General Discussion

spin

(17,493 posts)

8. Interesting question. ...

Mon Jan 21, 2013, 03:58 AM

Jan 2013

How about a sword. You could argue that a spear or a bow and arrow were originally designed for hunting but a Roman solder's gladius and other such swords were designed as killing instruments of war and were quite effective for that purpose.

Let me assure you that at close range and in skilled hands a gladius is more deadly against a single opponent than most if not all handguns. A handgun might be able to kill a number of people quickly but a sword could also kill a number of unarmed people.

Once such incident occurred in 1520. If you are interested the account is at:

The massacre in the Main Temple

The massacre in the Main Temple of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan was an episode in the Spanish conquest of Mexico which occurred on May 21, 1520.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_massacre_in_the_Main_Temple

I would post more but choose not to as it is rather bloody. All I will say is that it doesn't make the Spanish look heroic. Also note that I am not saying that firearms were not originally designed for killing.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

89 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

"Guns don't kill people." Possibly the most stupid meme ever to be floated by the NRA. [View all] Whovian Jan 2013 OP

"Guns don't kill people" has been around since the invention of guns. Initech Jan 2013 #1

As Charlton Heston said: SCantiGOP Jan 2013 #37

Well, Chuck finally got those "cold, dead hands" he kept blathering about! 11 Bravo Jan 2013 #51

Neither does just about anything else jberryhill Jan 2013 #2

thank you n/t DemocratsForProgress Jan 2013 #10

Which is why ... Straw Man Jan 2013 #15

Oh, but we do. Heidi Jan 2013 #20

So to follow the analogy all the way ... Straw Man Jan 2013 #23

It's not an analogy. It's a rebuttal to your assertion that those items aren't regulated. (nt) Heidi Jan 2013 #30

It was jberryhill's analogy ... Straw Man Jan 2013 #31

"When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have baseball bats." or "only have baseball bats...." vanbean Jan 2013 #3

Or maybe steak knives or rocks? Whovian Jan 2013 #4

Or a board with a nail in it! SwankyXomb Jan 2013 #6

Is there any other device that is designed specifically to kill people? loyalsister Jan 2013 #5

Interesting question. ... spin Jan 2013 #8

What? Arctic Dave Jan 2013 #9

The question was ... spin Jan 2013 #13

One difference between a gun and a sword is the ability to run away from a sword. A Simple Game Jan 2013 #17

Most criminals can't hit the broad side of a barn with a gun. ... spin Jan 2013 #69

I was looking for something manufactured in today's world. loyalsister Jan 2013 #71

Swords are still manufactured in today's world. ... spin Jan 2013 #83

LOL loyalsister Jan 2013 #84

You keep refining your question. ... spin Jan 2013 #85

It's true.. I have been loyalsister Jan 2013 #87

I've enjoyed target shooting handguns for over 40 years ... spin Jan 2013 #88

Disco Music? jberryhill Jan 2013 #11

ha! farminator3000 Jan 2013 #22

weapons of war? more accurate, but sounds a little dramatic... farminator3000 Jan 2013 #80

Guns don't kill people, Gun Owners� kill people LeftInTX Jan 2013 #7

It will probably get worse. StarryNite Jan 2013 #12

I agree. That scares me and I am a gun owner who has enjoyed target shooting ... spin Jan 2013 #16

Great post. Thanks. Whovian Jan 2013 #18

nice to hear a responsible voice! farminator3000 Jan 2013 #24

Your first link was to an unusually fair and honest report on Florida gun owners. ... spin Jan 2013 #82

yep, that article is kind of an eye-opener farminator3000 Jan 2013 #89

Thanks for your words of wisdom, we have to stop the assaults on our citizens Thinkingabout Jan 2013 #54

The past 30 years would argue otherwise hack89 Jan 2013 #19

they'd also argue it has NOTHING to do with more guns farminator3000 Jan 2013 #25

So when you have some actual facts let me know. hack89 Jan 2013 #27

a think a general overview is enough to back up the FACT farminator3000 Jan 2013 #29

So you can actually demonstrate a steady increase in gun deaths? hack89 Jan 2013 #33

i can state as a fact that they are way too high and have gone up since the AWB was lifted farminator3000 Jan 2013 #34

