Confronting the Gun Carnage in the US

There is nothing to prevent you from telling the public it should expect no legislation to redress the permissiveness that results in the level of firearm carnage inflicted on the US every year. Clearly, some politicians experience paralysis in fulfilling their representative responsibilities.

Of the various sensible measures being considered, identifying those who are likely to add to the carnage before they have easy access to the means to wreak their depravity has the most support.

83 PERCENT OF REPUBLICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS FAVOR REQUIRING
UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR GUN PURCHASES
https://www.newsweek.com/college-poll-gun-background-checks-universal-1457854​

 

Like I said, I don't believe Americans undestand what universal background checks mean. I can simply deny I ever owned that particular gun or that I lost it or I sold it years ago. Prove otherwise.

 

If you need to insist that laws are impotent because criminals will try to ignore laws, you can logically advocate that all laws should be repealed.

Americans, most of whom respect the law, understand otherwise.

Anyone who ignores a required background check and sells or gives a firearm to an individual whose background bans him from acquiring firearms, if he uses it in a massacre, has also committed a crime.

Being aware of the criminal penalty he risks by failing to do the required background check makes him far more disposed to follow the law.

Some insist that Americans are, inherently, more disposed to kill than others, but the wide disparity in the rate of firearm fatalities among states disposes of that slur against Americans.

1. Alaska - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 23.0 per 100,000

2. Alabama - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 21.4 per 100,000

3. Louisiana - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 21.2 per 100,000

4. Mississippi - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 19.8 per 100,000

5. Oklahoma - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 19.6 per 100,000

6. Montana - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 19.0 per 100,000

7. Missouri - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 18.8 per 100,000

8. New Mexico - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 18.2 per 100,000

9. Arkansas - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.7 per 100,000

10. South Carolina - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 17.7 per 100,000


... and the states with the least:


50. Massachusetts - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 3.4 per 100,000

49. Rhode Island - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.0 per 100,000

48. New York - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.4 per 100,000

47. Hawaii - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.5 per 100,000

46. Connecticut - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 4.6 per 100,000

45. New Jersey - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 5.5 per 100,000

44. Minnesota - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 7.6 per 100,000

43. California - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 7.9 per 100,000

42. Maine - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 8.2 per 100,000

41. Washington - Firearm deaths per 100,000 people: 9.0 per 100,000

https://247wallst.com/special-report/2018/02/20/states-with-the-most-gun-violence-2/
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This is a totally different situation from most laws. In the case of guns, the guns are used in defense against the lawless. We get rid of ours, but they keep theirs. That is a self defeating concept.

You keep talking about all the guns and gun deaths in states. That is a fact of life. We would have no gun deaths if there were no guns. However, there are over three hundred million of them. Passing laws will not magically make them go away. even if such laws were passed.

Since we have guns and they are going to be here for a long time, we need to pass laws which will keep them out of the hands of the lawless. Such measures as the red flag laws, would appear to come the closest, but there are valid objections to that. Universal background checks is a waste of time.

 

The proliferation of firearms in America made possible by the permissiveness has not resulted in Americans being safer. It has, in fact, resulted in a level of firearm fatalities that is by far the highest of all advanced nations.

Some may claim impotence as they attempt to perpetuate the current level of firearm carnage, but American are, in impressive numbers, demanding that their right to live in a society that is safer for themselves and their children be respected by their elected representatives.

The democratic will shall eventually prevail.

 

Not relevant. The proliferation of firearms is a fact of life. That may change, but not in the immediate future and if they passed a law tomorrow, it would take decades to get them out of the hands of those who would do harm.

If they are going to do something, then do something which will have a positive effect. Universal registration is not one of them.

 

The permissiveness that has resulted in the US having, by far, the most firearms per capita of any other advanced nation on earth and, by far, the most firearm fatalities per capita of any other advanced nation on earth, will not be solved immediately, but doing nothing guarantees it will never be solved.

Universal background checks, that receive near-universal support, are not the only remedial measure.

"We are impotent! We can do nothing! The extraordinary rate of firearm fatalities in the US will persist!" is not the consensus of the American people.

