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and help them improve their mental health by realizing that a chunk of steel isn't going to go bang all on it's own.
Are you serious??? Don't make me get all Google on your ***. Every day more guns go bang all on their own than most Americans get lucky. Several of those "accidents" will kill people... children... If those suggestions are all you have, keep them... we'll work something out without your "help".
Last edited by Leisesturm; 12-20-2012 at 12:37 PM..
I've offered several, but to recap for you...
1) Federal database of the (violently) mentally ill, integrated with the NICS (background check). What good are background checks if guys like Adam Lanza would still be able to buy a gun?
2) Simpler, more streamlined processed for enforced committment of the violently mentally ill (once we develop standards to define that).
3) Mandatory 5 year federal prison sentence for the theft of any firearm or possession of a stolen one.
4) Arm the teachers and/or administrators. If the millionss of CCW holders in this country don't have a problem "loosing it", why would those in the education profession?
5) Increase the incidence of "open carry" so that criminals realize that actions may have consequences. It would have the side benefit of familiarizing the borderline neurotic that are scared of guns now and help them improve their mental health by realizing that a chunk of steel isn't going to go bang all on it's own.
It's a start. Do it for the children.
All foolish:
1. All kinds of sickos can and do pass background checks. And many people who have passed can reach a snapping point after.
2. Not sure Lanza could be proven violent prior to the shootings. And "enforced committment"? wow, alot of innocent people will be F'd. You must also not value freedom.
3. This is biased against the poor... plus you'll have a monster after release.
4. Teachers and administrators would be easy fodder for a determined, angry person making a sneak attack. Their guns would end up in their brains. Gun carrying civilains are by defintion scared, more dangerous than helpful and easily beaten.
5. See my #4... no let's not have the whole country get cuddly with their guns.
This thread could get scary. I vote we kill it now so we don't have to learn anymore about what gun nuts want to do. Locked guns are stupid, if thats the only concession you can make towards the genuine mistrust over guns in a schoolhouse, save it. To be useful at all a gun must be accessible. I know that and I am a pacifist. When a gun type tells you that the gun should be "secured" in the maintainance office... he's saying "I don't really care, I'm just saying something to appear helpful".
The first would be to hire armed guards responsible for protecting people we lock away in "gun free" zones. "Gun Free" does not guarantee violence free and has been so obviously demonstrated. We have no right to treat these potential targets as irresponsibly as we are. If we remove their ability to defend themselves we are responsible for defending them even if it cost all of us higher taxes.
The second would be for mental health care people, including priests and preachers, to notify the police when they encountered a kid or adult this dangerous. In my opinion criminals and crazy people do not have the same civil rights as the rest of us because they do not obey the law or cannot be held responsible for their actions. I think they have to be separated from the sane and law abiding population. You know? US.
The problem with the second suggestion is it would require a substantial reduction in a personal privacy. This may do more damage to society than the occasional massacre.
For the Mental healthcare people- once they notify authorities do you believe they should be able to surveill the crazy person similar to the way the US surveills people that may have ties to radical muslim terrorists groups?
That is walking down a dangerous path. But your rationale makes sense. Lets say the gunmann survives- he then gets to plead insanity. Well if they can plead insanity after the fact then prior to the fact we should be able to determine they are insane and treat them as potential threats.
That's the best answer from a gun owner I've seen. You cannot solve the problem tomorrow or next year or in 5 years. But I think we need to start taking first steps.
1) Ban all assault/assault type of weapons. This means the ones that are in existence as well. Turn them in for a check from the government. They are no longer acceptable. One year from now it becomes a felony to have one in your possession.
2) Ban all high ammo clips. No weapon will be able to hold more than 5 or 6 shells. All in existence that do not comply must be altered or destroyed.
3) Hand guns will be carried by people who can pass a criminal and a Psych screening. No one with mentally disturbed people in their houses can possess any kind of a firearm in their residence.
I think that is a good start. At least we are sending a message to the parents of the children in Newtown that we care.
#3 is the only one that actually makes sense. If a person that passes a criminal and psych screening can carry a handgun, what difference does it make if it's a hand gun or a semi auto rifle (I refuse to call them assault weapons) ? Also people can and do have circumstances happen in their lives which can take them from a stable person to unstable , so the psych screening isn't going to do much there.
I guess I can deal with #2 as well although it is really just to make the anti gun people happy. I know when I'm target shooting my AR those 30 round mags do add a lot of weight, I'd actually prefer shooting with a 5 or 10 round mag.
#1 is just unclear to me. I guess I'm a little unclear on what an assault weapon is ? If it's a handgun with a 30 round mag , does it make it an assault handgun ? Do you mean fully auto rifles or handguns ? Or do you mean the black scary looking rifles you see on TV and video games ?
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