Figured to point the gun debate here.

 

 

I do not own a gun, but I don't disagree with those that do. I may be in the minority but something HAS to change in light of what happened. There has to be more regulations regarding gun control. I'm not saying don't allow people to only have so many but something needs to be done because it isn't safe for anyone. I know the saying "guns don't kill people" but whoever said that is an idiot.

 

I'm still amazed at how many people are still fighting over gun issues and aren't willing to make some kind of compromise if it meant a safer world.

I support responsible gun ownership and possession through training and appropriate registrations and licenses. I believe hand guns serve a purpose of self protection and that rifles are appropriate for sport. Automatic and semi automatic weapons though are clearly NOT defensive and have NO PLACE in civilian society.

I support responsible gun ownership and possession through training and appropriate registrations and licenses. I believe hand guns serve a purpose of self protection and that rifles are appropriate for sport. Automatic and semi automatic weapons though are clearly NOT defensive and have NO PLACE in civilian society.

 

Ditto.

I may be in the minority but something HAS to change in light of what happened. There has to be more regulations regarding gun control.

Not anymore, Friday changed that!

 

As a responsible owner of more than one gun, yes things need to change. Tighter background checks? Tighter private sale laws? Psychological screening? Background checks and screening of everyone in a gun household? Buy back programs? Just a few things that were mentioned elsewhere.

I have thought about this a lot over the last few days but I've stayed out of the discussion until now. I think we have to find a way to balance the rights of lawful individuals and protecting innocent people by keeping guns out of the hands of those with mental illnesses. I'd start by making it a priority with schools, law enforcement and medical professionals to identify those having symptoms that would indicate mental illness is present. Once they've been identified they need to be provided with professional treatment for free if necessary. I don't pretend to be smart enough to know how this can work with HIPPA and all the other laws that it would effect but something needs to be done on this end and it cannot be made simply about guns. Each and every one of these mass shooters has shown signs of severe mental illness, signs that were regonized and sometimes ignored or dismissed.

The gun issues is a tough one for me, I am pretty liberal on most issues but I am a gun owner and generally support gun rights. Given the frequency with which these shootings are occuring and with the effectiveness of modern weaponry something has to change in order to protect innocent citizens and children. I tend to agree that because an AR-15 or a bushmaster looks scary they aren't neccesarly any different than a hunting rifle. To me the difference between a traditional hunting rifle and these modern tactical rifles is magazine capacity. I wouldn't rush to ban all guns but I would make an immediate push to limit the round capacity of any gun to 5 or 6 rounds. If a person wants to own a weapon or purchase magazines with a higher capacity they would have to submit to a mental evaluation at their expense along with a waiting period. There would also need to be a national registry of some sort for these mental health evaluations where if you failed one it would prevent you from purchasing a firearm anywhere in the country and if you attempted multiple times to pass an evaluation you would be flagged for investigation. This would still allow for weapons for home defense and hunting but it would at least give someone an opportunity to tackle a mass shooter while they were switching magazines and hopefully prevent these heartbreaking death tolls. I think this would fall under "well regulated" while not violating constitutional protections because you can still obtain any fire arm you desired just not as easily or quickly as you can now. I would immediately ban all private sales or transfer of guns at gun shows or otherwise so they cannot be used to get around any background check, mental health evaluation or waiting periods. Also there needs to be some type of punishment for people who fail to secure their weapons that are used in shootings like the Oregon mall shooter, I don't know what but if you're not responsible enough to secure a firearm you aren't responsible enough to own one.

Arming teachers is not the answer, most wouldn't want it or be qualified to handle a weapon. I'd mandate a school resource officer in every school in the United States and raise taxes if necessary to pay for it. Schools need to be fitted with windows and entry doors that can resist being broken to gain entry.

I have no problem with even stronger background checks and regulations on buying firearms. I do not think that any gun currently legal for sale in the US needs to be banned. Smaller magazine regulations not really going to make that much of a difference, this guy had to change magazines several times and no one was able to jump him to attack him. Average person familiar with firing their own firearm can swap mags in less than 2 seconds. I agree that there needs to be a mental health registry (don't know how to get around HIPPA) as well as an up to date Domestic Violence registry.

