• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firearm?

Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firearm?

  • Yes

    Votes: 4 8.3%
  • No

    Votes: 40 83.3%
  • Other

    Votes: 4 8.3%

  • Total voters
    48

Das Sozialist

Banned
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
407
Reaction score
117
Location
Long Island, New York
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Socialist
Do you believe Americans should have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firearm? Why or why not?
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

I don't see it as being necessary. If it's true that prospective gun owners already do some sort of class/training, an additional class on marksmanship seems unneeded. Seems to me like another way to hinder gun owners.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Do you believe Americans should have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firearm? Why or why not?

Nope.I know you being a New Yorker fail to realize this but the right to keep and bear arms is actually a constituion and its a constitutional right that that says shall not infringe, IE the government has no business restricting or requiring you to seek permission from the government to own a firearm.
I think the reasonable alternative is to mandate firearm safety and usage classes in public schools. We have don't run with scissors, don't touch drugs, and don't talk to strangers safety classes for elementuary kids.We have sex ed classes for middle and high school kids and we have drivers ed for highschool students and schools generally have some sort of emergency drills.So why not mandate firearm safety and usage?This would ensure that future generations know know how to use firearms and how to safely handle them without actually making it a requirement that those purchasing firearms take a safety class.Elementuary kids can have coloring sheets and videos in in school on do not touch a firearm without adult supervision and to let an adult know when they see an unsecured firearm. Middle school and highschool kids can be taught with rubber ducks on how to properly handle firearms and highschool kids can be taught with firearm simulators, blanks, and something similar to M.A.C.S. and highschool seniers can be taught with live ammo.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Do you believe Americans should have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firearm? Why or why not?

Do you believe that voters should have to get college educations? Do you believe that ANY other constituional right should be contingent upon "proving" that your are "worthy" of having it granted to you? While I agree that safety training for ALL in firearms safety and basic operation is a good idea, incorperating the typical 10 to 16 hour firearms safety/legal rights training course should be free public education not subject to massive fees. If the desire is to get more citizens to have this valuable training, for the benefit of our society, then it seems only logical to offer it as a gov't service for little to no cost, like our K-12 education system.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

...and its a constitutional right that that says shall not infringe,

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

You'd still be allowed to purchase and keep the firearm, you would just need to undergo training beforehand. Your right is not harmed in anyway.

This would ensure that future generations know know how to use firearms and how to safely handle them without actually making it a requirement that those purchasing firearms take a safety class.Elementuary kids can have coloring sheets and videos in in school on do not touch a firearm without adult supervision and to let an adult know when they see an unsecured firearm. Middle school and highschool kids can be taught with rubber ducks on how to properly handle firearms and highschool kids can be taught with firearm simulators, blanks, and something similar to M.A.C.S. and highschool seniers can be taught with live ammo.

I'll have to disagree with you there. We far behind in education compared to other countries and adding a firearm training class/course would take away from the important subjects such as math, science, and reading. It would also be useless if the students taught never go out and purchase a one. There's no reason to give extra work/training to students who may never want to/need to own a firearm.
 
Last edited:
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Do you believe that voters should have to get college educations?

Being able to vote and being able to posses a deadly weapon are two different things. You can't end someone's life by voting for President.

I only believe you should go through marksmanship training before you're allowed to own a firearm, that's the only right I think you should have to 'prove' yourself for. If you're going to own a weapon, at least know how to use it.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Being able to vote and being able to posses a deadly weapon are two different things. You can't end someone's life by voting for President.

I only believe you should go through marksmanship training before you're allowed to own a firearm, that's the only right I think you should have to 'prove' yourself for. If you're going to own a weapon, at least know how to use it.

Oh yes you can


putting the wrong person in the white house often costs thousands of lives

and merely possessing a gun does not do anything

One of the reasons why I practice all the time with weapons is in case people like you get into positions of power
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

I don't think marksmanship training is necessary persay...many people will never fire their gun anyway, and most of those who do won't be aiming at another person. I think a simple safety test, akin to a driver's test, would be a good idea though: You answer a few basic questions about firearm safety, demonstrate with a weapon that you know the basics, and you get a permit that's good for X number of years or until you get caught doing something stupid with your gun. That doesn't pose a major burden to people who want to own guns, but it at least keeps the most irresponsible and untrained people from legally getting one.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Oh yes you can


putting the wrong person in the white house often costs thousands of lives

and merely possessing a gun does not do anything

One of the reasons why I practice all the time with weapons is in case people like you get into positions of power

So that you can engage in acts of political assassination!!!!! This is a terrible thing to say. It really has no place in civilized discourse.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

So that you can engage in acts of political assassination!!!!! This is a terrible thing to say. It really has no place in civilized discourse.


oh there are many cases where the cause of civilization would be advanced by the surgical removal of certain individuals.

