Re: The Elephant in the room

This is how I feel...I have always believed in the right to bear arms as a civilian, HOWEVER, coming from someone who lived right next door to a cocaine addict who loved guns and owned an ozzie....I don't think these types of guns should be available for civilians. (unfortunatley bad people will always get assault weapons) My x-neighbor opened his trunk one evening, took out his ozzie machine gun and emptied it into the 17 acre field that borders our property...just for fun...

That neighbor lost his home because of gambling issues and died in a head on collision...he loved to drive fast and was one of the most reckless human beings... Personally, I have never heard of a mass killing with guns coming from an emotionally stable individual. Treatment of mental health is another major problem...

My oldest son is extremely well read...when he rattled off the statistics of death by guns in the USA vs. everywhere else in the world, I was stunned, numbed...ENOUGH is enough...something has to change.

I'm in research mode, I'm not a gun owner, but that doesn't mean its wrong for others, BUT laws have to be tightened, who needs assault weapons...what civilian needs rapid firing deadly types of guns??? My first read will be Time's article that I put aside in my pile to read...by Joe Klein...How Guns Won...Why Americans have turned against gun control....

PEACE on Earth and goodwill to all...I'm not sure I'll re-visit this debate...

rpic wrote:
rpic wrote:

Gun ownership is one thing, but what civilian needs an automatic assult weapon?


I'll stick with this.....See ya'll on another page.

StringsforaCURE~Helping cancer patients one STRING at a time.
http://stringsforacure.com/

Re: The Elephant in the room

I'm not going to take any sides here. I am going to ask a question that needs to be looked at. Would tighter gun control laws work in the U.S. ? Unlike our European friends we have had guns (including a large supply of illegal guns) available for a long time. There are currently laws against illegal and unregirstered guns that seem to be doing very little. Tighter laws would stop the person who is taking his parents/relatives gun to commit crimes but what about the illegal weapons? Would tighter laws do any more than current laws? Do we come up with harder penalties(putting more people in our over crowded prison system)?

When I was a child I spoke as a child, But all I heard was how I should get ahead,
Now growing up it ain't anything but all This indecision with these debts and doubts
And worries hanging over my head. When I was a child I spoke as a child,
I wish I could remember what I said.

Re: The Elephant in the room

cathysiler wrote:

There is always the "Now is not the time for these discussions" chant after these tragic events. Then time passes and the conversation is usurped by something else. I believe, and hope, this time it's different. Right or wrong, 20 dead babies at Christmas, seems to be the breaking point.       

                                                                                                  Cathy

As bad as that is, Planned Parenthood performs an abortion every 90 seconds. I could be wrong but, I have a hunch the "pro gun control" crowd here will have absolutely no issue with that fact.

Re: The Elephant in the room

Like I said in an earlier post this won't be decided easily and everyone has their own opinions. I appreciate and respect  everyone's perspective on the problem we face in today's violent society. The debate remained civil which is not normal for internet debates. We are not the normal internet crowd and I applaud that.

I revealed more here about my personal views than ever before on a politically charged subject but it seems the debate is raging everywhere. I think all wanting to respond to this subject have had a chance and I'm going to close it.

Please don't take the discussion to Cathy's thread on the tragedy in Newtown. Let's keep that about the victims and the grief we are all feeling for those families dealing with their loss. I can't even put into words how devastating it would be to my wife and I if our Grand Son who is the same age as the victims, were to be taken from us in this manner. Also the grief my son and his wife would be experiencing. I can hardly watch the reports coming the last few days since the shootings. It has been easier with this diversion. Allowed me to engage and talk about the situation and even digest other points of view. I'm sure a lot of people will be re-examining their positions on the subject of gun control. This discussion will continue on every media platform out there as well as around dinner tables all over the world. Plenty of opportunities to express your opinion there.

Re: The Elephant in the room

bonawho59 wrote:
cathysiler wrote:

There is always the "Now is not the time for these discussions" chant after these tragic events. Then time passes and the conversation is usurped by something else. I believe, and hope, this time it's different. Right or wrong, 20 dead babies at Christmas, seems to be the breaking point.       

                                                                                                  Cathy

As bad as that is, Planned Parenthood performs an abortion every 90 seconds. I could be wrong but, I have a hunch the "pro gun control" crowd here will have absolutely no issue with that fact.

I managed to resist making that point since that just brings up another hot button issue that will do us no good to discuss here.