A string of shootings in the U.S. in the last month alone has claimed the lives of 53 people. Police still don’t have a motive for several.
Is it time for gun control? Think about it, you have to have a license to drive a car, to fish, even to do nails. So why not to own a gun?
Fact: There are over 83 handgun deaths each day in the U.S. (That’s each and every day)
Is it time to mandate some sort of training to own one? Many states mandate driver’s education for teens, motorcycle safety courses and certification to own certain martial arts weapons. In many states you even have to have training to hunt on public lands! So why not to own a gun?
Fact: In 2005, the most current statistic available from the Centers for Disease Control, there were 789 accidental gun deaths per 100,000 people.
Should sanctions be taken against gun owners whose firearms were improperly stored and consequently were used to cause death or injury?
Fact: In a single year, 3,012 children and teens were killed by gunfire in the United States, according to the latest national data released in 2002. That is one child every three hours; eight children every day; and more than 50 children every week. And every year, at least 4 to 5 times as many kids and teens suffer from non-fatal firearm injuries.
Is it time to require a basic level of mental screening to get one?
Fact: In the U.S., guns are associated with the majority of homicides and over half the suicides.
Is it time to rethink limiting the type of guns Americans can own (i.e. a new Brady Bill)?
Fact: While fun to shoot, the Kalashnikov's automatic rifle model of year 1947 (AK-47), M16, Armalite Model 15 (AR 15), Hekler and Koch MP5, Uzi and the like were not meant for any type of “sporting” use. They were designed to kill human beings in a combat environment, thus the name “assault weapons.”
Monday, April 13, 2009
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3 comments:
Hey Robert,
First off, thanks for stopping bye and sharing your thoughts on my post. I love what I see here and it is my belief that a brother such as yourself, with something to bring to the table would be a welcomed asset to any discussion I'm having on my page. That said, feel free to join in at anytime.
Now as for gun control? I wrote about this recently, and I do agree that there's a need for tighter regulations on gun traffickers. From my research, it seems that the biggest problem with guns as it relates to crime, is the fact that most of them used by criminals are actually illegal firearms. There is no way that anyone should be able to purchase a gun through the practice of "straw purchases", or without a background check at a gun show. I also believe that gun dealers and traffickers should have a limit on the amount of guns they report "stolen" or "lost" every year. In many instances this is a source of these illegally sold guns hitting the street.
I don't know about a psychological evaluation and all of that because then it gets into a tricky area as in constitutional rights to privcy per the 14th amendment. That in itself would be an unnecessary and totally different argument that takes away from the actual source of these guns on our streets.
Now if a gun owner is careless enough to have their child die in an at home accident, I say that's on them. Preventing them from future or continued ownership is not going to tighten up the way people handle guns in the home or make kids any more safer in my opinion.
I know that something must be done. And even so, morality is one thing that cannot be legislated. We have enough problems with that as is. All we can do is punish the fools who commit these crimes because history has shown that there will always be a black market for anything gov't regulated. Therefore, we must hit it at the source.
Check it out:
http://rippdemup.blogspot.com/2009/04/woke-up-this-mooooorning-got-yourself.html
Rippa:
Thanks for the great comment! I agree that the source of illegal firearms must be stopped. Having been to many a gun show, I know the rules are not "absolutely" followed. While there, many owners will conduct "personal" sales outside the show itself.
And while I also am cautious of any type of evaluation for owning a gun, the number of folks who were obviously troubled and used a gun to harm others is troubling.
Another source of illegal guns are theft from homes. I think having them stored in a certified safe would help deter criminals getting guns from this source.
Finally, I can't overstate what a wonderful, powerful blog yours is. I will review your article this PM and share your insights with my readers--I'm sure they will enjoy.
Cheers and God bless!
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