The Topic of Gun Control and How it Relates to Recent Mass Shootings

Making it harder to get a gun legally makes it much easier to stop them in their search process. It also adds deterrents. If you have to go to a crack house to get a gun vs the corner store, its just another road block.

Not to mention, if guns were illegal, the price for illegal guns will be higher. Criminals aren't stupid, they understand supply-demand. If you could not buy a gun legally and only had one way to obtain the weapon, you bet your ass that criminals will be selling those guns at much higher prices.

 

This is exactly where the debate should be. Not just because it avoids the "banning" issue, but because it's harder to oppose on basic common sense grounds. We require licenses and registration of cars - why not guns? Why not ensure that before anyone buys a gun, they are properly trained and licensed?

Will it fix all the problems? Absolutely not - but nothing will do that. There are still steps that can be taken to reduce the number of guns in the wrong hands.

 

Gun control is about making guns harder to access. Of course with so many already in existence, there is little we can do to stop it.

 

You are correct. The problem is the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, put handguns on the constitutionally protected side of the line. And I am skeptical that a 500% tax on handguns would be upheld, as it would probably be viewed as an economic ban on handguns. So until either the second amendment is amended or the Court makeup changes, I don't think you can touch handguns, other than perhaps to impose a reasonable waiting period.

 

Paranoid? You are ignorant of history.

 

Self defense verses multiple predators.

 

We already have many restrictions on civil liberties in the interest of public safety, and it has not lead to a police state. Our country's history shows restrictions on civil liberties are more of a pendulum swing that a steady progression towards a police state. 150 years ago we had slaves and no 13th or 14th amendment. 50 years ago, blacks in certain parts of the country had to use separate restrooms and drinking fountains, and ride on the back of the bus. In the sixties, Court opinions and legislation greatly expanded our civil liberties. In times of war, civil liberties were restricted, but after the war was over, the restrictions were eased.

George Bush led the push on restricting civil liberties during the war on terror, perhaps rightly so, but with the new regime, I think that has been relaxed. I for one sleep better at night knowing that I will not be subject to waterboarding.

 

There's literally nothing in Heller which speaks to this at all, of course, you are just guesstimating.

Why would you not do something that you feel is good policy out of fear that some day a court *might* overturn it?

And if they do, who cares? If it saves lives beforehand, the likelihood of it being overturned decrreases dramatically.

Yes, the legislative branch shouldn't pass manifestly unconsitutional rules as they're largely a waste of time - you really shouldn't pass a law that establishes Christinaity as the state relgiion of the US, or attempts to re-legalize slavery. No court would ever uphold those laws to a constitutional challenge.

Excise taxes on guns & ammuntion (there actually currently already is one) and other firearm restrictions do not fit into this category - and to expect the Legislature to live in fear of the judiciary on thing like this is rather silly.

 

I think having a required license through a course and mental faculty test is a good idea, as well as a ban on automatic weapons and assault guns. Only thing that people should be able to own is hand guns and non-automatic rifles.

At the very least, that would give police more time, give people more time...to escape lunatics like this.

 

If the government really wanted to get at you and kill you, you'd be the equivalent of an Iraqi insurgent even with the best arms you can illegally buy and train yourself with. You do know the kill/death ratios for those guys right?

But sure, people can die now so some can play out Rambo fantasies of taking on government agents in the future.

I feel you. America doesn't have an intricate legal framework for balance of powers, tested throughout decades of jurisprudence. And the ideal balance of executive, judicial, and legislative is the fourth wing---people with guns-ive.

 

I don't know how tighter gun/banning guns will effect the availability of guns but is it possible that banning guns makes them harder to obtain illegally? I have relatives in other parts of the world and they tell me obtaining a gun is pretty damn hard.

just seems like we are the only country outside of the middle easy with a crap load of gun violence and shootings. You simply don't see this **** happening say in Japan, Australia, China, or anywhere else.

 

Exactly. Some people seem to think that lunatics will be lunatics so it doesn't matter what you do with guns. Surely if you can limit that lunatic to killing one person instead of 10+ it's a better scenario? even if it's still one you would rather not happen at all.

 

how do other countries do it? There are plenty of places in the world where obtaining a gun is pretty damn hard. You don't see this type of violence and shooting in other parts of the world.

 

You're making the same old silly slippery slope argument that relies on extremes.

I'm bored of it, and rightly so, because it's a really tired trope.

 

First off those places don't say gun ownership is a right.

 

yes, by KILLING/MAMING THEM.

once again, name me ONE purpose guns serve outside of KILLING/MAMING.

 

I have a licence here in Australia. I wouldn't say it's exactly hard to get one but it does take time. Firstly you need a reason to be getting one, I got one to help shoot pests on my grandparents farm and that was acceptable. Then you have a few forms, certain types of a criminal record will stop you from obtaining one, then a bit of theory and safety and general training. To finish it off you needed to pass an accuracy test to show you were at least competent with the weapon.

Once you have a license you can buy guns which fall under your licence restrictions. You show your licence when you buy it and that is logged against the gun, by law you must then keep the weapon unloaded in a locked gun safe when not in use, the police can call at any time to check that this is the case with all your registered guns in it. Except when using it, your gun cannot be loaded and when transporting it, it should be in a case. That's pretty much what we have here.

 

If a rapist is attacking a woman, she has every right to kill or maim him.

 

It is utterly sickening that we are hostage to the gun industry and their slick lobby the NRA and brainwashed simpletons who support them.

I blame these morons for the dead children. I frankly don't give a crap about their bs interpretation of the Constitution. It will take mass shootings month after month before the public is roused enough to overcome the lobby and their supporters.

Of course it is often times the same group that thinks "freedom" is allowing the gun industry and other corporations to buy our politicians if their vote means more profit for their industry regardless of how many folks are harmed by their product.

 

Absolutely no one is to blame for the death of those children, teachers and principle except the b*stard that is hopefully rotting in hell right now.