I am a huge supporter that guns and ammo should only be sold through brick and mortar gun stores that ONLY sell guns and ammo.
The problem I have with the verbiage of "Gun Show Loophole" is that it makes it seem like the problem is with a gun show. The problem is not the gun show, but what constitutes a dealer vs a non dealer. https://www.atf.gov/file/100871/download As you can see, its completely ambiguous, by intention no doubt. I am not stating that people should be allowed to sell at gun shows w/out conducting back ground checks. Its quite the opposite. The problem with closing the gun show loophole is that you are only dealing with one angle of the issue. People can still post ads online, sell at flea markets, ect ... What the law should state is if you sell more than 'x' (small reasonable number like 5) amount of guns in a year, you should be required to go through an FFL. If you are purchasing and selling 'x' (something like 20) amount of guns over a time period, then you should be registered as a gun dealer. Nobody is going to pay for a Gunshow booth if all they can sell is 5 guns (w/out background check) or 20 guns (requirement to be a gun dealer).
It is also only a matter of time before there is an event so terrible that politicians panic and respond with severe regulations on guns. Imagine the Vegas sniper but with 4-5 people helping him. Imagine a body count of 500 and what the response will be. Guns are part of America and our culture but I agree with you, there need to be restrictions for safety and also to oddly enough, protect gun rights long term.
I doubt it will pass in congress, but I give Trump here credit for saying the right thing here! Good for him!
I agree with OP. We have a gun culture problem in the US. People in this country LOVE their guns too much. When you name your gun, you have a freaking problem. I'm saying this as a gun owner and more relevantly, an avid shooter. More examples of the culture problem. Search AR-15 and other gun terms on youtube. You will get millions of hits with people talking all kinds of stupid non-sense about guns like knock down power and "tacti-cool" situations. Here are some suggestions that I think would help. Make gun laws consistent across the country. I can buy and sell a gun in Texas via private sale without an ID, and the law is written in a way where it is almost advantages to not check ID. I think all guns transactions should require a background check which I also believe should be free or close to free. I also think there should be limits on magazine capacity on all centerfire firearms. The Brady bill was stupid in how they categorized "assault" rifles but the magazine limit was a good idea. You don't need 15 rounds to "protect yourself" and you definitely don't need it for hunting. If you need more than 10 rounds then you should go through the same process as automatic weapons or the minimum, the CHL process. Though that process should be a lot faster than 10 months and shouldn't cost 200 bucks. I think you should also have the equivalent of a CHL license to buy a handgun or semi automatic centerfire rifle. The most controversial of my ideas is that it should be illegal to advertise or profit from the advertising of firearms(ie. youtube shouldn't be able monetize on gun videos) like it's illegal to advertise cigarettes. I know this would never fly but I really think this is the only way to get a handle on the gun culture problem.
It's still almost entirely handguns. The facts just don't match up with the narratives on this as usual.
