10 year old shoots 9 year old sister in face over chips with dad's shotgun

[Keystone Phil]

I don't see how the comparison is invalid.
If you agree that a line should be drawn somewhere when it comes to weapons/dangerous materials, then how can you suggest that it's unwise to consider restricting gun ownership?

Because handling and pulling the trigger of a gun is different than handling and exposing others to anthrax.

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I don't think there would be any notable difference. Most of the gun crime is because of illegally obtained guns anyway. "Hey, they're banned now!" won't stop the people who are already getting them unlawfully.

Oh, and banning them won't prompt Americans to line up and dump all their guns in a government collection bin.

[Јas]

I don't see how the comparison is invalid.
If you agree that a line should be drawn somewhere when it comes to weapons/dangerous materials, then how can you suggest that it's unwise to consider restricting gun ownership?

Because handling and pulling the trigger of a gun is different than handling and exposing others to anthrax.

Well, can I ask, what restrictions (if any) would you believe are appropriate regarding personal ownership of arms/weapons?

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I don't think there would be any notable difference.

But surely cases like this one would either not happen at all, or be significantly reduced in frequency?

Most of the gun crime is because of illegally obtained guns anyway. "Hey, they're banned now!" won't stop the people who are already getting them unlawfully.

Oh, and banning them won't prompt Americans to line up and dump all their guns in a government collection bin.

I, unfortunately, tend to agree. To me, this is probably the strongest argument on that side.

[Keystone Phil]

Well, can I ask, what restrictions (if any) would you believe are appropriate regarding personal ownership of arms/weapons?

I am in favor of the assualt weapons ban.

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No, I really don't believe so. Again, it is a fantasy to think the guns would just disappear.

[Smash255]

I don't see how the comparison is invalid.
If you agree that a line should be drawn somewhere when it comes to weapons/dangerous materials, then how can you suggest that it's unwise to consider restricting gun ownership?

Because handling and pulling the trigger of a gun is different than handling and exposing others to anthrax.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I don't think there would be any notable difference. Most of the gun crime is because of illegally obtained guns anyway. "Hey, they're banned now!" won't stop the people who are already getting them unlawfully.

Oh, and banning them won't prompt Americans to line up and dump all their guns in a government collection bin.

However, how those illegal guns actually get on the street is a problem.  Many of them were legally purchased than sold off on the black market.   More needs to be done in order to prevent this from happening   Limiting the amount of guns someone can buy during a certain period of time (something similar to what was proposed by Rendell), more stringent gun registry systems

[Keystone Phil]

 Limiting the amount of guns someone can buy during a certain period of time (something similar to what was proposed by Rendell), more stringent gun registry systems

One gun a month is BS because, again, an overwhelming majority of these crimes are committed with illegally obtained weapons.

[Smash255]

  Limiting the amount of guns someone can buy during a certain period of time (something similar to what was proposed by Rendell), more stringent gun registry systems

One gun a month is BS because, again, an overwhelming majority of these crimes are committed with illegally obtained weapons.

Yes and how to those guns become illegal in the 1st place??  People buying them legally then selling them off on the black market.

[Keystone Phil]

  Limiting the amount of guns someone can buy during a certain period of time (something similar to what was proposed by Rendell), more stringent gun registry systems

One gun a month is BS because, again, an overwhelming majority of these crimes are committed with illegally obtained weapons.

Yes and how to those guns become illegal in the 1st place??  People buying them legally then selling them off on the black market.

Actually, theft might also be a leading factor but whatever.

[Smash255]

  Limiting the amount of guns someone can buy during a certain period of time (something similar to what was proposed by Rendell), more stringent gun registry systems

One gun a month is BS because, again, an overwhelming majority of these crimes are committed with illegally obtained weapons.

Yes and how to those guns become illegal in the 1st place??  People buying them legally then selling them off on the black market.

Actually, theft might also be a leading factor but whatever.

I wasn't suggesting its the only factor.  Nothing is going to be full proof, but we need to do more to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, keep guns away from those who shouldn't have them, and keep them off the streets.   People buying guns legally and then selling them illegally on the black market isn't the only problem, but its one of the problems and its a problem we can at least do something to help alleviate. 

[John Dibble]

  Limiting the amount of guns someone can buy during a certain period of time (something similar to what was proposed by Rendell), more stringent gun registry systems

One gun a month is BS because, again, an overwhelming majority of these crimes are committed with illegally obtained weapons.

Yes and how to those guns become illegal in the 1st place??  People buying them legally then selling them off on the black market.

You should know that while the system you propose might help reduce the number of guns on the black market, it's not a perfect plan. Reducing the supply won't reduce the demand, so the black market price will ultimately rise. Rising black market prices usually increase the crimes that surround the black market.

[Jacobtm]

If only the 9 year old girl had a gun, then this all might've been avoided. The problem is simply that there was only 1 gun lying around: unfair playing field.

[Smash255]

  Limiting the amount of guns someone can buy during a certain period of time (something similar to what was proposed by Rendell), more stringent gun registry systems

One gun a month is BS because, again, an overwhelming majority of these crimes are committed with illegally obtained weapons.

Yes and how to those guns become illegal in the 1st place??  People buying them legally then selling them off on the black market.

You should know that while the system you propose might help reduce the number of guns on the black market, it's not a perfect plan. Reducing the supply won't reduce the demand, so the black market price will ultimately rise. Rising black market prices usually increase the crimes that surround the black market.

I never suggested it was a perfect plan, there is no such thing as a perfect plan.  However, we do need to do more keep guns off of the black market and out of the hands at criminals.  Reducing the amount of guns that wind up on the black market that were originally purchased through legal means is a way of doing so.

[dead0man]

..and terrorists could use public library computers to plan terrorist attacks, thus the govt should monitor internet traffic in public libraries.  Lots of crimes have been made easier by the use of a cell phone, lets monitor them too.  We'll all be a little safer if they do.

It sucks when the govt takes our liberty in attempting to protect us.  The left is usually the side that takes the govt on in these situations. But people on the left never seem to notice it when that liberty has to do with guns, in fact, they are normally the ones pushing hardest to take that liberty from us.  It's the main reason I could never become a Democrat.

[Smash255]

..and terrorists could use public library computers to plan terrorist attacks, thus the govt should monitor internet traffic in public libraries.  Lots of crimes have been made easier by the use of a cell phone, lets monitor them too.  We'll all be a little safer if they do.

It sucks when the govt takes our liberty in attempting to protect us.  The left is usually the side that takes the govt on in these situations. But people on the left never seem to notice it when that liberty has to do with guns, in fact, they are normally the ones pushing hardest to take that liberty from us.  It's the main reason I could never become a Democrat.

having the government monitor internet usage and cell phone use and comparing that to gun registration, and putting limits on the amounts of guns someone can but in a short period of time is apples and oranges.  Not even remotely the same thing.  One thing actually infringes on someones rights, the gun laws don't infringe on anyone's rights to actually get a gun.