Gun Control

[Jannabear]

Republicans are fucking evil.
I'm done censoring myself on this.
They're evil.
Atleast any republican that is against gun control is pure fucking evil.
330 mass shootings last year.
330 fucking mass shootings.
Some involving fucking children.
I honestly wouldn't care if the cunts from fox news slit their fucking wrists.
This is getting old.
Obama finally decided to take executive action to put stricter gun control into place, make it harder for criminals to get guns, and I believe he had also put money into mental healthcare.
Finally.
Fucking finally.
http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
Total Number of Incidents 52,787
Number of Deaths 13,364
Number of Injuries 26,960
Number of Children (age 0-11) Killed/Injured1 693
Number of Teens (age 12-17) Killed/Injured1 2,692
Mass Shooting 330
Officer Involved Incident 4,374
Home Invasion 2,333
Defensive Use 1,285
Accidental Shooting 1,954
That was from one fucking year.
One
Fucking
year
in america.

[Baruch]

If Republicans would only kill other Republicans ... would your opinion be different? ;-)

[Gawdzilla Sama]

We don't need gun control. We need gun-owner control. When I was 14 I worked for three months for the privilege of firing a gun. I learned to respect their danger. Today kids get rifles for Xmas.

[drunkenshoe]

You can't control people. It can't be done. You can only limit their access to certain things with a key role to prevent unwanted situations.

Your personal experience with guns -or anyone else's for that matter- is not a reference to this issue.

[GSOgymrat]

Just a reminder that 60% of gun related deaths are suicides, an uncomfortable statistic that seems to get lost in the political rhetoric. Politicians and the general public can argue back and forth about gun control, which is important and necessary, but that doesn't address the reasons why so many Americans kill themselves, their families or their neighbors. There are social dynamics in the US that are not as prevalent in other countries and what works for another country may not be as effective here. It is a complicated problem with no easy solution but I think the first step is getting people to agree this is a serious problem and that none of us, no matter what political party, want more dead friends and family members.

[josephpalazzo]

Just a reminder that 60% of gun related deaths are suicides, an uncomfortable statistic that seems to get lost in the political rhetoric. Politicians and the general public can argue back and forth about gun control, which is important and necessary, but that doesn't address the reasons why so many Americans kill themselves, their families or their neighbors. There are social dynamics in the US that are not as prevalent in other countries and what works for another country may not be as effective here. It is a complicated problem with no easy solution but I think the first step is getting people to agree this is a serious problem and that none of us, no matter what political party, want more dead friends and family members.

Indeed, gun control is only part of the solution. A second part would be to have a universal health care system, so that people afflicted with mental disorders would seek professional help at no cost to their pocket. As it is, mental patients are left to their own devices, and the result is disastrous.

[aitm]

Oh Boy, another gun control thread. That last one is still smoking over there----->

[GSOgymrat]

Indeed, gun control is only part of the solution. A second part would be to have a universal health care system, so that people afflicted with mental disorders would seek professional help at no cost to their pocket. As it is, mental patients are left to their own devices, and the result is disastrous.

FYI, in most areas free or low cost mental health services are available for people who have no insurance. Because the US does not have universal healthcare, these services vary by state and county. I recommend visiting NAMI.org (National Alliance on Mental Illness) to anyone in the US interested in accessing local mental health services.

To illustrate the varying quality of mental health services, NAMI graded these services by state. Notice no state was graded "A":

[Gawdzilla Sama]

You can't control people. It can't be done. You can only limit their access to certain things with a key role to prevent unwanted situations.

Your personal experience with guns -or anyone else's for that matter- is not a reference to this issue.

In your opinion, I suppose.

[stromboli]

In your opinion, I suppose.

Here we go again (Stromboli opens "previous gun control comments" drawer) let's see.......(cough)....um, I grew up in a town with like 2,000 people, all of whom owned multiple guns and in the history of the town there were two gun deaths. Both perpetrated by the same guy. A guy accidentally shot and killed his brother and then out of remorse killed himself.

The gun control issue is about people more than guns. "guns don't kill people yada yada" You need to remove- as GSO mentioned- the impetus to commit suicide. Along with that safe storage and handling of guns to avoid gun deaths by children and untrained people. Wacko people with the desire to kill people you need to find and eliminate with background checks. Yes, there need to be verification of mental health or at least a scrutiny of mental issues in their background.

And as Gawd mentioned, people who are trained with firearms are a lot safer than those who haven't been.

I've handled firearms all my life. I have children and grand children. I have more time with hand guns than most on here, and hand guns are generally what kills in terms of suicides and accidental deaths. My grand children have never seen my firearms and never will, and have no knowledge of their location or even existence. My children handled firearms under supervision only. My daughter can safely load, use and clear any handgun because she handled and used them. She doesn't like guns and doesn't own any. Other than my weapons there is only  one (1) weapon owned by all my children, my oldest son.

If you make guns available to people without oversight and knowing who owns what and what their mental health status is, you got a problem. The problem is people, but it is a FIXABLE PROBLEM. there needs to be stricter gun regulation, background checks, training done by authorities (before you can hunt in Utah you have to pass a gun safety course or show competence with a firearm). There are 150,000 hunters in the field during the annual deer hunt. Most years there are no accidental gun deaths, at most one or two. Yes it can be done safely.

And leave out the facts that in a year, many of the handgun deaths are in self defense and justifiable, if you agree with that reasoning. Understanding the big picture and the issues involved and dealing with them responsibly is the answer.

[drunkenshoe]

In your opinion, I suppose.

No, it is common sense. People can't be controlled. But then you also think the common violence in your country is just media hype.

[aitm]

annndddd were off and running!!

[stromboli]

annndddd were off and running!!

Fuck that. I'm done.

[Sylar]

If you make guns available to people without oversight and knowing who owns what and what their mental health status is, you got a problem. The problem is people, but it is a FIXABLE PROBLEM. there needs to be stricter gun regulation, background checks, training done by authorities (before you can hunt in Utah you have to pass a gun safety course or show competence with a firearm). There are 150,000 hunters in the field during the annual deer hunt. Most years there are no accidental gun deaths, at most one or two. Yes it can be done safely.

Stricter gun regulation is gun control, or at least a part of it. And in truth, we're all advocates of various types of gun control. Never met a person who agreed that your average Joe should be able to buy an RPG at the local gun store. In this instance, we can see how the framing of the subject matter in the media is wrong. It's not exactly an issue between gun control proponents and gun control opponents, because it's not as simple as that. Someone who does not want a total ban on guns and someone who wants stricter gun regulation are both gun control proponents, unlike how this is represented in the media. I am both of those people; I want stricter gun regulation, but I do not want the government to ban all guns.

[josephpalazzo]

I want stricter gun regulation, but I do not want the government to ban all guns.

It's one of the reasons that nothing is ever done: stricter gun regulations won't solve much - an argument used effectively by those who oppose any gun regulation. IMHO,  only a total ban would make a real difference.