Gun Control

  • treat02

    treat02 (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    29
    Location:
    France
    Airi.:
    If we restrict guns, it would be harder for these criminals do get them instead of handing them out like candy like some States are doing. People will still get them, I don't think anyone has denied this. What people are more saying is that we should stop handing out guns like they're candy. We could start with a simple thing like a federal law mandating every person purchasing a gun goes through a background check. America doesn't even that right now.
    You're right--if America passed a law saying guns are illegal--then there would be less of it, but that's probably not going to happen.

    People bring up Amendment 2 as their defense.
    July 1st, 2013 at 07:26pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    36
    Location:
    United States
    @ treat02
    If we aren't going to make laws because criminals won't follow them, we shouldn't have any laws to start with.
    July 1st, 2013 at 08:05pm
  • treat02

    treat02 (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    29
    Location:
    France
    @ druscilla the misfit
    It creates less of crime. Criminal's won't follow.
    July 2nd, 2013 at 05:54am
  • Airi.

    Airi. (2240)

    :
    NaNoWriMo 2016
    Gender:
    Age:
    30
    Location:
    United States
    treat02:
    You're right--if America passed a law saying guns are illegal--then there would be less of it, but that's probably not going to happen.

    People bring up Amendment 2 as their defense.
    I never said we should ban guns. As much as I'd love guns to disappear, I know that's an unrealistic goal. Rather, I was more so saying that we should have restrictions. For example, shortly after the Newtown shooting, there was a bill in Congress that would have required every State start doing background checks for guns. It failed because our Congress cares more about their money and sponsors than they do the safety of their people. Even that would have helped us control guns and lower gun violence. There are many States who don't have background checks, they let literally anyone have a gun. We should always require a background check, but that's just how far America is behind. Little things like that could and would make a difference.

    I live in a State that has some of the most restrictive gun laws. If I wanted to get a gun, I would not be eligible. I am too young (you have to be at least 21 for handgun) but even if I was 21, I have been declared mentally unstable by my State government. That means I am no longer allowed to own guns in California. If I ever want to get a gun, I would need to go through an evaluation by the government and they would need to declare me mentally stable again. There are also restrictions on what guns we can have; assault rifles are illegal. And you need to have a certificate to own any gun. It's these little restrictions and mandates that would make a difference for this entire country if more States adopted them. But we currently just hand out guns like freaking candy and then wonder why things like mass murders happen and why we have some of the most gun violence in the world compared to other civilized countries.

    But Americans are too stuck in their archaic way of thinking and refuse to progress to a better and safer future. We'd rather just shout about the Second Amendment when we don't even understand our own Second Amendment. A lot of people cry violation of the Second Amendment when gun control is talked about, but most of those people also don't know the first thing about the Second Amendment or what it really said.

    *none of this was directed at you in particular nor anyone in particular and was more of a general statement.
    July 2nd, 2013 at 06:12am
  • The Master

    The Master (15)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    34
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    @ treat02

    Isn't that a tad artificial? Yes, there would technically be a reduction in illegal firearm offences but the crimes committed with the weapons would not disappear but is more likely to increase.
    July 2nd, 2013 at 01:51pm
  • treat02

    treat02 (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    29
    Location:
    France
    Airi.:
    But Americans are too stuck in their archaic way of thinking and refuse to progress to a better and safer future. We'd rather just shout about the Second Amendment when we don't even understand our own Second Amendment. A lot of people cry violation of the Second Amendment when gun control is talked about, but most of those people also don't know the first thing about the Second Amendment or what it really said.
    I agree. It's not all Americans, but some of them are exactly like you said.
    July 2nd, 2013 at 04:56pm
  • treat02

    treat02 (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    29
    Location:
    France
    @ The Master
    That could happen. When a law is passes, people are supposed to follow it. I can only assume most people may follow it. That said, gun owners (non-lethal ones) would be very angry. Guns will probably stay in America, so what was unrealistic was guns being out of America. If America started without the creation of guns, or without it being spread to normal people (not military people), I'm sure guns would be illegal to the public. I'd love for that to happen--but there's probably a 1% chance of it happening, because it's apparently "unconstitutional."
    July 2nd, 2013 at 05:01pm
  • Bruinsgirl890