I guess if one worships government as an infallible GOD one might disagree. But I can think of hundreds of politicians, despots, tyrants and monarchs whose timely assassinations would have advanced human liberty and societal good
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

oh there are many cases where the cause of civilization would be advanced by the surgical removal of certain individuals.

I guess if one worships government as an infallible GOD one might disagree. But I can think of hundreds of politicians, despots, tyrants and monarchs whose timely assassinations would have advanced human liberty and societal good

And you do not get to make that call.

Why don't you go out and
1- find these people who "worship government" - an immensely stupid phrase devoid of any actual intelligent meaning if there ever was one.
2- back up your identification with lots of verifiable evidence to support your label.
3- give us the name of the higher authority who anointed you as the Holy Protector of the Race.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Jamesrage needs some sleep :D But I agree . . . However WISE it is to be skilled with a weapon; not everyone buys a firearm with the intent of using it. Setting up an exorbitant amount of per-requisites defeats the purpose of it being a right - that's also an option with flexibility.

I bought mine so I could go to the range every now and then - rarely - and shoot . . . I didn't buy it or keep it to use as a weapon or even as protection at home. I bought it to learn with. . . nothing more. It was something I did to spend time with my ex when we were together - he was teaching me. . . I wasn't very good, though.

And if I could, again, I'd buy another firearm and have my husband teach me - he's a certified sniper. . . he's got mad skills. But he doesn't like the idea of owning a firearm. To him it's all business . . . a sex appeal factor I can't compel him to work with me on much to my dismay.
 
Last edited:
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Yes, I think that demonstrating basic familiarity with the workings of a firearm, and basic marksmanship should be a requirement to own a firearm. However I also think that those things should be taught on a voluntary basis in high-school, open to any student with their parents' permission, or any student 17 or older without it, so that anyone who wants the training can get it for free by the time they're old enough to own a gun anyway.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

I think it is a good idea. Maybe when you buy a weapon, you have 30 days to take a class in safety and basic marksmanship. You could learn what to do in situations where you witness a crime. Useful stuff.

But you can buy the weapon first. Do we have compromise? :)
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

I think the reasonable alternative is to mandate firearm safety and usage classes in public schools. We have don't run with scissors, don't touch drugs, and don't talk to strangers safety classes for elementuary kids.We have sex ed classes for middle and high school kids and we have drivers ed for highschool students and schools generally have some sort of emergency drills.So why not mandate firearm safety and usage?

I have no problem with such a class being offered, but it shouldn't be mandated. It's too regional a topic. In some parts of the country, learning how to use a gun might be just as important as learning how to drive or how to have safe sex...but not everywhere. If you had a firearm safety class in Arlington VA, many of the students would wonder why you were wasting their time with such an irrelevant topic. Using a gun doesn't even occur to a lot of people around here; it's simply not part of their lifestyle.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

And you do not get to make that call.

Why don't you go out and
1- find these people who "worship government" - an immensely stupid phrase devoid of any actual intelligent meaning if there ever was one.
2- back up your identification with lots of verifiable evidence to support your label.
3- give us the name of the higher authority who anointed you as the Holy Protector of the Race.

actually the purpose of having a well armed citizenry is to allow many to make that call

if you are willing to pay the price you have the power to do that. If you are successful and those who are in power agree with you, you are a patriot. John Brown was hung as a traitor-later revered as a Hero. Joan of Arc killed the ENglish-burned as a heretic, canonized as a Saint.


the fact is its better to be able to make the decision and have the power to do it than to be disarmed and powerless.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

actually the purpose of having a well armed citizenry is to allow many to make that call

if you are willing to pay the price you have the power to do that. If you are successful and those who are in power agree with you, you are a patriot. John Brown was hung as a traitor-later revered as a Hero. Joan of Arc killed the ENglish-burned as a heretic, canonized as a Saint.


the fact is its better to be able to make the decision and have the power to do it than to be disarmed and powerless.

Baloney. Even worse - its yesterdays baloney now in the bowl swirling downward.

Here is what you said to another poster who simply takes a different position than you do on an issue:

One of the reasons why I practice all the time with weapons is in case people like you get into positions of power

You admitting before the world that you have sharpened weapons skills so you can be ready to assassinate and murder those who may disagree with you.

This is not the first time you have done this. Every time you do it it is disgusting and repulsive.

Reality check for you: you are NOT John Brown or Joan of Arc or any other historic figure. You are simply a trust fund baby grown up with a fetish and obsession for guns and a mean streak which manifests itself in announced desire to commit assassination.

