Gunn the anti gun

[Rme68C]

I found this article to be a little bit interesting, especially since it involves people in my own backyard. I think there are a few good underlying points made here. I'm interested in what this online community has to say. I'm not very educated at putting my thoughts into well meaning sentences, so I mostly just read stuff to learn.

SALT LAKE CITY — After the 74th school shooting since Sandy Hook and the fourth multiple shooting in six days, even some of the staunchest of gun control activists remained skeptical Tuesday that any meaningful gun or mental health reform legislation would ever be approved by lawmakers.

“It is frustrating and I do ask myself what it will take,” said Steve Gunn, who is on the board of directors at the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah.

The latest act of gun violence came in Troutdale, Oregon, where police said Tuesday a teen carrying a rifle went to a school and killed a 14-year-old student and injured a teacher before likely killing himself.

Gunn acknowledged he has observed a repeating cycle of shootings, deaths and reform bills that have died at lawmakers’ feet.

“The gun lobby is stronger than the gun control lobby,” Gunn said. “There is no incentive for politicians to pass even reasonable gun control legislation.”

Gunn alluded to a bill last year that failed to clear the U.S. Senate that would have expanded when background checks are required for gun purchases.

Some of the latest federal legislation to be proposed is the Pause for Safety Act, sponsored by a group of California lawmakers. It would encourage states to approve a program for families to obtain court orders to stop potentially “dangerous” people from possessing guns or buying new ones. In return, the states could receive federal grant money.

Even that proposal raises serious questions for Republicans who believe mental health and guns is a valid discussion.

“At what point do we take it?” Rep. Paul Ray, R-Cleafield, questioned. “At what point do we give it back? And if we give it back and something happens, who is liable?”

Ray suggested mental health reform legislation should have less to do with guns and more to do with getting at-risk people the help they need.

“How can people refer relatives, friends into counseling and help? It’s expensive,” Ray said. “Most insurance policies don’t cover it. There’s a gap in coverage and we’ve got to figure out how to cover that gap in coverage. That’s going to be the key going forward to control some of the crime that we have going on.”

Clark Aposhian with the Utah Shooting Sports Council said he didn’t see a need for legislation at all, but said he did see a need for outreach and public education to help people recognize when it’s important to intervene.

“We’ve got to do something, because what we’re doing is not working,” Aposhian said.

Matthew Burbank, associate professor of political science at the University of Utah, was skeptical anything would change in the short-term, and if it did it would be more likely related to mental health reform.

"I don't think it's going to happen quickly," Burbank said of any potential legislation that could be middle-of-the-road enough to appeal to the pro- gun and gun control sides.

Burbank said public opinion would have to change from its current state, and staying power would have to develop behind the push for reform.

"There's nothing like a group that's the equal of the National Rifle Association that would be pushing for limiting access," Burbank said.

Despite shootings, skepticism abounds over gun law reform | KSL.com

As I read this article it made me think more about the gun and anti gun crowd. Are we regulated more or less then we should be? Are there more regulations to come? A good friend of mine maintains the position that 2A gives everyone the right to bear arms (unarguably true statement), and that if we deem individuals a threat with a firearm they need to be in prison or a mental institution. While said individuals are not under lock and key, then they have that unalienable right to bear arms. I'm personally not sure yet how I feel about that statement. I am interested in this communities thoughts on that. Perhaps others will shed some light that I haven't thought of and I can come to a determination.

 

[chilipeppernorm]

Criminals, terrorists, and the insane do not, will not, and have never paid the slightest heed to any gun law ever written or in place. Exactly how much more information do you require sir, to come to an intelligent conclusion (or determination as you put it) regarding the efficacy of additional gun laws or even current gun law. Many of the worst shootings have taken place where "gun control" or gun control laws were the most restrictive, so why do you dither on taking a stance. Without greater input from you I have to question your motive for this post.

 

[Rocketgeezer]

Criminals, terrorists, and the insane do not, will not, and have never paid the slightest heed to any gun law ever written or in place. Exactly how much more information do you require sir, to come to an intelligent conclusion (or determination as you put it) regarding the efficacy of additional gun laws or even current gun law. Many of the worst shootings have taken place where "gun control" or gun control laws were the most restrictive, so why do you dither on taking a stance. Without greater input from you I have to question your motive for this post.

Things are as you say because, the people in power will not address the real problem which is people with mental problems, could you imadgine singling out a student for a mental evaluation because they may display possible homicidle tendencies, where a poss mass murderer could have been headed off, instead of ignoreing the issue, now this certainly is not cut and dryed, there are some that lead perfectly normal lives, until one day something happens, in those cases very little can be done including having more gun laws, anti gun people will never ever see that a true killer, like, columbine, aroura, and other school and workplace shooting would have done as much or more damage even if there was no gun available, good case in point look what Tim McVey did with a truck loud of mostly fertilizer that he purchase legaly from a local farmers CO-OP

 

[Oldgrunt]

Gun laws can be made ad infinitum but killings will not stop. If one is determined to kill another, they will find an instrument with which to perform the deed. If guns are taken away, a knife may be used, or a ball bat, or a rock, or a fist. Our society is responsible for the killings that are occurring because we have allowed Hollywood to make increasingly more violent movies, X-rated games are being played by the young kids which tend to glamorize murder and mayhem without actually imparting the reality of death or other injuries. Even people who may be otherwise mentally stable can be influenced to commit crimes when they are confronted with this trash on a daily basis. Harvey Weinstein is a Hollywood producer who has made a fortune making violent movies. Now that he has made his fortune, he is making a movie in an attempt to destroy the NRA and firearms manufacturers (NRA Freedom First magazine, April 2014). He and other Hollywood hypocrites enjoy making movies which show guns being used in the worst manner possible and are, consequently causing the problems of the country. There is a solution to our problems....stop the production of games and movies which incite people to commit crimes!
The general public has to be taught that guns are not the problem. PEOPLE are the problem and, incredibly, most of the people committing the most heinous crimes have been identified as having problems before they act. The anti-gunners refuse to believe that crime will continue if every gun, rifle and slingshot in the country is confiscated. If organizations like Mothers Demanding Action,et al, would start to educate themselves with actual statistics, rather than deliberate lies and obfuscation, they would find that guns can and do have a place in our society. They have been misguided and do not realize that gun confiscation is just another ploy by the government to put us under total control. Sorry but I ain't having any of their KoolAid.

 

[BC1]

Criminals, terrorists, and the insane do not, will not, and have never paid the slightest heed to any gun law ever written or in place. Exactly how much more information do you require sir, to come to an intelligent conclusion (or determination as you put it) regarding the efficacy of additional gun laws or even current gun law. Many of the worst shootings have taken place where "gun control" or gun control laws were the most restrictive, so why do you dither on taking a stance. Without greater input from you I have to question your motive for this post.

How true. And we must not forget that the feds (NSA) is building the largest IT facility in history. Enormous amounts of data will be stored and crunched there.
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For all the computer geeks... consider the results of a structured database query of all American citizens who ---> belong to the Republican party, have complained about government, who own a gun, who are religious, who post to patriotic web sites, who protest, who take certain medications, who have received mental health care, who have been to rehab, etc. See here this is going?

 

[stewie-Y]

I live in Utah and saw the video on the local news station KSL's website. It was disgustingly biased and I'm started to get sick of a news sources. The comments on the article sure did rip it to pieces, though.