    Bruinsgirl890 (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    23
    Location:
    United States
    I think we should definitely have more gun control and if you want a gun you should have to do a lot of background checks to get a gun. I think people who are "responsible" with their guns and are only going to use it to protect their family and things like that should use guns rarely and use it always as a last resort.
    July 23rd, 2013 at 03:54pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    36
    Location:
    United States
    My mom told me about the three week gun class they took in school at about sixth grade. They were taught fun safety, how to clean a gun, how to store a gun, never to aim at something you don't want to kill. The timed the class with deer season so first time hunters would be trained before going out. Great idea.
    July 23rd, 2013 at 04:29pm
  • wx12

    wx12 (10125)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    32
    Location:
    United States
    I would riot at the school if they tried to make my kid do anything with guns. 11 year olds don't need to know how to operate, clean or do anything with a gun, aside from leaving it alone. Knowing how to clean a gun is not a life skill, completely unnecessary and it's not the school's business to promote gun ownership in that way. Teaching about gun safety is one thing (which every elementary school already does without a three week course of shoving weapons at kids), but teaching kids how to operate guns.. that's scary. Some 11 year olds may hunt (which I think is ridiculous) but not every 11 year can handle that type of information responsibly.

    You have to take a hunters safety course anyways before you can go hunting, so this just seems like a gross waste of an already stretched education budget.
    July 23rd, 2013 at 08:41pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    36
    Location:
    United States
    @ Kurtni
    In the area I grew up in, when maybe one boy in the class won't go hunting, I think it's a good idea. I'm sure you'd have to get notes signed, but in the 80s in a town with 200 people, it wasn't such an issue. And it helped.

    I think it's stupid to go hunting without shooting a gun first.
    July 23rd, 2013 at 08:46pm
  • wx12

    wx12 (10125)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    32
    Location:
    United States
    dru's sick and tired:
    @ Kurtni
    In the area I grew up in, when maybe one boy in the class won't go hunting, I think it's a good idea. I'm sure you'd have to get notes signed, but in the 80s in a town with 200 people, it wasn't such an issue. And it helped.

    I think it's stupid to go hunting without shooting a gun first.
    I grew up in a similar area, still think it's a terrible waste of school funds. Small town schools are more likely to have old technology and outdated textbooks... and we're going to spend money teaching preteens how to use a gun in school ( when they will legally be required to learn the same information in the mandatory hunters safety course at their own expense?)

    Government mandated hunters safety courses help, I don't think bringing guns into schools helps.
    July 23rd, 2013 at 08:58pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    36
    Location:
    United States
    @ Kurtni
    They went off school property to fire guns, once, on the last day of class. The handling of guns was at the very end. My mom said what she remembers the most is that they impressed upon them that guns are dangerous and their only purpose is to kill. That's very different than what the gun movement is shoving right now.

    I'm also not saying this should be for every school, but for those where hunting culture is incredibly active and this would benefit the majority.
    July 23rd, 2013 at 09:01pm
  • Jenna's happeh

    Jenna's happeh (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    24
    Location:
    United States
    I'm guessing I'm a little young to be saying this--

    But I hate guns. They scare me so bad.

    I guess that it's the fact of murders with guns happening every week or so in America.

    Like in Newtown.
    July 24th, 2013 at 03:00am
  • Jenna's happeh

    Jenna's happeh (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    24
    Location:
    United States
    Kurtni:
    11 year olds don't need to know how to operate, clean or do anything with a gun, aside from leaving it alone.
    Agreed. Even at my age (14), people shouldn't be knowing how to use a gun.
    July 24th, 2013 at 03:02am
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    36
    Location:
    United States
    @ Jenna's cutting.
    I disagree. I think twelve year olds can hunt
    July 24th, 2013 at 03:06am
  • Jenna's happeh

    Jenna's happeh (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    24
    Location:
    United States
    @ dru's sick and tired
    Why?

    A twelve year old hunting would be very scary to me. Meaning they'd learn use of a gun, then shoot at animals? I just don't agree.
    July 24th, 2013 at 03:08am
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    36
    Location:
    United States
    @ Jenna's bloody.
    I grew up in Iowa where hunting was normal for kids. F you eat what you kill, why would it be a bad life lesson for someone to actually know where their food comes from?
    July 24th, 2013 at 03:52am
  • Jenna's happeh

    Jenna's happeh (100)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    24
    Location:
    United States
    @ dru's sick and tired
    I know where my food comes from.

    I'm a vegetarian, so.....

    Still, it bothers me when kids are shooting guns. Shifty
    July 24th, 2013 at 03:54am
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

    :
    Member
    Gender:
    Age:
    36
    Location:
    United States
    @ Jenna's a cutter.
    No differentiation between b.b. guns or hunting rifles or handguns or assault rifles?
    July 24th, 2013 at 05:23am