General Gun Violence/Gun Control

[Deleted member 39678]

You have to start somewhere. Banning assault weapons might be a good start. Considering the damage they have done.

Banning them should allow for confiscation, when an assault weapon is discovered.
Banning them should stop the manufacturers making them for public consumption.

It seems that the majority of Americans WANT them banned.

So banning and the confiscation of assault weapons, what ever that is, is just the start.

At least your honest about gun control.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Not sure what you mean.

It is not illegal to buy assault rifles and you can buy bullets at Walmart, no background check for bullets.

Not true for me in California.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

The Walmart' s were I live don't sell guns or ammunition. Sure hasn't stopped any of the miscreants from killing innocent people in my community.

 

[SouthAussie]

So banning and the confiscation of assault weapons, what ever that is, is just the start.

At least your honest about gun control.

I will always be honest about gun control. For good reason.

As of Dec 2022, 279 US children have been casualties of school shootings.
As of yesterday, over 349,000 US school children have suffered the trauma of school shootings.

These children are (and for too many, sadly, were) the future of the nation.

Sandy Hook 10 years on: How many have died in school shootings?

A decade ago, a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, killing 26.

www.bbc.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/school-shootings-database/

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I will always be honest about gun control. For good reason.

As of Dec 2022, 279 children have been casualties of school shootings.
As of yesterday, over 349,000 school children have suffered the trauma of school shootings.

These children are (and for too many, sadly, were) the future of the nation.

Sandy Hook 10 years on: How many have died in school shootings?

A decade ago, a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, killing 26.

www.bbc.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/school-shootings-database/

I wish more people would be honest like you and say they want to confiscate all guns from law abiding citizens.

You may even be able to convince some people to turn their guns in if you can promise they will be safe because no one will have guns.

The problem I have with that is it's a fantasy that will never happen. We need so other solutions for the violence we are seeing in today's society. JMo.

 

[SouthAussie]

I wish more people would be honest like you and say they want to confiscate all guns from law abiding citizens.

You may even be able to convince some people to turn their guns in if you can promise they will be safe because no one will have guns.

The problem I have with that is it's a fantasy that will never happen. We need so other solutions for the violence we are seeing in today's society. JMo.

That is not what I am suggesting. Never has been. Control does not mean confiscation of all guns.

I think Americans have to be smart about it. Banning assault weapons seems like a good start. Then see if the numbers of children dying and being traumatised in school shootings drops significantly, before deciding if further action is required.

To my way of thinking, the school children should not be the sacrificial lambs while the US decides what the heck to do.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

That is not what I am suggesting. Never has been. Control does not mean confiscation of all guns.

I think Americans have to be smart about it. Banning assault weapons seems like a good start. Then see if the numbers of children dying and being traumatised in school shootings drops significantly, before deciding if further action is required.

To my way of thinking, the school children should not be the sacrificial lambs while the US decides what the heck to do.

I still want to know what exactly you want banned? All semi-auto rifles? All semi-auto handguns?

And stop with histrionics about children dying. We should be talking about everyone's safety. JMO.

 

[Betty P]

As a medical expert, it's my opinion that no one should have easy access to purchasing semi-automatic weapons.

Growing up, those types of weapons were illegal for anyone to own. They were only for use in the military or law enforcement. Back then, the average gun owner would have thought someone crazy if they wanted to buy a machine gun, etc. for personal use.

Most gun owners were hunters and had perhaps a rifle or shotgun.

 

[Betty P]

That is not what I am suggesting. Never has been. Control does not mean confiscation of all guns.

I think Americans have to be smart about it. Banning assault weapons seems like a good start. Then see if the numbers of children dying and being traumatised in school shootings drops significantly, before deciding if further action is required.

To my way of thinking, the school children should not be the sacrificial lambs while the US decides what the heck to do.

Apparently a lot of folks today don’t realize assault weapons were banned in the US. Same with silencers, bullet proof vests, etc. There were more strict gun laws up until the late 1990s when many laws were removed from the books.

Americans used to be smart about gun laws, they can be again.

 

[Betty P]

So your in favor of waiting periods and background checks. I don't think those work very well myself.

The bad guys still get their guns. JMO.

They woul work better if they were actually enforced and applied to all gun sales, including private sales and gun shows. All registered, like you register your car. Big fines and confiscation for violations.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I

Even if you win this ,you still allow the same mentally ill people to school your children ,unless you send them to private school.

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

Except that most mass shootings aren't caused by the mentally ill.

A look into the traits of a mass shooter

Researchers have identified four traits shared by most mass shooters and discussed how often they have a diagnosed mental illness.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

So your in favor of waiting periods and background checks. I don't think those work very well myself.

The bad guys still get their guns. JMO.

Having seen both the physical and psychological impact of guns, including semi-automatic weapons (and not just in the person shot), I'm not in favor of guns, period. But I get that I'm working within the limits of a national mentality that will always see that kind of talk as an assault to a birthright, so I'll take what I can get. IMO, waiting periods at least quell the impulsivity, so I'll take it.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I still want to know what exactly you want banned? All semi-auto rifles? All semi-auto handguns?

And stop with histrionics about children dying. We should be talking about everyone's safety. JMO.

