Conneticut Shooting...

[Coolazice]

this guy was a law abiding citizen, until he was not. holmes was a law abiding citizen, until he was not

Do you have links to back up this statement?

IMO, Holmes purchasing multiple weapons and a ton of ammo in a short period of time should have thrown up a red flag in the system (ideally). Didn't he also announce that he intended to kill people 4 months before he even went out and did it? There are signs that people are mentally unstable... people just need to pay attention and take threats like that more seriously.

[longBallLima]

I can dig what your saying, but..

Unless we have a Utopia where there is no need to worry about self defense, then yeah, I don't see the need for guns. But, i think in America and in the world, things have not changed where we can let our guard down and be defensless. I think it's perfectlly acceptable to be a warrior in today's world, to protect you and your own. I also think it's okay to be the opposite, as it's free choice and you make your own reality. But when someone wants to burst your bubble, I hope your okay with your decision and can live with it. There are too many bad people that want to infringe on your freedom and happiness for me to let my guard down.

Choose to be prepared I say.

I know what you mean about busting bubble. A gentleman who works here had his ideals of "right to bear arms bubble" bust in a very unfortunate and abrupt way when he decided to take a couple of friends to watch a movie.

He has a very different outlook on gun ownership now and has since given up many of his firearms.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow too. Years of recovery ahead

- - - Updated - - -

Do you have links to back up this statement?

IMO, Holmes purchasing multiple weapons and a ton of ammo in a short period of time should have thrown up a red flag in the system (ideally). Didn't he also announce that he intended to kill people 4 months before he even went out and did it? There are signs that people are mentally unstable... people just need to pay attention and take threats like that more seriously.

it absolutely does not change the fact that he was a law abiding citizen, no? I don't know that any criminal history on his part has been brought forth. as a matter of fact, if i remember right, he had a speeding ticket.

[Rulk]

What troubles me is my 9 year old going to school unarmed and unable to defend herself against law abiding citizens with legally obtained tech-9s and AR-15s

It's a risk you take. Driving to work is a risk. Life in general is a risk, but there is no ultimate safe solution.

[longBallLima]

driving to work will be a lot more dangerous if we take away speed limits, regulation of substance use while driving, safety standards for vehicles....


EDIT - Plus, its a risk i would rather not take, hence my opinion that gun control laws here are insane.

[Coolazice]

Everybody shouldn't be punished because of a few idiots who snap. What do you propose be done about the animal populations when you take away our right to hunt? I'm heading out in the morning to hopefully put some venison in my freezer. Should I really have the right to provide food for my family taken away cuz some psychos aren't smart enough to end their own miserable life before destroying/ending the life of others?

[longBallLima]

Everybody shouldn't be punished because of a few idiots who snap. What do you propose be done about the animal populations when you take away our right to hunt? I'm heading out in the morning to hopefully put some venison in my freezer. Should I really have the right to provide food for my family taken away cuz some psychos aren't smart enough to end their own miserable life before destroying/ending the life of others?

i suggest you get a hunting license, prove that you are a hunter and are allowed hunting weapons as it is done in SO many countries. Now, if you are trying to get an assault rifle or a 9 to hunt, i say maybe you should just not hunt.

EDIT - And again, being that I see that some of the responsibility of this falls on gun laws, that most of this nation defends, I say everyone should have to give something up, not because of a few idiots who snap, but because of 28 lives, today, 2 in the mall the other day, 12 in CO and so on and so forth.

[Coolazice]

it absolutely does not change the fact that he was a law abiding citizen, no? I don't know that any criminal history on his part has been brought forth. as a matter of fact, if i remember right, he had a speeding ticket.

I'm not completely sure of his legal history. What I did read about was how he was talking to classmates about wanting to kill people. He then proceeded to go and purchase guns, ammo and body armor. That alone should have sent up flags. The people he expressed the desire to murder another human being to should have reported his ass!

[Rulk]

driving to work will be a lot more dangerous if we take away speed limits, regulation of substance use while driving, safety standards for vehicles....

True but, we aren't talking about lightening up the laws on guns, as they are incredibly strict as is. The cars are here to stay, so there is no use in wishing they were all gone. Same with guns, they are here and aren't going away, so we have to deal with it. It's all a compramise.

[longBallLima]

I'm not completely sure of his legal history. What I did read about was how he was talking to classmates about wanting to kill people. He then proceeded to go and purchase guns, ammo and body armor. That alone should have sent up flags. The people he expressed the desire to murder another human being to should have reported his ass!

So are you saying that everyone should report someone saying "im gonna kill so and so" to some mass shooting office thing and they would then flag that individual as unable to own a gun? I say undoable. What someone feels is threatening is very subjective, as many are threatened by the color of my skin and my size (and im not very big).

If you are saying a comprehensive mental evaluation must be obtained to own a gun, I would agree that that could be a step in the right direction.

True but, we aren't talking about lightening up the laws on guns, as they are incredibly strict as is. The cars are here to stay, so there is no use in wishing they were all gone. Same with guns, they are here and aren't going away, so we have to deal with it. It's all a compramise.

The gun laws are not incredibly strict. Compare it to other countries and you will find that very few are more lenient. The cars are here and you must get training and prove yourself able to operate them before you are allowed to legally drive them. Seems like the compromise with guns is much bigger.

[Coolazice]

i suggest you get a hunting license, prove that you are a hunter and are allowed hunting weapons as it is done in SO many countries. Now, if you are trying to get an assault rifle or a 9 to hunt, i say maybe you should just not hunt.

I have a license to hunt. I took my hunters safety course 26 or so years ago with my father (who was already a licensed and life-long hunter) and my younger brother.

A .223 happens to be one of the more common high powered rifles used to hunt larger game in this country. It also happens to be the caliber of many "assault rifles". In Ohio a few larger caliber handguns can also be used for hunting deer and some other animals. The caliber of a gun has nothing to do with how certain individuals (psychos) will use them... just like any other tool.

It is my belief that every person wishing to hunt or to even purchase a gun should be required to take a class or classes and be required to pass a test or tests before purchases of licenses or weapons be made. Ideally, the test should have a decent amount of questions that would help to expose issues of mental instability.