Gun control discussions in the wake of the Newtown, CT deaths

[Todash]

Tera, I agree with some of what you are saying. The problem is, there are some out there who trully do want to "take all out guns away." To deny that is silly.

Of course there are! Just like there are people who think there should be zero controls on guns. Name a position and you will find a champion for it. (Google "flat earthers" for an interesting diversion.) But to "take all the guns away," you would have to get a majority of the populace to feel that way (and that is not a widely supported position within the US), get a law drafted and passed through the House and Senate, get the President to sign it, and get every court in the land to somehow look the other way by not declaring said law unconstitutional.

[Todash]

...I don't kill with mine, I punch paper...however, if my I or my family were threatened-then youdambetcha I'm aiming for center mass and pulling the trigger...end of story, and the same with the perp...

I don't have a problem with this. Not sure I could do it myself, but I do believe it is justified.

[PatInTheHat]

Tera, I agree with some of what you are saying. The problem is, there are some out there who trully do want to "take all out guns away." To deny that is silly.

And the key word for such non reality based thinkers is in fact "Silly", though I'm thinkin' the term, "Ridiculous Freakin' Folly", would be much more apropos.
And all but a relative handful of honkin' at the moon silly gooses, know it...H-O-N-K, that spells, D'oh!

[Mojo*mofo]

I agree that it freaks people out, but I understand open carry. There are things in my part of the world called roberies and rapes and beatings. Some of these things happening in very public areas (like walmart). If you are carrying in the open, these things can be stopped, or kept from happening all together. That being said, I own a gun, but have never carried it. I just try to stay aware and keep myself and my family out of dangerous situations.

Fort Hood- armed personnel did not prevent a dozen deaths, and these were people that were adequately trained. George Zimmerman's overzealous reaction to seeing Trayvon Martin walking in a "non-black" neighborhood at night. There are literally hundreds of incidences where OC has resulted in the accidental discharge of a weapon, although rarely resulting in injury or death.

This isn't aimed at you Chuggs, but anyone who thinks OC is a grand idea. I want some factual evidence that OC reduces crime. And then we can talk about how OC has actually resulted in needless deaths because of someone getting scared in the heat of the moment.

[JellybeanJay]

Gun control may help the issue but then again it may not....

Look at the Oklahoma City bombing, the explosion killed 168 people, including 19 children in the day care center on the second floor, and injured 450 others and there was not one firearm used, everything that was used to make the bomb is very easily accessible.

So my I guess my point is that if someone is set on causing chaos, destruction and loss of life they are going to do it whether they use a firearm or not.

[Moderator]

Gun control may help the issue but then again it may not....

Look at the Oklahoma City bombing, the explosion killed 168 people, including 19 children in the day care center on the second floor, and injured 450 others and there was not one firearm used, everything that was used to make the bomb is very easily accessible.

So my I guess my point is that if someone is set on causing chaos, destruction and loss of life they are going to do it whether they use a firearm or not.

That's true, but it's more difficult to pull together making a bomb than getting a gun. Accepting that doing nothing about it because they'll find a way if they're bent on it is not an option and never has been IMO. Except for the military and law enforcement personnel, having the types of rifles and ammunition that are being considered for more stringent controls is a want, not a need.

[JellybeanJay]

I didn't mean to imply that doing nothing was an option and if it came across that way I apologize, I am just attempting to express frustration at how easy it is for someone to do something like this.

I am really not familiar with the gun regulations in the states but as far as I know I think it is harder to get a gun and people have to jump through more hoops up here in Canada. I might be wrong but I think at one point we had a long gun registry but that is the extent of my knowledge.

I think I am out of my element in this thread. I will show myself out now.

[Shasta]

Has anyone heard this new story out about the Portland shooting?

There's a guy saying he had a gun, he went to shoot the gunman but didn't because there was a person behind the gunman. But the gunman saw him and was so afraid of getting shot that.....well, he went and shot himself.

Can someone please explain that to me?

http://www.athenstalks.com/shooting-...-mall-2-killed

Unfortunately I can no longer find the site (the gun site) that explains that the shooter stopped shooting people because he so feared for his life that he went and committed suicide.

Ha! Wait. I found it:

http://www.easybakegunclub.com/blog/...he-Full-S.html

[Moderator]

I didn't mean to imply that doing nothing was an option and if it came across that way I apologize, I am just attempting to express frustration at how easy it is for someone to do something like this.

I am really not familiar with the gun regulations in the states but as far as I know I think it is harder to get a gun and people have to jump through more hoops up here in Canada. I might be wrong but I think at one point we had a long gun registry but that is the extent of my knowledge.

I think I am out of my element in this thread. I will show myself out now.

No need to do that and if I made you feel unwelcome, I apologize as well. It's partly my frustration at hearing that sort of thinking being used as a justification to not have any gun controls after each and every tragedy. And then the next time there's another one, it comes up all over again and nothing is done...again...and again...and more innocent people die.

[~Ally~]

I find actions like this worrying: http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/192548/11-year-old-in-utah-brings-gun-to-school-for-self-defense-after-newtown/

So the kid apparently takes a gun to school to protect himself, yet threatens to shoot classmates if they tell on him! His parents deny giving him the gun for protection, if that's true then why was it just lying around where he had access to it anyway? Insane.