 

Explain how universal background checks will work?

 

You make it sound like having the most firearms per capita of any other advanced nation on earth is a bad thing. It is not, it is a very good thing. There is nothing that needs fixing. I would much rather live in a free society where the people have far more firepower than the government than in a society that is free of firearms deaths but where the populace is unarmed and unable to respond with force to a government that may become tyranical whenever it chooses.

 

Explaining one policy of which Americans overwhelmingly approve to you would not result in your suddenly concurring with the overwhelming majority of Americans.

Why don't you just offer your policies to reduce the firearm carnage that you regard as being superior?

All realistic measures are welcome.

 

Issue every family an assault rifle would be a perfect policy for reducing gun violence.

 

This appears to be the essence of your response.

You find the level of firearm fatalities in the US entirely acceptable.

You are entitled to hold that attitude, but should respect the consensus of Americans who adamantly disagree with you.

http://pollingreport.com/guns.htm

 

Then they can go out and purchase a firearm, spend some time on the range, and then they can be part of the solution.

 

The extraordinarily high level of firearms in America has not resulted in reducing the extraordinarily high rate of firearm fatalities, quite the opposite.

The emotionally gun-dependent cannot be allowed to thwart the democratic will to reduce the carnage.

 

Hmm, well, seems you have a problem. We have you thoroughly outgunned. You are bringing a pen to a gunfight.

 

I do not know of a good way. I believe red flag laws is a start and that identifying people with mental problems will help.

There are major problems with Universal Background Checks which have not been addressed.

1) A person can just deny they ever owned the gun or previously got rid of it if a problem later arises

2) Universal registration would be the only way to overcome the difficulty denying ownership.

3) Universal registration would require some kind of verification. Otherwise I can just deny I ever owned the gun.

4). Universal registration would require some kind of no notice inspections of private homes and every other place where a weapon could be stored or hidden. Just think about the statement I just made. In short, universal background checks only penalize the law abiding and do nothing to stop the lawless.

Now explain where I am wrong or how they can get around the actual difficulties of universal registration.

 

Fanatics who fantasize about solutions that involve every pifflewit mincing around with a man enhancer strap-on - or a deranged gunster in a dark, crowded nightclub triggering all the drunks, panicked by a lightbulb popping, to whip out their shooties and blast away - have gone on a distant excursion from reality.

 

Treating firearms like a comparable, ubiquitous device with lethal potential, the automobile, makes imminent sense as a matter of public safety.

 

A firearm is not the same as an automobile. I doubt that any lawman has ever saw one of my firearms. They see my vehicles frequently.

 

What kind of weird mentality do you have where you are shooting guns at popping lightbulbs? I think you have this weird delusion that everyone suffers from the same issues that you do. The rest of humanity does not go around blazing guns at little disturbances. Myself and all the people I know carry guns everywhere, and none of us had ever had any of the mental breakdowns you seem to suffer from. I'm sorry for your apparent handicaps.

 

The point is not letting the government know who is armed and how many weapons they possess.

 

Yes. Most red states have a larger population of minorities than Lilly White blue states. Is that what you're saying? Are you some kind of racist?

 

If you wish to imagine, concerning the prospect of a deranged gunster opening fire with his AR-15 in a dark, crowded nightclub - an entirely realistic scenario - every inebriate in the place quickly drawing her or his weapon and dispatching the dastard with efficient, precision marksmanship, I see no reason why you cannot pleasure yourself with that fantasy.

Others recognize the absurdity.

 

Feel free to imagine any weird scenario you want. It's a free country. Our guns will keep it that way.

 

There always has been and always will be "carnage" in the world. Face facts, people can be bad. Trying to make the world into some completely safe bubble wrapped environment is a pipe dream.

The second amendment does not define which arms people can and cannot own. Any restriction on owning any available weapon is a violation of people's rights.

I would like to own an Apache helicopter. Since I cannot afford to buy one the government should provide it for me so that my second amendment rights are not violated.

I do not care about the lefty fear mongering. If they do not like gun ownership then they should just hide under their beds.