+3 votes
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in Politics & Government ✌ by

idk, I am still thinking gun control might be the best of a bunch of bad solutions...and there's apparently a current article in THE FEDERALIST that explains more about the powerful NRA style gun control opposition, here it is summary:

Civilians need to be able to buy assault weapons freely because Americans need to be able to overthrow the government if it gets tyrannical; i.e., "the right of revolution." And the justification for allowing the school shootings to continue without restraint? It's that "the Second Amendment is worth dying for."

* * *

So from that, here is my thinking right now, which I hope for your feedback: 

1. The US government is ALREADY way over-the-line too heavy-handed, but the way to respond is not armed violence. The 20th century really showed how badly THAT works out, including the domestic terrorism in Oklahoma City. (The American Revolution 1776 being a stunning exception.) Gandhi did better with his ahimsa stuff...we all need to go more that route plus political engagement, I believe.

2. In my own time, we were trained from toddlers in how to handle guns...gun safety, safety, safety, all precautions NEVER take a chance on harming a human being. What is going on now, the cavalier disregard for human life, is incomprehensible to my generation...these folks now cannot handle guns, either physically or mentally (or emotionally).

The Parkland kids who survived are taking up the cause of gun control...I hate it, but I think I am with them more and more....your thoughts ideas?

5 Answers

+3 votes
by
 
Best answer

I honestly don't see the need for assault type semi-automatic weapons to be on the market. They make good varmint guns for areas with a lot of coyotes and such but otherwise? I see no need for them for the everyday public.

I also think the age limit for rifles should be the same as it is with pistols :21. I've been through the arguments that you can fight for your country at 18 and vote and such but still believe the age should be 21.

A much more extensive background check on anyone buying any gun could help out quite a bit also.

I don't know about other states but here, you have to go to gun control training classes when you purchase a pistol. This should be for rifles also.

There is only so much gun control can do. 99% of people that own guns, including myself, would never give them all up lest we become a police state.

One other thought is, why don't we hire some of those homeless, lost Vets to be a school guard. I think if someone saw this before coming into school with a gun? That person is going to have serious second thoughts about their plans. We put our Vets and ex Cops back to work at the same time.

As always, these are just my thoughts as I know weapons so well and what they can do.

by

Rooster, if some things you mention had been in place, maybe this shooting could have been prevented...the age limit 21, I read this youngster was only nineteen. Maybe he could have cooled off by age 21, you are maturing fast at that age! Also the extensive background check; apparently he even posted on social media that he was going to shoot up a school! I read the FBI has apologized because they did not follow up when two of those tips were given to them.

And that idea about the veterans, that certainly makes sense. I don't like the idea of requiring teachers to learn and carry guns; a teacher should be able just to concentrate on teaching students, not the responsibility for defending them too.

And the classes gun training classes, that seems obvious...especially if you don't get the kind of training that I received from my family and people don't seem to do that now.

+3 votes
by

Yes, Virginia, and I don't know which would be the best solution.

I am also wondering, worrying about and questioning efficient and morally or ethically sustainable solutions for the civil populations, their justice system(s) and for their representatives.

People are increasingly feeling unsafe in their own communities, and measures are really necessary to prevent abuses and the spreading of criminality and terror. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/02/25/poll-americans-support-tougher-gun-laws-dont-expect-congress-act/371104002/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gun-control


There has been so much hate mongering and massive propaganda in an increasingly insecure climate, boosted by failing economic policy, desindustrialisation, desolidarisation, increasing precarity, civil unrest, inner and outer conflicts of interests, etc., and also because certain big lobbies and industries, including the NRA and related corporations and organisations, want to develop, produce and sell - and, with that, increase their power ...


But what's about the safety of individual people, groups and communities?


And as you said yourself, you are not feeling safe.


What does Rooster say in this regard?

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Marianne, I am looking forward also to Rooster's comments...

Also, I appreciated very much the article by THE GUARDIAN. I read them more because you and Tink often refer to them, plus my computer can open their website! Did you see, down at the bottom, they (i.e., The Guardian) they are fundraising to do a series of in-depth coverage on gun violence, just to inspire more conversation?

I can't agree the Second Amendment is worth dying for...especially not when so many of those deaths are the children...

Also, it sounds like you in Switzerland are also facing gun issues! You did post some links a while ago about Switzerland that were intriguing...permissive gun laws, however it does still appear that Switzerland is not as violent as the USA?

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Yes, Virginia, we have also our internal problems, and rules are being sharpened, but it is also a much smaller country, though with the open "Schengen Borders".

I'll look for more documentation, as much in-depth info is not available in English.


+4 votes
by

Do you know people here in South India don't use Guns? If someone has it then they will get arrested. Some gangsters in North India use it. Mostly people from North India might use a Gun here in South India. Also, those guns might be ordinary one and not the rapid firing ones.

So, there isn't any murder here? Murders do happen here, the gangster & rowdy use swords. Here there are gangs who kill people for money. Death by sword looks crueler than a person got killed by a gun. But when someone tries to kill with a sword, the victim might have some chance of escaping by running away. But with a gun, a person can kill many numbers of people instantly.

People killing others due to physiological problems seems less here. Does eliminating guns from people hands reduce murders? Yes, it will.

Many murders happen when the murderer is in an emotional stage, a gun in his hand makes it easy to kill people. Two people arguing or having a fight, it won't end in murder if there is no gun. But it might end up in murder if there is a gun.

Some people still buy Gun from black market but these are the people who plans for a murder. This shouldn't be a reason to allow guns. Only police and law enforcing agents should have guns.

A gun might be useful when some gangsters try to kill you with a sword. But a person shouldn't carry it always since he might use it for any small issues.


The gangsters in the above video don't have swords. But, they carry swords if they want to kill. There are many videos in Youtube which shows those murders but they are cruel. So I'm not sharing it here.

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Dan I did not know that about India, and it is VERY intriguing. And yes, to me one argument in favour of gun control is that if someone is a hothead, they can kill/injure others with a gun very quickly but not so many with their fists or other weapons, like swords.

I watched the YouTube, that is chilling! She is brave, her husband also.

+2 votes
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Certainly, it should be harder to get guns, particularly if the person in question has a well-documented history of mental instability.

It would also help if police departments like the one in Broward County were not so scandalously incompetent and/or cowardly.  Listen to this sheriff's lame excuses, especially starting at 19:17.


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The youngsters are dead...Other Tink I was going to write more, but I went to the 19:17 and this interview is just very very sad...

+1 vote
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I think that guns should be illegal in schools. Students and teachers should not use guns.

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I do agree very much, Kninjanin, so tragic!

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