General Discussion

billh58

(6,655 posts)

111. Oh, I don't know, maybe tightly regulated

Fri Dec 14, 2012, 01:00 PM

Dec 2012

gun control? Especially stiff penalties for carrying a gun in public? More arrests and less shootouts? Legislating responsibility for securing legally purchased guns, and heavy fines or jail time for failure to comply with those laws?

We had over 100 years of accumulated and somewhat sane laws regulating the sale and use of guns before the NRA went on a sustained political campaign to weaken those laws. They bought, threatened, and bullied politicians until they made owning and carrying a gun in the USA a "morally righteous act" and a very American act of allegiance to the Constitution.

Until we return to a sane and well-regulated approach to gun control in this country, the deaths and injuries will just keep piling up. Guns are designed for a primary purpose: to kill. The false equivalency arguments about automobiles, hammers, knives, and other tools only make the NRA brain-washed, inanimate object worshiping, paranoid Zimmerman-like zombies look ignorant.

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BUT NO, WE DON'T HAVE A GUN PROBLEM IN AMERICA [View all] WilliamPitt Dec 2012 OP

This only proves that teachers should be armed! bunnies Dec 2012 #1

And the students. Don't forget the students. Politicub Dec 2012 #44

Fuck it. Lets start in the womb. bunnies Dec 2012 #65

Good idea - Put microphones in the womb so the NRA can provide prenatal safety training, too Politicub Dec 2012 #85

Taa-daa! Gun problem solved. bunnies Dec 2012 #104

Done! If only they had asked us to fix the fiscal cliff! Politicub Dec 2012 #113

lmao! bunnies Dec 2012 #124

Just think of the possibilities. SheilaT Dec 2012 #196

yup. Shadowflash Dec 2012 #71

I think the Michigan legislature this week had a bill allowing firearms in schools bulloney Dec 2012 #261

They do. Shadowflash Dec 2012 #307

That's right! If a shooter started a rampage in a preschool, backscatter712 Dec 2012 #114

Start a movement. That guns belong only in certain places might soon be obvious JDPriestly Dec 2012 #92

A few might. No doubt. bunnies Dec 2012 #106

I know you're being sarcastic. . . BigDemVoter Dec 2012 #240

Guns are more important than people. Iggo Dec 2012 #2

5, 4, 3, 2 , 1 mikeysnot Dec 2012 #3

Disposable American's otohara Dec 2012 #51

I blame every damned Gun Lover for every gun death. tblue Dec 2012 #110

There is, I think, a pretty clear distinction between hifiguy Dec 2012 #183

Except that I don't notice the SheilaT Dec 2012 #198

You do have a point. hifiguy Dec 2012 #224

I blame every damned Car Lover for every traffic death. friendly_iconoclast Dec 2012 #248

Didn't take long for that stupid argument to be trotted out. n/t kurtzapril4 Dec 2012 #260

Not stupid at all. Are you and I to blame for child pornography and botnets? friendly_iconoclast Dec 2012 #262

Nice try, But the NRA always says the answer is more Concealed carry rustydog Dec 2012 #299

and there it is. Warren Stupidity Dec 2012 #273

At least to drive car ThoughtCriminal Dec 2012 #282

Thought that was the countdown for the locking question everything Dec 2012 #142

DU might not need a Gun Forum anymore JimDandy Dec 2012 #274

The MIC agrees with you. n/t L0oniX Dec 2012 #135

You inspired me. This is on my FB right now. Care Acutely Dec 2012 #264

Excellent! Iggo Dec 2012 #268

No - Thank YOU. Care Acutely Dec 2012 #270

Stealing & reposting on FB--- AmyDeLune Dec 2012 #302

Great! Spread it far & wide. Nt Care Acutely Dec 2012 #313

But but we got to wait for the facts upaloopa Dec 2012 #4

But they're just tools. sadbear Dec 2012 #5

Who the NRA? WaitWut Dec 2012 #17

They're a box of hammers. sadbear Dec 2012 #18

With the smart ones billh58 Dec 2012 #93

Sarcasm? gcomeau Dec 2012 #21

Guns don't kill people... backscatter712 Dec 2012 #164

It's almost daily now. 99Forever Dec 2012 #6

A "+" for this byeya Dec 2012 #54

It might actually be gollygee Dec 2012 #98

More common everywhere. vduhr Dec 2012 #202

Daily reteachinwi Dec 2012 #218

+1,000 XtopherXtopher Dec 2012 #244

Knife-wielding man injures 22 children in China GeorgeGist Dec 2012 #7

What an asinine post. nt sufrommich Dec 2012 #9

...and that's the 352,998th time this shit has been posted. WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #10

