Debate US gun laws here — Page 4

And it is easier still to turn your fellow citizens into the scary "other" because they have mental health problems. Where do we stop? Do I get barred from ever owning a gun because I have mild obsessive compulsive disorder that manifests itself as tapping patterns with my feet and constantly reorganizing my book and sheet music collection? Or is it only the REAL mental health problems that need to be addressed to stop gun violence?

This isn't discussing gun control or safety regulations. This is shifting the blame to someone else so the debate over potentially deadly tools is pushed off for another few weeks, months, or years.

Updated On: 12/16/12 at 10:05 PM

Bethnor you don't have to look very far back to see government abuse at the city level in the US.

which of these required military resistance? are you saying NYers can't vote out bloomberg?

are you gay, yawper? move to saudi arabia and live your life out there as a gay male. then tell me there's a comparison.

Why does the media always push the gun control line instead of addressing mental health issues?

at least in this instance, it is a distraction. the owner of the guns appeared to be sane by most modern standards. in order for the mental health track to help us in this instance, it would require laws whereby family members would get psychological profiling--or that a history of psychosis in a family member would be a contraindication to ownership.

overall addressing mental health will be an important aspect, but rational analysis will demonstrate that an answer will likely not come in our lifetime, as this case illustrates (very often the perpetrator eliminates themselves). but more extensive background checks would be nice, and would have certainly helped with the cho and holmes cases.

Updated On: 12/16/12 at 10:08 PM

It's unfortunate that the mental health institutions will keep the patient until he/she is stabilized (with meds and/or therapy) and then they are released. Once released, no one can force them to take the meds. After a while, back they go into a facility, then stablilized and discharged. it's a cycle that is repeated over and over.

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People have no reason or right to have semi automatic weapons.Their sales should be banned immediately. The problem is the people who have them now. There is no effective way to address that.

What was his mother thinking taking him to firing ranges.Why did she have so much ammo? Why wasn't it secured?

One way to stop those from using them is to restrict ammo sale?

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Updated On: 12/16/12 at 10:45 PM

Stop the presses! I agree with Roxy 100%. Let's all think about what we can do to get our opinions to the ears of the people who can make change.

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I also agree with Roxy. Well said!

Has the NRA even released a statement about this?

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The vast majority of Americans, the vast majority of gun owners, hell, even the vast majority of NRA members have always been in favor of basic gun control, such as no assault weapons, no armor piercing ammo, background checks, limits on clips, etc. However, the NRA lobby has always wielded enough leverage to outweigh common sense, especially when enveloped in "they're gonna take away your guns" rhetoric. We may have an historic (and brief) window where the political environment is ripe to get something done. I only hope this keeps momentum, and doesn't get pushed aside by things like the 'fiscal cliff'.

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Over the last two decades or so, the NRA has run roughshod over both political parties, so it's really not a GOP vs Dem issue here. While the GOP tends to be the party that wraps itself in the 2nd Amendment and frighten the villagers, when it comes down to actual voting both parties are to blame.

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The clarity of the "us"--red state, non-hunting, urban intellectuals--vs "them"--blue state, red-neck, hunting, gun-maniacs is, like many "clear" distinctions, not so clear.

The bucolic, picture-postcard Newton, CT community so tragically brutalized last Friday has refused even the mildest attempts to restrict gun use and gun ownership in the very recent past.

For every gun-control advocate--like myself--who assumes the massacre of 6-year olds will cause a seismic shift in the national debate on guns, there seems to be someone who--in good faith--assumes that it will convince people that arming the "good guys" is the only, obvious solution.

Meanwhile, the Washington Bureau chief of USA Today (I know, I know...) just said on Brian Lehrer that no White House meetings regarding gun control took place over the weekend and that--assuming the fiscal cliff issue is moving towards resolution--the word is that the POTUS and his advisors are unlikely to expend the political capital they had earmarked for immigration reform on the very difficult political fight over gun control.

On the other hand, Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV)--who famously used a rifle to literally shoot holes in a proposed gun-control bill--came out over the weekend with a statement that the NRA needs to come to the table and address the nation's outrage over Newton.

But quick, decisive and sustained action by the POTUS is going to be necessary to make this happen.


In Town at Ease With Its Firearms, Tightening Gun Rules Was Resisted

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Interesting article, and this isn't just on right wing sites, you can check it out on multiple sites, although of course the main stream media isn't mentioning it at all.

http://www.therightperspective.org/2012/12/16/gun-owner-confronted-oregon-mall-shooter/

It looks like the portland gunman was confronted by a guy who had a concealed weapon and after he saw that, he killed himself, instead of shooting more people. A perfect example of where someone with a gun saved dozens of people. It could have been a whole lot worse. The man with the concealed weapon didn't even fire because he saw someone behind the shooter and didn't want to miss and accidentally hit them.

mr. meli does not even suggest that the gunman killed himself because he confronted him. that is wholly inserted by right wing media as it fits the narrative of the "cowardly punk." all the evidence is that the perpetrator is another primate with a psychotic episode. they do not appear to fear reprisal or the usual deterrants.

Updated On: 12/17/12 at 10:44 PM

Notice how she side steps all the questions and posts something that TRIES to defend her argument.
The funny thing about your article (other then it coming from a Righ Wing site) is that no where did Meli mention the guy shot himself after he saw that he had a gun. They made eye contact, and then he shot himself. The fact he was carrying an assault weapon should tell you that if he saw a guy with a normal gun, he probably would know he had the upper hand. He offed himself most likely because he was...oh I don't know...unstable.
Either way...if you are actually suggesting that it would be better if every day people (which by the way, Meli was a former security officer) then you really are stupid.

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