For those who want to make only guns able to hold 5 rounds, how do you propose getting the millions of existing magazines out of circulation?

Didn't this kid get the guns illegally?

I support responsible gun ownership and possession through training and appropriate registrations and licenses. I believe hand guns serve a purpose of self protection and that rifles are appropriate for sport. Automatic and semi automatic weapons though are clearly NOT defensive and have NO PLACE in civilian society.

As to the bolded, you are incorrect. If you are going to make statements like that, please, do some research and familiarize yourself with the subject matter. I am not being condescending either. In the interest of good debate, we all need to know what an automatic weapon is, what a semi automatic weapon is and what type of guns belong in each category.

 

Automatic = one pull of the trigger yields multiple shots. Think machine guns. These are strictly regulated, very cost prohibitive for the average joe.

 

Semi Auto = one pull of the trigger yields only one shot. Most home defense pistols and hunting shotguns fit this category as well as a great number of hunting rifles if not most. So do assault rifles, for which you can get magazines that hold a great number of shots.

 

Semi automatic weapons include a very wide sweeping category. If you ban all semi auto weapons, that would include most pistols, shotguns and hunting rifles that are used for home defense and recreational hunting in civilian society. Just about the only weapons that are not semi auto are revolvers, muzzle loaders, bolt action rifles and single shot shotguns.

Plain and simple. Drugs are illegal and they are everywhere except in law abiding homes. If you make guns illegal, they will still be everywhere, except in law abiding homes.

 

Then the crooks know you are not armed.

 

Find out what to do with the mentally ill is the way to go and I have no idea on that issue.

Didn't this kid get the guns illegally?

 

His mother did from my understanding.

My feelings haven't changed. In fact, I feel more strongly that more good guys need guns!

His mother did from my understanding.

Legally or Illegally?

It is my understanding that his mother owned the guns legally.

 

I am glad that Watusi explained the differences between automatic and semi automatic weapons. I never knew the difference. I don't own guns but I have no problem with those who do.

 

I find the remarks made about banning guns from those with mental illness interesting. I work with the mentally ill and have the following things to say:

 

1. The majority of mentally ill people are not dangerous. Most are more in danger of killing themselves than killing someone else.

 

2. The mentally ill who are dangerous are not stupid. They can get illegal guns just as easily as any criminal can. I can't imagine any of the homicidal patients I have seen even thinking about applying for a gun permit.

 

3. Psychiatry is a very inexact science. If physicians were expected to "weed out" the ones who should be stripped of their constitutional rights, it would be impossible to get them to agree which patients truly qualify.

 

4. Mentally ill people are already wrongly stigmatized in society. It would be terrible to perpetuate this.

 

5. As stated before, this shooter got his guns from his mother. It sounds like she would have passed any background check.

 

I work with some VERY dangerous people. Believe me, it scares me that some of my patients drive, much less might own a gun. Unfortunately if someone wants to get a gun, they will get it.

 

I sometimes wonder if one of those teachers had a legal concealed weapon if more lives would have been saved that day. I think about that teacher who hid all of her class in the closets and stood there defenseless telling the shooter the children were in the gym. She was killed. What if she had a gun?

 

I know it is scary to think about guns in a school, but I do believe these incidents are far too common. I can't help but wonder if these idiots would second guess walking into a public place to shoot it up if they knew the playing field was more equal.

Edited December 19, 201213 yr by Beechwoodfan

My opinions on gun control have not changed. I believe responsible, law abiding people should be able to buy and own guns. I also believe that gun control laws are necessary.

 

I don't believe there is any law possible except for a totally gun free society that could have prevented killings from happening last Friday. There is nothing that can be done that will prevent a deranged killer from getting into a school. All we can do is make it as difficult as possible and find ways to minimize damage, and that is where gun control laws are necessary.

 

For me this debate is about the shape of gun control. Reducing the size of clips seems very reasonable to me. I have a hard time thinking of a reason why that law should not be in place. For anyone who is a gun enthusiast, arguing against any law because you think guns will be taken away is not a good argument. I am open to ideas and arguments from both sides of this issue. But I want legitimate arguments with solid reasons to back your opinion.