LOL, posting 'fuck' a lot does not help make your point! Logical Dec 2012 #49

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #52

..... bunnies Dec 2012 #77

+1 Little Star Dec 2012 #103

Only a +1? Fuck no, give it a +1000! RC Dec 2012 #112

fucking A! Viva_La_Revolution Dec 2012 #109

I was gonna fuckin' say that. ET Awful Dec 2012 #159

please heaven05 Dec 2012 #133

There in lies the problem. Too many people don't understand the problem. A Simple Game Dec 2012 #230

i heaven05 Dec 2012 #237

That is the most fucking awesome fucking post ever!! missingthebigdog Dec 2012 #157

I FUCKING agree. sellitman Dec 2012 #167

Fucking A William Pitt! +1,000,000 callous taoboy Dec 2012 #205

You win. Brigid Dec 2012 #222

+100,000,000 rbrnmw Dec 2012 #236

Maybe... MattSh Dec 2012 #249

I'll second that. smirkymonkey Dec 2012 #290

There was this soldier talking about a beautiful fucking girl . . . tclambert Dec 2012 #286

Fuck yeah. SalmonChantedEvening Dec 2012 #311

FUCKIN A! BobbyBoring Dec 2012 #314

Gun fucking nuts mikeysnot Dec 2012 #64

Detectives McNulty and Bunk have a message for you. Tommy_Carcetti Dec 2012 #83

I thought of that scene as well eaglesfanintn Dec 2012 #156

Right, we don't have time to have sex with one another; we need to look at this problem. patrice Dec 2012 #126

And dead school children does not help the counterpoint... LanternWaste Dec 2012 #146

And your choice of username has no bearing upon your responses, either. Ikonoklast Dec 2012 #215

Being a smartarse about Gun Violence does make a point intaglio Dec 2012 #246

+1. dchill Dec 2012 #101

I agree. vduhr Dec 2012 #207

Your point? upaloopa Dec 2012 #12

Right on time RetroLounge Dec 2012 #24

get some new material.. frylock Dec 2012 #30

Well that settles everything. Lets dismiss decades of gun violence because a crazy person Politicub Dec 2012 #50

Uh, two years ago. Brainstormy Dec 2012 #128

And if that crazy asshole would've had access to a gun, there would've been hundreds dead laundry_queen Dec 2012 #181

Well, obviously the Capitalists need to outsource more gun factories to China... sanatanadharma Dec 2012 #115

Now there's an idea! BobbyBoring Dec 2012 #315

Was this merely an aberration or a consistent event that happens weekly? LanternWaste Dec 2012 #143

The Gungeon crowd billh58 Dec 2012 #279

I note that no deaths were reported. That's the big difference. JDPriestly Dec 2012 #144

Don't you have some metal phallic liberalhistorian Dec 2012 #161

Not one death. Point proven. Fucking christ, you people. morningfog Dec 2012 #254

22 injured vs 26 DEAD ThoughtCriminal Dec 2012 #283

you are SOOOOO fucking pathetic Skittles Dec 2012 #289

You are a bad person _ed_ Dec 2012 #308

THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT!! sufrommich Dec 2012 #8

Personally sarisataka Dec 2012 #11

If there was no gun you wouldn't have even heard upaloopa Dec 2012 #13

What the fuck are you talking about? WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #16