That is not debate. It is advocating murder.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

One of the reasons why I practice all the time with weapons is in case people like you get into positions of power

Glad to know if I ever run for for political office I have someone willing to assassinate me because I prefer firearm-owners to be capable of using them correctly.

the fact is its better to be able to make the decision and have the power to do it than to be disarmed and powerless.

May I ask, why do you think you'd be disarmed and powerless? If you're capable of firing your weapon and hitting your mark, you should be capable of passing a marksmanship test. I believe we should be able to have well-armed and regulated citizen militias, that's the point of the second amendment. You'd still be able to purchase your weapon and keep it, you'd just be more trained if the time ever comes you'd need to use it.
 
Last edited:
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

I answered no, because it is contradictory to the 2nd amendment. I do, however, think all Americans should takes a marksmanship course or learn how to shoot both long guns and hand guns. The result would probably be a drastic fall in violent crime, as people who like to shoot, and are skilled at shooting, tend to be more reverent of life in general, and have increased awareness of their surroundings and environment. Besides that, it's fun, and it's a nice skill to have. :)
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Baloney. Even worse - its yesterdays baloney now in the bowl swirling downward.

Here is what you said to another poster who simply takes a different position than you do on an issue:



You admitting before the world that you have sharpened weapons skills so you can be ready to assassinate and murder those who may disagree with you.

This is not the first time you have done this. Every time you do it it is disgusting and repulsive.

Reality check for you: you are NOT John Brown or Joan of Arc or any other historic figure. You are simply a trust fund baby grown up with a fetish and obsession for guns and a mean streak which manifests itself in announced desire to commit assassination.

That is not debate. It is advocating murder.

I realize to government worshippers, my posts may cause projective vomiting or disruptive bowel syndrome or other distress but the fact is, there are lots of power hungry control freaks. I fully believe that if such people get into positions of power and try to oppress others, its legitimate to shoot them.

the only people who should find this upsetting are would be dictators or Martinets. The main purpose of the second amendment's existence was to allow free men to take out dictators or oppressive government agents.

I don't worship government. I see it as a necessary evil. Not the all nurturing all wise earth mother some do
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Glad to know if I ever run for for political office I have someone willing to assassinate me because I prefer firearm-owners to be capable of using them correctly.



May I ask, why do you think you'd be disarmed and powerless? If you're capable of firing your weapon and hitting your mark, you should be capable of passing a marksmanship test. I believe we should be able to have well-armed and regulated citizen militias, that's the point of the second amendment. You'd still be able to purchase your weapon and keep it, you'd just be more trained if the time ever comes you'd need to use it.

fascism or authoritarian collectivism always starts as a lamb and ends up a werewolf
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

You'd still be allowed to purchase and keep the firearm, you would just need to undergo training beforehand. Your right is not harmed in anyway.

So if you were required by law to take classes and get permits in order to talk on the phone,surf the internet, protest,be a member of a religion, write a book, be a member of the press your 1st amendment rights wouldn't be harmed in any way?



I'll have to disagree with you there. We far behind in education compared to other countries and adding a firearm training class/course would take away from the important subjects such as math, science, and reading.

School classes are generally 7-8 hours a day and there is generally 6-7 classes a day.How would reading math, and science be hurt by adding a firearms safety and training course? After the 3 Rs there is 3-4 classes a day left.Firearms safety and usage doesn't have to be a everyday thing either,it can be taught once or twice a week.


It would also be useless if the students taught never go out and purchase a one. There's no reason to give extra work/training to students who may never want to/need to own a firearm.

As of 2007 there is at least 270 million firearms in the hands of private citizens,with 4.7 out of the 8 million firearms being purchased in the US every year.Chances are a good chunk of those students will want or need to own firearms. So it would greatly benefit society to have generations of adults who for 12 years has had firearm safety and usage ingrained into them.


U.S. most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people | Reuters
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

I answered no, because it is contradictory to the 2nd amendment. I do, however, think all Americans should takes a marksmanship course or learn how to shoot both long guns and hand guns. The result would probably be a drastic fall in violent crime, as people who like to shoot, and are skilled at shooting, tend to be more reverent of life in general, and have increased awareness of their surroundings and environment. Besides that, it's fun, and it's a nice skill to have. :)

I think all schools should have rifle teams as varsity or intramural sports. I advocate every gun owner take both safety and marksmanship classes (which Is why I teach BOTH). in fact the more you shoot, the more likely you are to properly use a gun in a defensive situation. better shooters means more dead criminals which is a societal GOOD.
 
Re: Should Americans have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firear

Do you believe Americans should have to undergo marksmanship training to be able to own a firearm? Why or why not?

They should have gun safety and maintenance training, but shooting, I am not seeing the point of that one.
 
Back
Top Bottom