imaginary hypothetical situation. It's already occuring in Mexico. The people either have to pay the Cartels for protection, or pay to maintain a force of men to protect themselves, all the while the death toll continues to mount.

Technically, it's about the training of person using the gun, but I digress.

And I think you're the one that need to stop watching movies. Not every city is a Gotham in the making, organized crimes don't actually want to be out in the open running things, their only interest is continuing to make money. It's only when you have a failed state or semi-failed state that you get into the situation in Mexico. Organized crime thrives on dealing in illegal goods, it's how they make their money. It just boggles my mind that people actually believe banning firearms would hurt organized crimes.

Tell me, has the banning of drugs hurt organized crimes? or human trafficking/slavery/prostitution? or firearms in countries that has banned them?

Nope, they simply become another source of revenue for them. Merely banning stuff isn't gonna do jack to hurt organized crime.

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Now Mexico has tried gun control, but it's always been compromised by the thousands of officials in the pockets of the cartels, who willfully choose not to enforce the law.

Thank you for shooting your own argument down, much appreciated.