Gun Control

[tintin40]

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/12/ ... ?hpt=hp_c2

:cry:

 

[velomaniac]

The 'right to bare arms' bit of the USA constitution was penned in the days of muzzle loading, black powder, single shot weapons. The US should return to the original weaponry as the default setting for the constitution. Max rate of fire for one of those for a highly trained individual was 3 shots on a good day. Thus carrying out a massacre, robbing a bank/liquor store etc would be difficult with reduced casualties but would still be constitutional.

Guns are tools for killing, they are not tools for fixing your car or putting up shelves. There is no need for them as the priest said if you dont live in a war zone or hunting range.

 

[yagamuffin]

Two things come from this for me.

When you know you have a person in the house with mental health issues you then either remove the guns from the house or the person, the two do not mix well.

Secondly Most American gun owners do use their guns responsibly but even they must know that a ban on assault rifles to civilians must now be put in place.

Apparently the mother was a 'Doomsdayer' hence the assault rifle. To me this would be just evidence of an unstable mental capacity - she should never have been allowed a gun, let alone her son.

 

[tintin40]

According to wikipedia

''Two days before the massacre, Lanza went to a sporting goods store in Danbury, Connecticut, and tried to buy a rifle. He was turned down because he did not want to undergo a background check or abide by the state's waiting period for gun sales.''

His mother was found shot 4 times in the head in bed. She had 3 other rifles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook ... l_shooting

 

[Tazio]

A good piece by Charlie Brooker

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ie-brooker

 

[saltyman]

Killing people should be made illegal

 

[SwanHouseNappa]

Gun control means using both hands.

 

[Bram J]

Maybe imposing high taxes on such weapons might decrease their sale?
But taxes might be even more controversial than straight out gun control.
I personally don't see the benefit of people being able to buy semi-automatic weapons, to me it seems better to ban these altogether. :?
I heard Clinton managed to ban them for a while iirc.

 

[Tazio]

Channel 4 News ‏@Channel4News
Breaking: Pennsylvania shooting - four people dead, including shooter, and three state troopers wounded. More to follow.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Maybe imposing high taxes on such weapons might decrease their sale?
But taxes might be even more controversial than straight out gun control.
I personally don't see the benefit of people being able to buy semi-automatic weapons, to me it seems better to ban these altogether. :?
I heard Clinton managed to ban them for a while iirc.

Taxation is one route, and would be a useful tool to fund greater controls.

The US is a difficult case when it comes to setting taxes and such centrally though.

It may well be part of the new direction though.