[jsarno]

Originally Posted by canthetuna

All right, I was a little drunk last night and didn't feel like getting into it, but I firmly believe the RIGHT gun laws definitely will help the common person. You cannot deny that we should have laws to monitor the distribution of guns. No 8 year old with a credit card needs a gun. No repeat violent criminal needs a gun. I would take it a step further and say that no one with confirmed mental health issues can have one, and no one who is untrained can have one either. Who is it hurting to have people who are untrained and mentally ill, voilent crimials, etc... not have weapons?

I certainly agree with that.

What I don't get is you argue with me and you basically say the same thing. I said earlier the police can't be everywhere all the time... so if you had licensing for owning and carrying firearms, where qualifying, training, and testing were required, you could feel comfortable allowing certain people with a certain level of licensing to carry their guns just about anywhere, including federal buldings, schools, and airplanes. I think it should be the responsibility of people who are able to help deter or prevent violent crime.

Stiffer penalties for drugs haven't wiped out drugs altogether, but it has at least contained the crack epidemic. With such stiffer penalties for just possession, the plea bargainers allow access to the dealers. Right now they don't even really investigate where an illegal gun comes from. They run it through a computer and if it's not registered, they just book it. There are still states who don't reqiure you to register guns, and I would change that as well. Just like you register your car to deter theft.... same principle.

With my system in place, crimes like the VT shootings and 911 at least have a chance at being thwarted, or casualties minimalized. I think a lot of the newer gun laws were pushed through in order to appease the democratic party, and weren't really thought through. Taking away assault weapons from the public is wrong. It is completely against the second amendment. Guns aren't just for hunting and just a short 230 years ago this country was formed by men using guns to overthrow their ruling government. Not saying that's why we should have guns, but we romanticize their efforts and say today is a different world those old rules don't apply.

I agree. Today is a different world. There's as much social unrest in the world today than there's ever been. The United States is very fortunate not to have any of its recent wars carried onto its soil, with the exception of Pearl Harbor. Airline travel and the internet make assaults on our soil easily coordinated and executed. We've seen the domestic side of things as well, with Katrina, Rita, the LA riots, School Shootings, 911, etc... Now is not the time to disarm the public, or limit the quality of defense available to them. Now is the time to make sure the public is prepared to use the weapons made available to them.

My sincere apologies. I misunderstood you. Every once in a while I lump in posts and if they seem similar I put them together. Not saying it's right, but I'm not here often enough to get familiar with everyone. I thought you were someone else basically. Again, my apologies. Thank you for clarifying.