Smart gun laws

[BoiseBYU]

If we could lower school shootings by even 1% with some simple changes (affecting less than 1% of gun owners), I don't see why we wouldn't. Limits, registries, waiting periods, whatever.

Are you taking about outlawing AR-15's? Again, your are talking in generic circles with no specifics. Get specific. Outlawing AR-15's would have NO effect. Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation. Look at Chicago, you cannot own an AR-15 in Chicago, yet it's a bloody slaughterhouse.
Chicago 2017 there were:
625 shot and killed.
2,936 shot and wounded.
3,561 total shot.

How are all these shootings happening in Chicago without AR-15's? Instead of knee-jerk feel good reactions, we have to implement real changes. It's going to be expensive and require focused effort, will genuinely protect people, and keeps our kids safe.

With due respect, the Chicago example is evidence in my book that we need a national ban.

[Ddawg]

If we could lower school shootings by even 1% with some simple changes (affecting less than 1% of gun owners), I don't see why we wouldn't. Limits, registries, waiting periods, whatever.

Are you taking about outlawing AR-15's? Again, your are talking in generic circles with no specifics. Get specific. Outlawing AR-15's would have NO effect. Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation. Look at Chicago, you cannot own an AR-15 in Chicago, yet it's a bloody slaughterhouse.
Chicago 2017 there were:
625 shot and killed.
2,936 shot and wounded.
3,561 total shot.

How are all these shootings happening in Chicago without AR-15's? Instead of knee-jerk feel good reactions, we have to implement real changes. It's going to be expensive and require focused effort, will genuinely protect people, and keeps our kids safe.

With due respect, the Chicago example is evidence in my book that we need a national ban.

Ban on what? AR-15's? Or a ban on all weapons? Is it the gun? Or the culture? Are you proposing stripping away the 2nd Amendment from law abiding citizens?

How do explain Switzerland and all the weapons they have - and ZERO school shootings. Switzerland has not had a mass shooting since 2001. One study says there has been 30 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2018 alone. What's the difference? It's the culture. It is the difference in citizenry.

[Ddawg]

If you want a single causal factor in nearly every mass shooting, it's mental illness. In nearly every school shooting, (also include the Las Vegas mass shooting), the single thread that links all of them is mental illness, and someone who knew them knew they were mentally ill.

[nuk13]

Mars and several of you are making some good sense in this most serious matter. I am against anything that is against the second amendment or any other infringement of our God given Constitutional rights. It is clear to me that addressing the mental health is the most effective method of addressing this.

Having said that, there are counselors in place at least here in Idaho. It would be a good thing to bring them up to speed in the mental health issues of these shooters. After all and unfortunately, we have an ever increasing data base to pull from. It needs to be more than the schools, however, law enforcement needs to follow up on anything discovered. I wish it were not so but it will be difficult and complicated.

I go to the schools. I am required to go by the front desk and the secretary has a button to let me in so I couldn't call them open campuses. I am not saying this to oppose Ddawg as you are one with good ideas and I appreciate you defending the Constitution. I would suggest the secretary have another button to sound an alarm or perhaps a personal alarm for the principal to alert him and for sure to signal the police.

Unfortunately no matter what we do there will be leaks in the dike we can't get a finger in, but I believe we can do better and I pray we will.

[hawkwing]

I think it's fair to look at a multitude of things that could be changed.

Outlaw divorce? Would that help? Maybe.
Remove children from single parent homes? Would that help? Maybe.
Bring back corporal punishment, based on a Singapore model? Would that help? Most assuredly.
Require prayer? Eliminate participation tropheys? Mandatory mental health counseling in Middle School? Outlaw abortion? Require more abortions?

I think we can all agree the root cause of this is not guns, but the guns are simply a tool that is used by those with serious issues, issues that are much harder to solve than the idea that if we just take away guns everything will be fine.

[nuk13]

Thank you Hawk. I agree with you, certainly on the gun issue. Separating from the Lord and banning prayer in schools, in my opinion, has probably added to the problem Pretty much the rest of the solutions will have maybe after them.

[BoiseBYU]

If we could lower school shootings by even 1% with some simple changes (affecting less than 1% of gun owners), I don't see why we wouldn't. Limits, registries, waiting periods, whatever.

