Originally Posted by 2Stonedbirds
I'm not a Yank, but here's the thing. And this has been argued ad nauseam in previous pages so I really don't want to go over it all again. And again.
The pandoras box has been opened. No one is going to close the lid on over 300 million firearms in civilians hands, most of which are derived from 200 year old tech. The US have many laws already in place, and they vary by state. The point is, like I said in a earlier post that it's illegal to move firearms from one state into another where they may be prohibited, restricted, or have legislation that dictates you must declare your firearm.
If people do not obey the law, it makes them a criminal. Well durr right?
It's also illegal to murder people.
So go ahead and make firearms illegal. Anyone wanna place bets on how many of those 300+ million show up for a date with the chop saw?
I have yet to hear a reasonable argument as to what legislation or laws can STOP gun crime, and how to effectively enforce such laws. No one has a solution.
There is undoubtedly a mess right now in the US. How you fix it, I honestly do not know. I'd love it if people would stop murdering one another at inexplicable rates. (even if those firearm related rates are at the lowest in 30 years) Regardless if its with firearms, knives, bats, fists, or your sick of grandmas incessant crying so you push her head down in the tub and wait for the thrashing to stop. How the murder happens doesn't matter.
As it pertains to firearms I wish we could see something happen with actual safety training that is ingrained from the first time a user picks up a firearm. Now this isn't dependent on the state in the US, it's up to the individual. So... how you enforce or make that happen, again I do not know.
The vast majority of firearm owners in the US are no different from anywhere else. The firearm is a tool, is treated with respect and used, stored and cared for with safety in mind.
Firearm safety was pounded into my head ever since I've been but a wee lad and was trusted to go out into the field and clean up gophers with the ol cooey .22.
My experience, I can guarantee was vastly different then say, someone who grew up in the hood. Or where having a loaded firearm laying around in a house with kids is acceptable. Or where "packing a heater" is considered tools for the trade if you are a criminal.
You cannot, and will not, ever legislate personal responsibility. And this is where the problem lies. If someone snaps and decides to go on a rampage, then where and how was the ball dropped? And even though these laws exist in Cali, no one will still face the fact that these people DO NOT GIVE A **** about your laws.
Elliot Rodger owned 2 registered handguns, had 7 police officers come to his house on a violent dispute call. They had every chance to run his name against the registry, collect his guns and leave him with a BMW as his only weapon. He still stabbed his roomates to death, and went on a rampage shooting and running people over with his car. So we need effectual legislation, and effectual enforcement. How we get it, and find that balance between useful controls and respecting individual rights, I really do not know.
It's also illegal to make and posses pipe bombs. Have yet to read any outrage over that.
The problem IMO, is a certain segment of the population that views firearms as something you use for an offensive. Not as a tool.
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