14 killed in mass shooting at Batman screening

[dead0man]

Stay classy gun control nuts.

[dead0man]

Stay classy gun control nuts.

This kind of sentiment is the kind of the thing that could easily go in the things that are f'd up about the US thread. In any other (supposedly) civilized country in the world a tragedy like this might actually lead people to reexamine their bizarre gun laws - or lack thereof.

My issue wasn't with the debate, it was the location of the debate.  Start a new freaking thread to debate the gun laws if you must, I just think this is the wrong forum (in the traditional sense) for it.  I took sh**t for challenging the claim that Rodney King was a "hero" in his "RIP" thread.  I consider what y'all are doing to be substantially worse.

[dead0man]

First of all I would like to say RIP to all the victims and extend my condolences to the families of the victims.

That being said this thread is fair game for a gun control discussion. We should make these sorts of guns very hard to get and put people through multiple screenings, background checks etc etc. I don't care how inconvenient it is, it's less inconvenient than having your loved one taken away from you by a crazy person. Yes, people kill people not guns, but we can institute more checks to make sure these crazy people don't get their hands on guns. And even if they do, better it be a rifle or a handgun than an AR-15. Those sorts of guns should be taken off the market. Not because we are denying access to criminals (real criminals will find a way) but to deny easy access to these crazy people. It's much more likely he would have carried this out with a less destructive gun rather than trying to scour out an AR-15 or equivalent gun on the black market. So why not ban these guns and make it that much harder to get?

But there is little difference between an AR-15 and any other .22 caliber, semi-auto rifle other than <spooky voice> the scary look </voice>.  Are we taking them ALL off the market?

So what should we discuss in this thread? Just say RIP and leave? This is not like a thread on Rodney King or a politician. Nobody here is sh**tting on the victims or the dead like it would be case with you trashing Rodney King in his death thread or others talking trashing Jesse Helms in his death thread.

I know you guys don't like to hear it but the reason why a guy is able to get an AR-15 and go on a shootout is because of lax gun laws. It's possible someone would be able to get an AR-15 from the black market and do this but it's about a 100 times harder, especially for someone like him who would not be in contact with the black market. If he was doing this with a less powerful gun, it's possible that less people would be grieving for their loved ones tonight.

Again, what would be wrong with starting a second thread about gun control?

[dead0man]

Not an expert on guns obviously....but any gun where you are able to shoot off so many rounds in such a short amount of time should not be allowed, yes. So all semi autos I guess. Did the AWB not ban all of them?

The AWB only banned cosmetic things and large (more than 10 rounds) magazines.  While I wouldn't like re-limiting them, I'd be willing to concede it as part of a compromise.

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Hunting is easier as you can fire a second shot right away without having to re-aim as much, though bolt action rifles tend to be more accurate.  It doesn't matter, there is no way you are going to ban ALL semiautomatic rifles.  Magazine capacity, sure.  More pointless cosmetic bans/bans on specific weapons, sure.  A general ban on all semi-autos, no chance.

[dead0man]

Aye, and I can see that happening again.  Like I said, I would be against it, but can understand and accept it.

[dead0man]

Not an expert on guns obviously....but any gun where you are able to shoot off so many rounds in such a short amount of time should not be allowed, yes. So all semi autos I guess. Did the AWB not ban all of them?

The AWB only banned cosmetic things and large (more than 10 rounds) magazines.  While I wouldn't like re-limiting them, I'd be willing to concede it as part of a compromise.

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Hunting is easier as you can fire a second shot right away without having to re-aim as much, though bolt action rifles tend to be more accurate.  It doesn't matter, there is no way you are going to ban ALL semiautomatic rifles.  Magazine capacity, sure.  More pointless cosmetic bans/bans on specific weapons, sure.  A general ban on all semi-autos, no chance.

Sorry, but the simple truth of the matter is that detachable magazines are pretty easy to manufacture.  Basically, there just sheet metal and a spring, with the metal bent into correct shapes.

Of course, but that doesn't mean there won't be a successful push to ban/restrict them again.