So murders down drastically with rate cut in half. hack89 Jan 2013 #35

if you want to call 280 less murders a "drastic" reduction, go ahead, but that makes no sense farminator3000 Jan 2013 #39

How much did the population increase in that 20 years? There is a reason we focus on rates. hack89 Jan 2013 #40

they were flying off the shelf because weirdos were hoarding them farminator3000 Jan 2013 #45

So more assualt weapons did not actually lead to more killings? hack89 Jan 2013 #48

There was a drop in firearm murders of 1450 from 2006 to 2010 alone hack89 Jan 2013 #41

like i keep telling you, that is because of DOCTORS not MORe GUNZ farminator3000 Jan 2013 #46

Besides the FBI saying that aggravated assaults are down? nt hack89 Jan 2013 #50

did they happen to tell you why? maybe call them up and ask. farminator3000 Jan 2013 #53

Does it matter - as long as fewer people are being shot hack89 Jan 2013 #56

more people are being shot is what matters, obviously. farminator3000 Jan 2013 #58

Not if aggravated assaults are down. nt hack89 Jan 2013 #61

so 160,000 assaults sounds about right to you? you're good with 438.4 assaults A DAY? farminator3000 Jan 2013 #67

We have reduced the rate of aggravated assaults by 60% hack89 Jan 2013 #70

aggravated assault means all of them, not just ones with guns. you keep cherry picking farminator3000 Jan 2013 #72

"the lowest rate since 2004" hack89 Jan 2013 #74

great, getting shot is okay as long as the doctors can save you farminator3000 Jan 2013 #76

I live in a very safe town - danger has nothing to do with why I own guns hack89 Jan 2013 #77

then why are you so stubborn that guns make you safer? how would you even know? farminator3000 Jan 2013 #79

I am not safer because of guns hack89 Jan 2013 #81

If you figure there was 1 gun used in each death, 32,163 firearms used out of 270,000,000 isnt that xoom Jan 2013 #86

i bet medical tech is key arely staircase Jan 2013 #28

The flaw in that analysis is that aggravated assaults are not up hack89 Jan 2013 #36

that would not be consistent with my thesis (based on a hunch), no. arely staircase Jan 2013 #38

why would someone believe you when you don't post a number or link? you are not an expert farminator3000 Jan 2013 #43

I have posted the FBI crime reports many times hack89 Jan 2013 #44

and proved zilcho farminator3000 Jan 2013 #47

Besides aggravated assaults going down, you mean. hack89 Jan 2013 #49

so aggravated assaults are going down because less a-holes have guns farminator3000 Jan 2013 #52

But fewer aggravated assaults mean fewer people being shot. hack89 Jan 2013 #55

no, suicide and murder are up, so not really at all. farminator3000 Jan 2013 #57

Murder is down hack89 Jan 2013 #60

stop nitpicking annual death total=up. rate ~ the same. amount of guns=way too many farminator3000 Jan 2013 #62

Those numbers are not homicide deaths. hack89 Jan 2013 #64

again with the 1993 thing farminator3000 Jan 2013 #66

I just showed you a decline every year from 2006 to 2010 hack89 Jan 2013 #68

yes, for the 12th time, homicides are down because of DOCTORS farminator3000 Jan 2013 #73

You just showed me that aggravated assaults with guns are the lowest in years hack89 Jan 2013 #75

no, you just read bad. farminator3000 Jan 2013 #78

It was invented back before they were nuts. JoeyT Jan 2013 #14

i think 'the ONLY thing that stops a bad guy' is even dumber. farminator3000 Jan 2013 #21

I wouldn't mind that phrase if they also offered a solution to people who kill people with guns Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #26

Guns don't kill people, crazy gun owners kill people. goblue316 Jan 2013 #32

I have exercised my fingers many times and no one died from it. Also never saw report reading Thinkingabout Jan 2013 #65

I understand that "guns don't kill people" was originally used as a safety mantra taught by okaawhatever Jan 2013 #42

As far as I'm concerned wryter2000 Jan 2013 #59

Why do these guns keep killing people....why? ileus Jan 2013 #63