Gun Control

This has surely been discussed on BGP before, but in light of the Colorado Batman movie shootings, it seems appropriate to discuss this now. How can shootings like the Colorado one be prevented or reduced? Would more gun control help? Or maybe we should head back towards the wild west and promote more carry and conceal? Thoughts?

Criminals that have guns mostly have them illegally I assume so I don't see what would change that? It would make it more difficult on normal citizens that want to get guns to protect themselves.

I do not believe that the crowd having guns would have prevented this.

Originally Posted by rockmom

I do not believe that the crowd having guns would have prevented this.

It definitely wouldn't have prevented it. It might have ended it sooner.

Originally Posted by halfback20

It definitely wouldn't have prevented it. It might have ended it sooner.

It's possible that's for sure.

I have a question about tear gas. Does it explode into a huge puff of smoke to where you can't really see that well?

Originally Posted by rockmom

I do not believe that the crowd having guns would have prevented this.

More gun laws wouldn't either, that's for sure. I agree with HB20 that it very well could have ended earlier. The video I posted about the man in Florida with a CC certainly kept any victims from being shot it that Internet Cafe.

Just wondering how drug laws have worked out wiht the war on drugs?

Originally Posted by rockmom

I do not believe that the crowd having guns would have prevented this.

I wonder about that. If more people carried and there were more reports of criminals getting shot by people they are trying to rob or attack, perhaps there is a deterent factor. If the Colorado Batman killer knew there would almost surely be someone in the crowd armed and ready to fire back if he started shooting, would he have reconsidered? Would other criminals think twice before trying to rob someone or break into a home, etc.?

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

I wonder about that. If more people carried and there were more reports of criminals getting shot by people they are trying to rob or attack, perhaps there is a deterent factor. If the Colorado Batman killer knew there would almost surely be someone in the crowd armed and ready to fire back if he started shooting, would he have reconsidered? Would other criminals think twice before trying to rob someone or break into a home, etc.?

After the Virginia Tech shootings, there were discussions in the Virginia legislature to allow professors to conceal carry if they wanted to. The theory being, a gunman may get the first shot off but there would be a chance he would be stopped in his tracks before being able to continue the rampage.

I don't like the government controlling everything. Having said that, I am not a big gun person, and I believe more guns going off in a crowd increases the likelihood of more people getting shot. The availability of guns, especially to gangbangers, wackos, juveniles, etc. is a big issue, but I don't think the government passing gun control laws will positively impact the problem.

Sadly, what I see next is that pretty much every public place is going to have to install metal detectors.

The wackos and the terrorists do it out of frustration and to vent their frustration and get publicity. I hope this freak doesn't get the publicity he wants, but rather is made to disappear into a black hole somewhere.

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

I wonder about that. If more people carried and there were more reports of criminals getting shot by people they are trying to rob or attack, perhaps there is a deterent factor. If the Colorado Batman killer knew there would almost surely be someone in the crowd armed and ready to fire back if he started shooting, would he have reconsidered? Would other criminals think twice before trying to rob someone or break into a home, etc.?

In my opinion he couldn't have known last night that no one was carrying, therefore it didn't stop him then...why would it stop others in the future? IMO it takes a special kind of crazy to do this. The gunman will not be deterred.

Crazy is Crazy. A law won't stop these nut jobs.

Gun control laws only affect the law abiding people that follow the laws.

Originally Posted by rockmom

In my opinion he couldn't have known last night that no one was carrying, therefore it didn't stop him then...why would it stop others in the future? IMO it takes a special kind of crazy to do this. The gunman will not be deterred.

We agree here. Someone wired the way some of these people are wouldn't think rationally enough to consider being stopped by someone with a CC. I do think someone carrying could very well lessen the damage these nuts do.

Originally Posted by woodsrider

Just wondering how drug laws have worked out wiht the war on drugs?

That's a point I've made time and again.

Originally Posted by HammerTime

It's possible that's for sure.

I have a question about tear gas. Does it explode into a huge puff of smoke to where you can't really see that well?

IMO this is the more alarming thing that he had tear gas and apparently explosives at his house.

I'm sort of surprised it took until almost 1:00pm for this topic to come up. My lady friend made a comment about it this morning because of last night, so we had a little discussion, ending in her saying "You Win"

Bad people will use guns whether they are legal or not, just like drug addicts will use drugs whether they are legal or not.

Originally Posted by MJAlltheWay24

I'm sort of surprised it took until almost 1:00pm for this topic to come up. My lady friend made a comment about it this morning because of last night, so we had a little discussion, ending in her saying "You Win"

Bad people will use guns whether they are legal or not, just like drug addicts will use drugs whether they are legal or not.

I wasn't surprised to see it, but like you it took longer than I thought it would. I'm sure the anti-gun side will politicize this very soon if they haven't already.

Originally Posted by doomer

I don't like the government controlling everything. Having said that, I am not a big gun person, and I believe more guns going off in a crowd increases the likelihood of more people getting shot. The availability of guns, especially to gangbangers, wackos, juveniles, etc. is a big issue, but I don't think the government passing gun control laws will positively impact the problem.

Sadly, what I see next is that pretty much every public place is going to have to install metal detectors.

The wackos and the terrorists do it out of frustration and to vent their frustration and get publicity. I hope this freak doesn't get the publicity he wants, but rather is made to disappear into a black hole somewhere.

Wouldn't have done any good in this scenario, they said he kicked in the back door of an emergency exit. So he came from the outside of the building directly in to the theatre.

Originally Posted by Run To State

I wasn't surprised to see it, but like you it took longer than I thought it would. I'm sure the anti-gun side will politicize this very soon if they haven't already.

Those who think it's not important to show an ID to vote, think it's a great idea to have more gun control! They don't like the idea of a ID to vote saying it's my right to vote but can't seem to understand that it's my right to own a gun!

BTW I no longer own a gun as I gave up hunting years ago not because of not liking to hunt but because of my knees!

I heard that the cinema had 'No CCW' signs posted. Basically advertising itself as a soft target. The deterrent effect of CCW is to keep the bad guys guessing. If you have CCW free zones then you have a known soft target.

Both highlighted shooting incidents this week had a CCW theme associated with. The results, on face value, would say CCW is in general a good thing.