Bold represents was the previously deadliest mass shooting. The two disturbing, but most obvious notes. Semi-Automatic weapons are becoming the choice Its very evident mass shooters are trying to exceed previous records. 9 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting 2018 17 Semi-automatic rifle 1 Las Vegas shooting 2017 59 (including the perpetrator) Semi-automatic rifles 5 Sutherland Springs church shooting 2017 27 (including the perpetrator) Semi-automatic rifle 2 Orlando nightclub shooting 2016 50 (including the perpetrator) Semi-automatic rifle 10 San Bernardino attack 2015 16 (including both perpetrators) Semi-automatic rifles 20 Umpqua Community College shooting 2015 10 (including the perpetrator) Handguns 14 Washington Navy Yard shooting 2013 13 (including the perpetrator) Shotgun and handgun 4 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting 2012 28 (including the perpetrator) Semi-automatic rifle and bolt-action rifle 18 Aurora shooting 2012 12 Multiple weapons 13 Binghamton shootings 2009 14 (including the perpetrator) Handguns 14 Fort Hood shooting 2009 13 Handguns 19 Geneva County massacre 2009 11 (including the perpetrator) Multiple weapons 3 Virginia Tech shooting 2007 33 (including the perpetrator) Handguns 20 Red Lake shootings 2005 10 (including the perpetrator) Multiple weapons 11 Columbine High School massacre 1999 15 (including both perpetrators) Multiple weapons 20 Atlanta shootings 1999 10 (including the perpetrator) Handguns 6 Luby's shooting 1991 24 (including the perpetrator) Handguns 20 GMAC shootings 1990 10 (including the perpetrator) Semi-automatic rifle 11 Edmond post office shooting 1986 15 (including the perpetrator) Handguns 7 San Ysidro McDonald's massacre 1984 22 (including the perpetrator) Multiple weapons 14 Wilkes-Barre shootings 1982 13 Semi-automatic rifle 8 University of Texas tower shooting 1966 18 (including the perpetrator) Multiple weapons 14 Camden shootings 1949 13 Handgun
Semi-automatic weapons have been "the choice" for a LONG time, but it's still semi-automatic handguns that are doing the bulk of damage. Sure you can point to some flashy examples spread throughout the years that used semi-automatic rifles, but they still just amount to nothing more than a drop in the ocean. Every year you have a couple hundred people killed by rifles of all types....a couple hundred out of the 17,000 homicides a year. Focusing on a couple hundred out of 17k+ simply doesn't make sense no matter how flashy the couple hundred were or how emotional people are.
Ah yes. Lets clarify the argument. Semi-automatic rifles are the choice of mass shootings Handguns are responsible for the vast majority of gun violence. However, lets be pragmatic. Few people give a **** about day to day gun violence. They only care about mass shootings, which represent an extremely small fraction of gun deaths. When the politicians come a calling for gun control, we know the motivation behind the call. Its not gun violence. Its media sensational gun killings (ie: mass shootings). So gun enthusiast can either resist and have their rights slowly stripped away or they can step up, compromise, and find ways to reduce the violence.
Sure, but if there were no semi-automatic rifles, they'd just use semi-automatic handguns and there would be no significant drop in lethality of attacks. I think my problem is that we have people (I'm not saying you) who know nothing about guns pushing for gun bans that would be largely ineffective.
OK, I'll play. All semi-auto rifles larger than a .22 (caliber is debatable, but not too much) All semi-auto handguns All high capacity magazines All weekend warrior accoutrements: collapsible stocks, pistol grips, whatever (not sure about suppressors), etc.... If you NEED any of those things or a ~.223 semi-auto rifle (and I know there are some people who do), you get a FFL, just like the gun dealers do. I know I'm not thinking this totally through, because I'm just spitballing here, but, fellow gun owners, start telling me why I'm wrong.
for me practical means passable and for that it has to be baby steps for the majority gun loving freaks in this country. start with bump stocks, which i think trump has already said he supports a ban, more stringent background check laws, etc... little by little until you have something that resembles common sense. personally, as someone who doesn't own a single firearm not even a hunting rifle, i've accepted this is the country i live in. if it (lack of common sense gun laws) ever became to much to deal with i know i would have to leave. i accept that.
So...what would be "too much to deal with", if not multiple instances of kids being massacred at school?
it's a personal choice that will be different for everyone. if the recent incidents did "it" for you then may i ask where you've decided to move? and move you will because as i've mentioned this country will never pass comprehensive gun laws. i'm not afraid to say that neither vegas nor florida has has come close to making think about moving. honestly i don't know what will. maybe something "closer to home" would do it but i honestly don't know. but i do know as i said earlier, this country will never ban guns.
I've been pissed for several-many years now, and I've said as much. As a gun-owning Texan, I'm disgusted. As an American, I'm appalled. No credible person wants to totally ban guns. That's a non-starter, so just stop with that. Gun regulation will happen, it may not be in the next decade, but it is inevitable (just like so many other things that seemed outlandish a generation ago). What kind of gun regulation would you prefer? Why don't we start having serious conversations right now?
The only thing that can do that is adequate security at places where large numbers of people gather and even then, terrorists are going to be able to kill some people if they value doing so more than they value their life. The best you can hope for is to keep the numbers low in those situations.
