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but you see we already have laws on the books that are supposed to prevent criminals from getting firearms. they cannot go to a gun store and buy them, and they really cant go to a gun show and buy them either, since most of the sellers there are commercial ones, and they HAVE to perform background checks. the reality is that criminals get their guns ILLEGALLY, usually by stealing them or buying them on the black market.
and anyone that has been adjudicated as mentally defective also cannot purchase a firearm legally, so again there are laws on the books preventing such transactions.
as for licensing, the federal government is prevented by law from licensing most firearms. you need an FFL if you want to own certain firearms, like full auto fire weapons, but anything else and that constitutes gun registration, and the feds cannot do that, and technically neither can the states, however the courts have looked the other way in the past.
so now what do you have?
Most criminals get guns through straw purchase, which is getting their daddie/mommy/gf to buy guns for them. Our government's prosecution rate for straw purchase is pathetic to say the least.
For anybody to just ignore that, I think it's irresponsible. Of the 72000 denied cases, only 44 were prosecuted. Here's the actual numbers from the government:
I am and I've shot and own a rifle. Never hunted though. That said, I think the protection whether it is self-defense or the "good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun logic" is stupid. Most common sense gun legislation isn't going to prevent the law-abiding gun owners from owning at all, if anything smaller magazines, certain rounds are now banned and they have go through background checks.
And all of this will do nothing to stop a crackhead from Detroit from shooting another crackhead over a payment argument.
Take this small segment of population out of statistics, and with all legal guns intact the crime in the US would be on the same levels as in many Western European countries. Less than 5% - heck, probably less than 3% - of our population is responsible for half of the murders. That's what you should be concentrating on instead of trying to make it harder and harder for the law abiding citizens to own legal guns.
And all of this will do nothing to stop a crackhead from Detroit from shooting another crackhead over a payment argument.
Take this small segment of population out of statistics, and with all legal guns intact the crime in the US would be on the same levels as in many Western European countries. Less than 5% - heck, probably less than 3% - of our population is responsible for half of the murders. That's what you should be concentrating on instead of trying to make it harder and harder for the law abiding citizens to own legal guns.
Sensible gun laws should take guns away from criminals, not to make innocent people criminals. There are plenty ways to do that.
I am baffled by that you somehow can't see there's another way than a total gun ban.
Sensible gun laws would reduce (not stop entirely) the amount of guns being available to criminals, and also the ease of access to people who shouldn't have them. Remember, everyone is a law abiding citizen, until they become a criminal right?
And yes, I would make it harder (but not impossible) for anyone to get a gun. I would completely ban anything other than a handgun, shotgun or hunting rifle. If that is interpreted as "taking away your freedom" then so be it. It is what it is.
Sensible gun laws would reduce (not stop entirely) the amount of guns being available to criminals, and also the ease of access to people who shouldn't have them. Remember, everyone is a law abiding citizen, until they become a criminal right?
And yes, I would make it harder (but not impossible) for anyone to get a gun. I would completely ban anything other than a handgun, shotgun or hunting rifle. If that is interpreted as "taking away your freedom" then so be it. It is what it is.
That is why you will never be elected to public office or become a judge. I wouldn't hold my breath. None of that is going to happen.
Sensible leaves itself to definition. I don't find your solutions even sensible. Much less constitutional.
That is why you will never be elected to public office or become a judge. I wouldn't hold my breath. None of that is going to happen.
Sensible leaves itself to definition. I don't find your solutions even sensible. Much less constitutional.
This is where you and I agree. I acknowledge that my suggestion has about as much chance of becoming reality in this country as finding a snowflake in hell. But, that is what I think needs to happen to reverse the path we are on with regard to gun culture.
I would completely ban anything other than a handgun, shotgun or hunting rifle.
Sensible, huh? I can't help but chuckle imagining the lengthy if not impossible attempt at defining your personal beliefs of what those items are. I can see it being more bureaucratically ineffective than current NFA nonsense.
Aside from that, you may need to revisit your purpose. I'm a practical numbers person, and what you intend to ban has a very small effect, if any on gun crime in our nation.
This is where you and I agree. I acknowledge that my suggestion has about as much chance of becoming reality in this country as finding a snowflake in hell. But, that is what I think needs to happen to reverse the path we are on with regard to gun culture.
The difference is, that my opinion is based on the laws and the constitution. Yours are based on Golly I sure wish this would happen. Given that you concede that it is not going to happen your way, why not embrace what has the best chance of happening. Embrace and enforce the current existing laws instead of acting as if they don't exit.
Sensible gun laws would reduce (not stop entirely) the amount of guns being available to criminals, and also the ease of access to people who shouldn't have them. Remember, everyone is a law abiding citizen, until they become a criminal right?
And yes, I would make it harder (but not impossible) for anyone to get a gun. I would completely ban anything other than a handgun, shotgun or hunting rifle. If that is interpreted as "taking away your freedom" then so be it. It is what it is.
"Ban anything but a shotgun , handgun or hunting rifle"? I'm theorizing that means civilians couldn't have a rifle such as an AR 15, is what you mean. Rifles in military style configuration? That covers a lot of rifles. Other than scary black rifles, the ubiquitous AK style rifles, H&K stuff, Steyer, etc, "military" rifles include the 03 Springfield (a bolt action) M1A, M1 Garand, 98 Mauser,(another bolt action) none of which are, technically, "hunting" rifles. There are a lot of competitive events that such rifles are used, heavily, in, however.
Do you wish to close down certain shooting sports to civilians? Hunting rifles won't work for a lot of rifle events. Camp Perry comes to mind. I don't believe you've really thought through what your proposing. Its pretty ...off the cuff. Nor would denying such weapons to civilian shooters do anything to slow down violent crime. Street gangs, for instance, don't get hardware like that from gun stores. It comes from federal warehouses and foreign sources smuggling stuff in. The AR type platform is our current military issue. It has legitimate purpose, in its semi auto only trim, for civilian shooters, and, should the militia be needed, would be the preferable rifle for civilians to have. Just as its predecessors have been, before it.
I just don't see any sense in what you've said, here, regarding what you would see banned for the people. Perhaps you could explain your logic in a bit more detail, as I am, admittedly, kinda spitballing , as to what you actually mean.
Sensible gun laws would reduce (not stop entirely) the amount of guns being available to criminals, and also the ease of access to people who shouldn't have them. Remember, everyone is a law abiding citizen, until they become a criminal right?
And yes, I would make it harder (but not impossible) for anyone to get a gun. I would completely ban anything other than a handgun, shotgun or hunting rifle. If that is interpreted as "taking away your freedom" then so be it. It is what it is.
So you want to bad the one class of firearm responsible for less than 2% of crime? Brilliant. Admit it, you have absolutely no idea what the laws around firearms are currently or any idea about the statistics around violent crime, do you.
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