Gun Control

[Aloysius]

Gun control, can it help prevent gun crime?
Especially discussing: mass shootings, types of gun control, anything else related.

This thread is for general comments, individual/specific topics can be continued as linked topics.
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DEBATE!

[Gandorian]

I'm rather close to the middle concerning this issue. Illinois and Maryland have two of the strictest gun control laws (especially Chicago and D.C. and yet they have near the top of the worst gun crimes.

I'm for background checks and recognize the need for felons and mentally unstable people not to own guns. That being said, those who want to kill will kill regardless of the laws. I believe mass killings are more of an issue of the need for mental help than more gun laws. In fact the question has been posed..."Name one gun law that there isn't already that would have stopped any of the recent mass shootings in the U.S."

Of course here in the U.S. our Second Amendment is rather clear cut that Americans have a right to bear arms. What restrictions can be made can be rather ambiguous. However, SCOTUS has often sided with the pro-gun side and have always cited the Amendment.

[AzureMantle]

I too usually find myself in the middle, but since I hear these arguments a lot, here are my thoughts...

Illinois and Maryland have two of the strictest gun control laws (especially Chicago and D.C. and yet they have near the top of the worst gun crimes.

To be fair, there are two reasons why this could be the case that have nothing to do with how effective gun control laws are:

1. Maryland and Illinois don't exist in a vacuum. If you can cross the border to another state and be back with a gun in 30 minutes, they won't be very effective unless gun control is imposed nationally.
2. Those states have cities notorious for violence. They will likely continue to have violence no matter what laws are enacted, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the laws don't help reduce violence by some degree.

That being said, those who want to kill will kill regardless of the laws.

Some will, some won't. Two things to keep in mind:

1. Not all crimes are premeditated acts committed by career felons. Crimes of passion, or crimes committed by less experienced criminals may still be reduced by gun control laws.
2. Those who want to kill may TRY to kill regardless of the laws, but it doesn't mean they'll be successful. Guns exist because they're effective killing machines. If knives were just as effective, they wouldn't have been invented.

I believe mass killings are more of an issue of the need for mental help than more gun laws.

Very true.

[Gandorian]

Good point about guns being available nationally can move anywhere, but we do have 300 million guns in the U.S. and the Second Amendment. We have to take a more "where do we go from here" approach.

At least in these mass murders, those people are mentally unstable and one way or another they will find a way to kill others. Not having a gun handy isn't going to stop them. Most of the time they put great effort into their attacks.

SCOTUS has been quite clear about Americans having a right to own a gun, but I personally believe in a sensible approach to firearm restrictions. Some are restrictions are needed, no doubt.