I don't think it's histrionic. The poster is right by focusing on children. If we want to curb violence - all violence - it starts with school shootings. Every time a school is shot up, the victim count ends with the dead and physically wounded. What the rest of us don't see is the numbers of children who are forever traumatized and changed by what happened. The medical research shows us that childhood trauma changes our physical and mental health. It shows that traumatized people are more likely to get into drugs or drink to excess or commit crime or take their own life. If we want to safeguard everyone's safety, taking a look at ways to curb school shootings is a good start.

JMO based on what I do for a living.

 

[ilovewings]

Having seen both the physical and psychological impact of guns, including semi-automatic weapons (and not just in the person shot), I'm not in favor of guns, period. But I get that I'm working within the limits of a national mentality that will always see that kind of talk as an assault to a birthright, so I'll take what I can get. IMO, waiting periods at least quell the impulsivity, so I'll take it.

We will never have an America without guns-- guns seem built into the DNA of America. However, there are things that can be done that are not being done to try and get some control of an out of control situation. There are people like my husband who believe if we enact some new laws so that guns will more difficult to purchase- then only criminals will have guns. I tell him we must do something - we must start some place-- that kind of thought process leads to doing nothing and that is not acceptable. I believe there should be a ban on AR-15s but I also know that won't happen- at least not at this time. There should be a bi-partisan group of politicians that can get together and come up with
some ideas that have the possibility of actually getting enacted.

 

[Betty P]

I don't think it's histrionic. The poster is right by focusing on children. If we want to curb violence - all violence - it starts with school shootings. Every time a school is shot up, the victim count ends with the dead and physically wounded. What the rest of us don't see is the numbers of children who are forever traumatized and changed by what happened. The medical research shows us that childhood trauma changes our physical and mental health. It shows that traumatized people are more likely to get into drugs or drink to excess or commit crime or take their own life. If we want to safeguard everyone's safety, taking a look at ways to curb school shootings is a good start.

JMO based on what I do for a living.

Agree. Those children have a right to a safe and healthy childhood, free from fear of people breaking into their school to kill them. They have rights, too.

ETA: They also have the right to not have armed guards, teachers with guns and shooter drills in their schools.

 

[Betty P]

We will never have an America without guns-- guns seem built into the DNA of America. However, there are things that can be done that are not being done to try and get some control of an out of control situation. There are people like my husband who believe if we enact some new laws so that guns will more difficult to purchase- then only criminals will have guns. I tell him we must do something - we must start some place-- that kind of thought process leads to doing nothing and that is not acceptable. I believe there should be a ban on AR-15s but I also know that won't happen- at least not at this time. There should be a bi-partisan group of politicians that can get together and come up with
some ideas that have the possibility of actually getting enacted.

Automatic and semi-automatic weapons were banned in the US for many years, up until around 2004. It's also been shown that banning high capacity magazines also reduces gun deaths.

FactChecking Biden's Claim that Assault Weapons Ban Worked - FactCheck.org

President Joe Biden claims the 10-year assault weapons ban that he helped shepherd through the Senate as part of the 1994 crime bill "brought down these mass killings." But the raw numbers, when adjusted for population and other factors, aren't so clear on that.

www.factcheck.org

Even then, there were loopholes that allowed the illegal sale of those weapons at gun shows, swap meets, flea markets and via ads online. Huge loophole that needs to be closed.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Are you saying that the only way to prevent school shootings is gun confiscation?

No. I don’t know how school shootings can be prevented. Guns won’t be confiscated - the US is married to the right to carry. Mental illness won’t be magically fixed.

Folks are advocating for arming more people, including teachers. I have not been a fan of that approach, but I am coming around to it - for those school staff that volunteer. It’s a method that is wrought with potential issues, but what is the alternative? We have debated for years about how to solve the problem. Fighting fire with fire may be the only practical answer.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

I wish more people would be honest like you and say they want to confiscate all guns from law abiding citizens.

You may even be able to convince some people to turn their guns in if you can promise they will be safe because no one will have guns.

The problem I have with that is it's a fantasy that will never happen. We need so other solutions for the violence we are seeing in today's society. JMo.

So let us know what are the solutions that we need? Let me guess ... more guns given to teachers and more LE in schools (even though the latter is extremely problematic for people of color who are already disproportionately impacted by the justice system)

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

No. I don’t know how school shootings can be prevented. Guns won’t be confiscated - the US is married to the right to carry. Mental illness won’t be magically fixed.

Folks are advocating for arming more people, including teachers. I have not been a fan of that approach, but I am coming around to it - for those school staff that volunteer. It’s a method that is wrought with potential issues, but what is the alternative? We have debated for years about how to solve the problem. Fighting fire with fire may be the only practical answer.

I really hope people don't come around to it. I honestly can't think of a worse idea for the trajectory of education in America than arming teachers.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I really hope people don't come around to it. I honestly can't think of a worse idea for the trajectory of education in America than arming teachers.

If teachers conceal carry the students would no idea that the teachers were armed or not.

And I'm not sure there would be any harm if the students did know that their teachers were armed. If I was a student today I would want my teacher to have a firearm ready to protect me. JMO.