People would not have heard of this school today upaloopa Dec 2012 #19

Still not following. WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #25

Forget it upaloopa Dec 2012 #28

Sorry. You're going to be remembered . . . caseymoz Dec 2012 #170

I didn't make a pro gun argument. upaloopa Dec 2012 #232

Choices theKed Dec 2012 #58

Let me explain - instead of outdated tv commercials and sky writing, Politicub Dec 2012 #94

you are wrong. If there was any kind of killing at an elementary school it would have made news still_one Dec 2012 #75

Exactly. If the story read, "Multiple people, including children, have been killed [in multiple sta rhett o rick Dec 2012 #122

Dumb. A dozen kids stabbed in an elementary school? caseymoz Dec 2012 #168

I am pretty sure he's saying some children being shot to death is good publicity for the school. byeya Dec 2012 #70

Hi WilliamPitt, Scruffy Rumbler Dec 2012 #190

I fully agree sarisataka Dec 2012 #26

We have a higher tolerance for non-gun violence because it's much less likely to be lethal. jeff47 Dec 2012 #43

Homicide is much lower than it has been sarisataka Dec 2012 #67

You're ignoring the difficulty of getting to that result jeff47 Dec 2012 #88

For many reasons sarisataka Dec 2012 #100

The point is reducing the number of guns reduces the number of killings jeff47 Dec 2012 #116

Although we likely agree it is false equivalency sarisataka Dec 2012 #129

What part of "fewer" do you not understand? jeff47 Dec 2012 #223

Good idea sarisataka Dec 2012 #233

What part of having so many readily available guns around escalates the violence, eludes you? RC Dec 2012 #140

What part do you want clarified sarisataka Dec 2012 #153

Seriously?? Blue_Tires Dec 2012 #214

No, those would have been even bigger news sarisataka Dec 2012 #220

. NRaleighLiberal Dec 2012 #125

NS, S. What's your point, that the school loves the publicity now? WinkyDink Dec 2012 #298

Jesus H Christ, there's some sick fucks out there! The most stunning part to me is... Little Star Dec 2012 #14

It's a K-4 school, there's not a kid in there who sufrommich Dec 2012 #22

TV reporter said it might have been two parents shooting it out. WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #27

If that's true Will, neither parent should never have custody of children again. shraby Dec 2012 #57

Breaks my heart. Little Star Dec 2012 #32

Seriously. bunnies Dec 2012 #39

Fuck. We need some politicians with some courage. Laurian Dec 2012 #15

To do what, specifically? Lizzie Poppet Dec 2012 #87

Why do you hesitate? We have a mass shooting every other week or so. DisgustipatedinCA Dec 2012 #158

Good start Tumbulu Dec 2012 #169

Why? Just look at most of the threads on this. Lizzie Poppet Dec 2012 #227

Like maybe end the wars? Quit teaching people to kill others in other countries? L0oniX Dec 2012 #137

And a muslim problem The Straight Story Dec 2012 #20

*coughcough*falseequivalency*cough* theKed Dec 2012 #68

Selling fear, and people are buying, same thing (nt) The Straight Story Dec 2012 #84

Price we pay to allow almost any yahoo to walk around with a gun or amass a cache of lethal weapons. Hoyt Dec 2012 #23

Thanks Hoyt... sarisataka Dec 2012 #35

Is the Nuge theKed Dec 2012 #76

They don't keep promises... ReRe Dec 2012 #102

But if everyone of those 1st graders is armed... Dustlawyer Dec 2012 #29

But those kids could just have easily been run over by cars, don't you know? Tommy_Carcetti Dec 2012 #31

Post #7 WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #34

ZOMG, spare a prayer for my co-worker lapislzi Dec 2012 #33

You have my prayers sarisataka Dec 2012 #37

Yikes 1gobluedem Dec 2012 #40

!!! bunnies Dec 2012 #46

oh wow barbtries Dec 2012 #74

No word yet. lapislzi Dec 2012 #86

so sorry. barbtries Dec 2012 #172

I can only imagine the terror of getting a phone call sufrommich Dec 2012 #81

When I was working on a daily newspaper's news desk several years ago, we got a call that there had Brickbat Dec 2012 #120

