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Anti-gunners have to understand that the problem is not guns but mentally disturbed individuals, and what happened in Connecticut on Friday was very rare, and I certainly hope it never happens again.
No gun laws or regulations could have prevented what happened on Friday, we already have measures that are supposed to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals, but we know that such individuals will always find ways to get their weapons, so banning semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, or any other knee-jerk reactions will not keep them out of the hands of dangerous individuals.
Keeping criminals where they belong and dealing with mentally-disturbed individuals is one of the ways to prevent such tragedies. Maybe we also need to look at what has been happening in society and schools in recent decades. I went to grade school and high school in the 1960s and 1970s, and college in the 1980s and I never had to worry about anyone coming into school or work and killing many people.
I don't care how many guns people have. ( I have 3)
BUT the owner of the guns should be held responsible for any crime committed using those guns.
I am held responsible if my dog bites someone.
I am held responsible if someone dies in my pool.
I am held responsible if my deck is unstable, and someone falls and gets hurt.
Why shouldn't I be responsible if someone gets my gun and harms others? Most stolen guns are unsecured, many are stolen from inside cars.
Even the NRA says that ALL responsible owners should secure their guns. Let's take it one step further, and make owners legally responsible.
Anti-gunners have to understand that the problem is not guns but mentally disturbed individuals, and what happened in Connecticut on Friday was very rare, and I certainly hope it never happens again.
No gun laws or regulations could have prevented what happened on Friday, we already have measures that are supposed to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals, but we know that such individuals will always find ways to get their weapons, so banning semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, or any other knee-jerk reactions will not keep them out of the hands of dangerous individuals.
Keeping criminals where they belong and dealing with mentally-disturbed individuals is one of the ways to prevent such tragedies. Maybe we also need to look at what has been happening in society and schools in recent decades. I went to grade school and high school in the 1960s and 1970s, and college in the 1980s and I never had to worry about anyone coming into school or work and killing many people.
Sorry, but that's baloney. There's no guarantee that the kid in Connecticut still wouldn't have killed people if he'd walked into the school with a regular old bolt action hunting rifle, but there's a whole lot better chance that one of the adults would have been able to take him down, or that the police would have arrived before he did the kind of carnage that he did. Semi automatic weapons with a high capacity magazine have two uses outside of law enforcement--they're toys for a gun range (it's not legal to hunt with them in most places) or they're useful in killing lots of people quickly. I don't think your right to have a lethal toy should take priority over my right to make sure deranged people don't have access to those types of weapons. Even if it's illegal for mentally ill people to buy them, this case makes it glaringly obvious that stronger steps need to be taken.
For the record, my entire family hunts, and this isn't a liberal vs. conservative thing. I think your eyes would be opened if you watched FOX news today--lots of conservatives are changing their tune on this issue, because it should never have become political to begin with.
Sorry, but that's baloney. There's no guarantee that the kid in Connecticut still wouldn't have killed people if he'd walked into the school with a regular old bolt action hunting rifle, but there's a whole lot better chance that one of the adults would have been able to take him down, or that the police would have arrived before he did the kind of carnage that he did. Semi automatic weapons with a high capacity magazine have two uses outside of law enforcement--they're toys for a gun range (it's not legal to hunt with them in most places) or they're useful in killing lots of people quickly. I don't think your right to have a lethal toy should take priority over my right to make sure deranged people don't have access to those types of weapons. Even if it's illegal for mentally ill people to buy them, this case makes it glaringly obvious that stronger steps need to be taken.
For the record, my entire family hunts, and this isn't a liberal vs. conservative thing. I think your eyes would be opened if you watched FOX news today--lots of conservatives are changing their tune on this issue, because it should never have become political to begin with.
how is it a right "to make sure deranged people don't have access" to firearms? That's not something the government can prevent, no matter how many laws they pass banning semi-automatic weapons.
it is a liberal vs conservative thing, anybody who denies that is smarmy as hell and insincere.
No one (and I mean no one) is proposing that we ban all guns in this country, but that seems to be the hysteria that comes out every time there's a call for common sense restrictions. It's ridiculous. I grew up on a ranch, my husband grew up on a ranch, we live in a rural area of a very rural state, and my husband and boys all hunt--we have a gun case full of rifles and shotguns in our home (locked, with the key and shells/bullets stored elsewhere). My teenagers were taught from a very early age just what kind of damage guns can do--they respect them, and they know how to handle them responsibly. Even with all that, they enjoy bow hunting more than going after deer with a rifle because there's actually some sport to it--guns are mainly used when we have a coyote trying to get at the livestock, or in the rare instances where we find a rabid animal.
There is NO reason that anyone outside of the police or military needs a semi automatic weapon, especially one with a higher capacity magazine, to hunt or protect their home. It isn't even legal to hunt with one here, and if you can't take out an intruder with a shotgun you have no business owning weapons. Assault weapons have only two other purposes--as toys for a gun range, or to kill lots of people quickly. I don't think your right to own a lethal toy should have precedence over my right to keep those guns out of the hands of mentally disturbed people.
As far as the second amendment goes--the first amendment has lots of restrictions. You can't shout fire in a crowded place, you can't lie about people to damage their reputation, you can't hurl racist epitaphs, and there are limits on the types of pornography you can own or publish, etc. This issue is no different. We don't allow people in this country to own materials to make nuclear weapons, we have restrictions on who can buy many of the materials commonly used in other types of bombs, and I don't think assault weapons should be any different.
check the main thread, and you'll see how wrong you are.
My proposal is this: Make it illegal for a single dime to be made from a senseless tragedy. That goes for everyone from the top down including all print, internet, and television media; lobbyists; politicians; author's; family members (of perpetrator's and victims).
When there is no more money in it, there is no more "15 minutes of fame", and the notoriety these malignant narcissists seek will dry up.
For me, what was more sickening than the knowledge of what took place was watching the news media coverage immediately afterward. Interviews with grade school children who witnessed the event..... there are no words to describe how low our humanity has sunk to.
You can never predict human behavior well enough to prevent such an act of violence, but you can prevent people from profitting from it.
I don't care how many guns people have. ( I have 3)
BUT the owner of the guns should be held responsible for any crime committed using those guns.
I am held responsible if my dog bites someone.
I am held responsible if someone dies in my pool.
I am held responsible if my deck is unstable, and someone falls and gets hurt.
Why shouldn't I be responsible if someone gets my gun and harms others? Most stolen guns are unsecured, many are stolen from inside cars.
Even the NRA says that ALL responsible owners should secure their guns. Let's take it one step further, and make owners legally responsible.
I agree fully. Nice to see one rational gun owner on this board.
the only effecitve gun control measure would be a universal confiscation of all firearms by the government and strict border enforcement as other countries would try to import firearms on the black market.
liberals refuse to propose the only effective gun control measure. meanwhile kids are being s hoot up by gun nuts.
For me, what was more sickening than the knowledge of what took place was watching the news media coverage immediately afterward. Interviews with grade school children who witnessed the event..... there are no words to describe how low our humanity has sunk to..
Had the news on this morning. Turned it off for that very reason. All I could think of was 'what vultures'.
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