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This is the red herring gun nuts perpetually bring up. Check out the last few dozen mass killers: THey were NOT criminals beforehand, so in trying to slow them down or stop them, using the mindset that criminals can always buy guns is off topic. A red herring to distract.
The Newtown killer attempted to buy guns via legal means, as his mother had. Had she not had such weapons around a nutjob, his plan would have been DOA. These killers are most often loners, sociopaths, w/o the means/knowledge of how to interact with the people running the underground market for weapons.
Which are you wanting to address, criminals or potential mass killers?
This is the red herring gun nuts perpetually bring up. Check out the last few dozen mass killers: THey were NOT criminals beforehand, so in trying to slow them down or stop them, using the mindset that criminals can always buy guns is off topic. A red herring to distract.
The Newtown killer attempted to buy guns via legal means, as his mother had. Had she not had such weapons around a nutjob, his plan would have been DOA. These killers are most often loners, sociopaths, w/o the means/knowledge of how to interact with the people running the underground market for weapons.
Not to diminish the tragedy of the Newtown murders, but you do realize how minuscule the chances are of this sort of thing happening to you or someone you love, right? (And please don't come back at me with, "Yeah that's easy to say till it happens to YOU!" It's easy for me to say lightning is not likely to strike me either. It's easy for you to say it too -and it would be true.)
The vast majority of murders via handguns are perpetrated by CRIMINALS. People with past records.
It would be nice if we could keep guns out of their hands, but passing more laws certainly won't accomplish that goal. To use your point - laws didn't stop the Newtown shooter, did they? We don't know why he wasn't able to purchase a gun himself, but some law was in place that deterred him - for a day or two. Even he, a guy with no criminal record, found a way to get a gun. Criminals are much more savvy than he was.
I'll repeat - The vast majority of murders via handguns are perpetrated by CRIMINALS.
So that's no red herring - it's a reality we have to deal with when trying to come up with solutions. When you cry "Red herring!" and "Gun nut!" THAT distracts all of us from looking at the total picture. It's not conducive to coming up with effective solutions.
Not to diminish the tragedy of the Newtown murders, but you do realize how minuscule the chances are of this sort of thing happening to you or someone you love, right? .
They are becoming regular occurrences, and sadly, I expect repeat occurrences, at far more tragic levels. In Newtown, he had enough ammo to kill the school, and being from Ct -lived there 37 years, 30 miles from Sandy Hook, I know something you would not have the ability to. The 6 minute response time w/o adding precious seconds planning outside a counter-attack was unusually terrific, and saved classrooms more of kids from dying. I wouldn't bank on such a response time regularly. I'm certain most towns in the area I live, as well as most nationally, would rarely approach that. A minute more was most likely, another classroom full of kids. 10 minutes instead of 6 was likely a three figure death toll.
As we post, there really are not any more effective safeguards against repeat offenses than was the case on 12/13. Having said that, why would we not seek to at least reduce the liklihood of success of mass murder?
Okay, those are incredibly difficult to detect and incredible rare occurrences. They are so rare and follow no trend line that the F.B.I. considers them statistical anomalies. Ft. Hood had one and they DO test and retest for mental health plus background checks.
This is a tough area of mental health because so many of these killers kill themselves. Have you read up on these types at all? If not, I would recommend the report by the secret service on school shooters and any criminology book on the subject - it's quite revealing.
I really have no view point on this matter one way or another, but I do feel the need to bring this little tidbit up:
Flintlock pistols are completely protected by the 2nd Amendment. No need to register them or anything like that whatsoever.
For all you gun enthusiasts, just get yourself some ammo and get proficient with how to operate and work a flintlock pistol. That'll save some of the headache, I guess.
I really have no view point on this matter one way or another, but I do feel the need to bring this little tidbit up:
Flintlock pistols are completely protected by the 2nd Amendment. No need to register them or anything like that whatsoever.
For all you gun enthusiasts, just get yourself some ammo and get proficient with how to operate and work a flintlock pistol. That'll save some of the headache, I guess.
You don't want that. Any and all muzzleloading weapons that are not of the "in-line" variety are EXEMPT from any laws. Anyone can buy and own one. No paperwork required.
They are becoming regular occurrences, and sadly, I expect repeat occurrences, at far more tragic levels. In Newtown, he had enough ammo to kill the school, and being from Ct -lived there 37 years, 30 miles from Sandy Hook, I know something you would not have the ability to. The 6 minute response time w/o adding precious seconds planning outside a counter-attack was unusually terrific, and saved classrooms more of kids from dying. I wouldn't bank on such a response time regularly. I'm certain most towns in the area I live, as well as most nationally, would rarely approach that. A minute more was most likely, another classroom full of kids. 10 minutes instead of 6 was likely a three figure death toll.
As we post, there really are not any more effective safeguards against repeat offenses than was the case on 12/13. Having said that, why would we not seek to at least reduce the liklihood of success of mass murder?
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