I totally understand, my reaction would sufrommich Dec 2012 #123

Any word yet? bunnies Dec 2012 #186

No, this is horrible. lapislzi Dec 2012 #203

omg. You must all be wreck. bunnies Dec 2012 #206

still no word? barbtries Dec 2012 #208

Apparently the co-workers six-year-old boy Tsiyu Dec 2012 #266

oh no barbtries Dec 2012 #267

I know Tsiyu Dec 2012 #271

this so has me in tears.... good thoughts for him, but the fear..... nt seabeyond Dec 2012 #212

Praying for your co-worker and his children susanr516 Dec 2012 #228

Prayers for him and his kids wryter2000 Dec 2012 #234

Tears! Sending vibes, but I feel so helpless! freshwest Dec 2012 #245

Hey will, we cannot talk of guns while a gun crime nadinbrzezinski Dec 2012 #36

Guns are awesome!!!! More more more!!!! Politicub Dec 2012 #38

We DO NOT have a gun problem in America. RomneyLies Dec 2012 #41

Ding Ding Ding ReRe Dec 2012 #121

+1 AndyA Dec 2012 #189

And here I thought... bobclark86 Dec 2012 #194

Do you know what the two most IGNORED words in the second amendment are? RomneyLies Dec 2012 #209

tools? yea, fucking tools that kill. spanone Dec 2012 #269

I dunno, maybe SheilaT Dec 2012 #219

Jesus, for the millionth damn time, what is your fucking solution.... Logical Dec 2012 #42

300 million?! Holy Shit! bunnies Dec 2012 #47

Yes, and a million more sold a month! n-t Logical Dec 2012 #53

Then we should put an immediate halt to sales, don't you think? Politicub Dec 2012 #62

No way to do it! No politician will touch banning guns! n-t Logical Dec 2012 #163

If this keeps up, public opinion will change. caseymoz Dec 2012 #185

No way at this point. We can't keep meth off the street and it is illegal! n-t Logical Dec 2012 #193

Which isn't relevant caseymoz Dec 2012 #257

Exactly. +10000000000000000000000000000000 Bake Dec 2012 #259

Until a death effects them in some way, or they become the target and start dying King_Klonopin Dec 2012 #303

wow. bunnies Dec 2012 #97

Yes, while we sit around doing nothing over next decade, another 100 million will be produced and Hoyt Dec 2012 #89

I just cant get past these numbers. bunnies Dec 2012 #118

Fortunately, less than half the population owns even one. A lot of folks have a bunch. Hoyt Dec 2012 #131

I used to own two guns about 20 years ago... bunnies Dec 2012 #139

Either reinterpret 2nd amendment or, repeal it.n/t godai Dec 2012 #48

Tax ammo like cigarettes. Actually, more than cigarettes. Politicub Dec 2012 #56

And a man wanting to shoot up a place will worry about money for ammo??? Logical Dec 2012 #72

I don't give a fuck about your stupid anecdote. Do something "logical" and Politicub Dec 2012 #78

They will be less likely to practice their deadly hobby. n/t godai Dec 2012 #82

There is a tax on ammo right now: it should be increased to $100 a cartridge. That means the apocalypsehow Dec 2012 #281

I have a better idea than taxing ammo. the devil Dec 2012 #300

Interesting! Haven't thought about it like that Politicub Dec 2012 #301

You said 'fuck.' WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #60

Yes, to ridicule your use of it! Logical Dec 2012 #61

Clever. WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #69

How about things like uniform federal gun laws, for starters? Tommy_Carcetti Dec 2012 #73

Yes and liability insurance Tumbulu Dec 2012 #175

Making them illegal theKed Dec 2012 #79

First... gcomeau Dec 2012 #107

Agreed -- Hell Hath No Fury Dec 2012 #229

Begin with MENTAL HEALTH PARITY in ALL health insurance coverage. nt patrice Dec 2012 #117

I 100% agree! n-t Logical Dec 2012 #162

If we don't get people to address the ROOT CAUSES of their problems - themselves - stuff patrice Dec 2012 #173

+1 L0oniX Dec 2012 #138

300 million?! That's almost as many guns as there are Americans. KamaAina Dec 2012 #145

excuse us for complaining, but the object of your desire is murdering children DisgustipatedinCA Dec 2012 #160