Are you taking about outlawing AR-15's? Again, your are talking in generic circles with no specifics. Get specific. Outlawing AR-15's would have NO effect. Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation. Look at Chicago, you cannot own an AR-15 in Chicago, yet it's a bloody slaughterhouse.
Chicago 2017 there were:
625 shot and killed.
2,936 shot and wounded.
3,561 total shot.

How are all these shootings happening in Chicago without AR-15's? Instead of knee-jerk feel good reactions, we have to implement real changes. It's going to be expensive and require focused effort, will genuinely protect people, and keeps our kids safe.

With due respect, the Chicago example is evidence in my book that we need a national ban.

Ban on what? AR-15's? Or a ban on all weapons? Is it the gun? Or the culture? Are you proposing stripping away the 2nd Amendment from law abiding citizens?

How do explain Switzerland and all the weapons they have - and ZERO school shootings. Switzerland has not had a mass shooting since 2001. One study says there has been 30 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2018 alone. What's the difference? It's the culture. It is the difference in citizenry.

With the caveat that I am NOT advocating that a ban would solve the problem, I do believe I’d support a ban on all semi-automatic weaponry. The society we live in and the prospects of great harm outweigh the harm to me of such a ban.

[BoiseBYU]

If you want a single causal factor in nearly every mass shooting, it's mental illness. In nearly every school shooting, (also include the Las Vegas mass shooting), the single thread that links all of them is mental illness, and someone who knew them knew they were mentally ill.

I agree that mental illness is a great cause of harm. Making it so easy for these people to obtain weapons that can do such great harm is one of the problems our country faces.

[BroncoBot]

If we could lower school shootings by even 1% with some simple changes (affecting less than 1% of gun owners), I don't see why we wouldn't. Limits, registries, waiting periods, whatever.

Are you taking about outlawing AR-15's? Again, your are talking in generic circles with no specifics. Get specific. Outlawing AR-15's would have NO effect. Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation. Look at Chicago, you cannot own an AR-15 in Chicago, yet it's a bloody slaughterhouse.
Chicago 2017 there were:
625 shot and killed.
2,936 shot and wounded.
3,561 total shot.

How are all these shootings happening in Chicago without AR-15's? Instead of knee-jerk feel good reactions, we have to implement real changes. It's going to be expensive and require focused effort, will genuinely protect people, and keeps our kids safe.

With due respect, the Chicago example is evidence in my book that we need a national ban.

Ban on what? AR-15's? Or a ban on all weapons? Is it the gun? Or the culture? Are you proposing stripping away the 2nd Amendment from law abiding citizens?

How do explain Switzerland and all the weapons they have - and ZERO school shootings. Switzerland has not had a mass shooting since 2001. One study says there has been 30 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2018 alone. What's the difference? It's the culture. It is the difference in citizenry.

With the caveat that I am NOT advocating that a ban would solve the problem, I do believe I’d support a ban on all semi-automatic weaponry. The society we live in and the prospects of great harm outweigh the harm to me of such a ban.

i own exactly one semi-automatic firearm. A 22 ruger pistol that was handed down by my grandfather when he passed away. I don't use them. They're expensive. But I see the use in PROTECTING yourself and family with one.

If I believed that simply banning all SA firearms would solve the gun problem in America (which I don't think it would) I still would be very UNcomfortable with the idea of such a ban simply based on self preservation grounds. There's a reason the founders placed the 2A in the constitution. It's still valid today.
Take a look at some of the countries with strict gun laws and tell me how America will change (except the good gun owners being punished) with a gun ban.

http://www.gunfacts.info/gun-control-my ... countries/

Most of the "ban gun" momentum seems to be very emotional, which I can understand. But it doesn't seem to justify disarming or banning guns from the vast vast majority who are responsible gun owners.

[BroncoBot]

If you want a single causal factor in nearly every mass shooting, it's mental illness. In nearly every school shooting, (also include the Las Vegas mass shooting), the single thread that links all of them is mental illness, and someone who knew them knew they were mentally ill.

I agree that mental illness is a great cause of harm. Making it so easy for these people to obtain weapons that can do such great harm is one of the problems our country faces.

This is something that gets brought up at our hospital frequently. And honestly, no one has any answers. The community can't afford it, there are few practitioners willing to live here who specialize in mental health. It's a real problem.
However, what is causing so much "mental illness" and why are those who have mental illness exhibiting more and more violent tendencies?