I have no tie to guns! I just want to know how you stop a lone nut when.... Logical Dec 2012 #204

I'd applaud that. abelenkpe Dec 2012 #195

So let's do it. SheilaT Dec 2012 #221

Here's mine: Turn 'em all in tomorrow. Every last damn one. lastlib Dec 2012 #239

If only 99% get turned in, then what? friendly_iconoclast Dec 2012 #250

read what i said.... lastlib Dec 2012 #291

And just how do propose to bring this about? friendly_iconoclast Dec 2012 #316

That will never happen and you know it. And statements like yours do not help. Logical Dec 2012 #278

And in Michigan they just passed a law to allow conceal and carry in schools! erinlough Dec 2012 #45

"COME on, dose peoples coulda just as eezuly been kilt wit a lawnchaih!!!". . . or something . . . HughBeaumont Dec 2012 #55

THANK you, William! nt patrice Dec 2012 #59

Without knowing the particular facts here, what could have prevented this is the question? still_one Dec 2012 #63

What we can say is that lax gun laws and easy gun availability increases the number of shootings DanTex Dec 2012 #90

Agreed /nt still_one Dec 2012 #91

Oh, I don't know, maybe tightly regulated billh58 Dec 2012 #111

There used to be restriction on assault weapons, until the republicans took over. You are right, still_one Dec 2012 #256

All babies should be issued guns at birth. Lint Head Dec 2012 #66

And receiving "safety training" at pre-school Doctor_J Dec 2012 #171

Kids are not going to want to go to school !!!!!! ReRe Dec 2012 #80

The Newtown Bee reported that a police officer carried a seriously wounded child from the building Little Star Dec 2012 #95

I'm at a loss for words. So I will merely K&R. - n/t coalition_unwilling Dec 2012 #96

you're right heaven05 Dec 2012 #99

Du rec. Nt xchrom Dec 2012 #105

I am beginning to think that Obama... dchill Dec 2012 #108

Meh...he might as well. CheapShotArtist Dec 2012 #180

I will keep the TV off today gollygee Dec 2012 #119

Huge K and R. n/t NRaleighLiberal Dec 2012 #127

What's the magical ingredient in this OP that allows it to remain? OneGrassRoot Dec 2012 #130

Many DU members own guns. Most polls I've seen here in the past have it at about 50%. L0oniX Dec 2012 #148

Civil discussion about a societal problem doesn't have to equate to an anti-gun rant... OneGrassRoot Dec 2012 #155

Obviously you don't want gun control spoken of AT ALL. Because gun tragedies are more than weekly CreekDog Dec 2012 #187

Some might call this op a disscussion. I call it a reactionary rant. L0oniX Dec 2012 #242

The problem is JimDandy Dec 2012 #287

Much as using these deaths to imply this is a necessary price we pay LanternWaste Dec 2012 #238

Dividing DU members over gun ownership is exactly what the NRA would like to see. L0oniX Dec 2012 #243

+1 nt sellitman Dec 2012 #176

absent mass slaughter discussions are relegated to the gungeon Warren Stupidity Dec 2012 #247

FYI, breaking nooz is getting locked as off topic nadinbrzezinski Dec 2012 #132

Gee ...how long have we been at war somewhere? Are we a military country now? Seems so ...and... L0oniX Dec 2012 #134

This kind of thing is what scares me most. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2012 #136

So your issue is not with guns, but with whackos? cleanhippie Dec 2012 #263

My proposed solution guardian Dec 2012 #141

Couldn't agree more Carolina Dec 2012 #147

CNN reports one child dead at 12:23PM EST ReRe Dec 2012 #149

I just saw on CNN the principal and shool psychologist were killed. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2012 #151

Maybe we have a violence problem in this country. JohnnyRingo Dec 2012 #150

No, it's a gun violence problem. DanTex Dec 2012 #178

We have really reduced drunk driving accidents by consistently Tumbulu Dec 2012 #179

We have reduced gun violence even more than drunk driving hack89 Dec 2012 #280

Well clearly we have a long way to go Tumbulu Dec 2012 #320

+1000 billh58 Dec 2012 #317

I propose eaglesfanintn Dec 2012 #184

This should be constructive NeedleCast Dec 2012 #152

Back atcha! billh58 Dec 2012 #285

Newtown is a very upscale area Freddie Dec 2012 #154

we live in a violent country SHRED Dec 2012 #165

K & R AND - FUCK YOU NRA ! ! ! ! FUCK you too, to the NRA supporting/ anti-sanity brigade. Care Acutely Dec 2012 #166

Agreed! Fuck the NRA and its cowardly, fetishistic supporters. LonePirate Dec 2012 #174

+ 1000 Care Acutely Dec 2012 #199

Holy Moly, Mother of God... differing reports every 5 minutes! Last report 10 kids/11 adults!!! ReRe Dec 2012 #177

Associated Press: 27 dead, 18 children WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #182

I'm having a panic attack, and I'm no where near there! ReRe Dec 2012 #192

Happy Fuckin NRA notundecided Dec 2012 #188

We Truly Are Reaping What We've Sown triplepoint Dec 2012 #191

When owning is gun is more important than anything else this is a as sick as it gets. Harriety Dec 2012 #197

my school system locks the elementary doors during the school day madrchsod Dec 2012 #200

K&R abelenkpe Dec 2012 #201

I agree with your post, especially the last two words. (And no, URLs aren't words.) 2ndAmForComputers Dec 2012 #210

This is DOMESTIC TERRORISM SCVDem Dec 2012 #211

It is time that WE THE PEOPLE - Hell Hath No Fury Dec 2012 #213

Post removed Post removed Dec 2012 #216

Silly comparison Lucy21 Dec 2012 #231

On this sad day I welcome you to DU! hrmjustin Dec 2012 #277

too many guns and not enough care about people's mental health. Whisp Dec 2012 #217

It's a moral outrage to have more gun control laws. Lone_Star_Dem Dec 2012 #225

The biggest "gun problem" is ... BlueStreak Dec 2012 #226

You have just posted billh58 Dec 2012 #318

The NRA can go fuck off. The propaganda has got to stop. Initech Dec 2012 #235

do we have a gun problem or a crazy fucking person problem? NT underoath Dec 2012 #241

Hey, you! Watch it with that reasoned approach. friendly_iconoclast Dec 2012 #251

awww... "a lynch mob" fascisthunter Dec 2012 #312

We have a Crazy Fucking Person with Access to Guns Problem so yea, time to have that convo Blaukraut Dec 2012 #255

What does that mean? _ed_ Dec 2012 #309

Now wasn't that special... billh58 Dec 2012 #319

Oh hell no -- no problem -- nothing to see here -- move along Hekate Dec 2012 #252

Fucking guns and the fucking gun nuts and the fucking gun lobby and morningfog Dec 2012 #253

yeah marions ghost Dec 2012 #294

Kick & Rec. n/t. apocalypsehow Dec 2012 #258

It isn't a gun problem. It's a crazy problem. Yukari Yakumo Dec 2012 #265

Bullshit! billh58 Dec 2012 #276

This should be an OP- very good! Tumbulu Dec 2012 #295

Your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in this country is abridged/ indepat Dec 2012 #272

WELL SAID AND THANK YOU! Thank you... VOX Dec 2012 #275

These Repeat Guns and Semi-Automatics are the danger. Who needs these? KoKo Dec 2012 #284

And the Kindergartener's own teacher was the registered owner of those guns that killed them, JimDandy Dec 2012 #288

WE HAVE A HEALTH CARE CRISIS! lbrtbell Dec 2012 #292

Yes. Let's not blame anything but what this is. Gregorian Dec 2012 #293

Mental health is a part billh58 Dec 2012 #296

K&R n/t lupinella Dec 2012 #297

Yo William King_Klonopin Dec 2012 #304

GUNS = DEATH King_Klonopin Dec 2012 #305

Hell yes, we do have a problem. In_The_Wind Dec 2012 #306

Stop Teaching Gun Violence! Maineman Dec 2012 #310