Thursday, January 23, 2014

Gun Safety

I may revise this at any time... currently, I'm revising the original post on 25 Feb 2016... original post was over 2 yrs prior to this...

I’m not certain exactly how to word this so that it expresses everything I want to say, well enough... In large part, I’m not that much of a gun control advocate!   But, should say at this point... my views have changed somewhat over the last several years, mainly as a result of so many mass shootings... but, additionally... I watch a great amount of true crime, and personally, I believe that guns are too easy for too many people to get.  One good example of this, that specifically illustrates my concern with gun availability, is a show called "The First 48" seen on A & E TV... it documents homicides in several major cities, and mainly concerns 'street crime' this is where the over-availability of guns is really obvious.  

Basically... I have for a long time believed in and supported the right to bear arms.  I also agree with and have for quite some time, the concept expressed in the statement that “When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns” – it makes sense, it’s really a profound statement that makes a good point.  Look at it this way.  Marijuana and other drugs have been outlawed for quite some time now – for how long has it been the case that because it’s outlawed, no one has any.  In other words, outlawing guns isn’t going to stop people from illegally owning guns.  That is already the case in many places where gun laws are strict.  Therefore, law-abiding citizens, complying with the law won’t have any guns.  At the same time, there are large volumes of illegal guns owned by non-law-abiding citizens.   That’s what happens. 

However, realistic and reasonable regulation is perfectly reasonable, makes perfect sense and is significantly more enforceable.  Such as limiting the purchase of ‘certain’ assault rifles with unreasonable fire power including unreasonably large magazine capacity.  Same for magazine capacity for automatic and semi-automatic hand guns.  Brief but significant examples: The guy who shot Congresswoman Gabby Gifford and several others in Arizona a while back shot 19 people and witness say the shooting lasted 8-15 seconds.  He used a handgun with a clip capacity of 30 bullets, this allowed him to fire off that many rounds in that short a period of time.  He was stopped when he had to try and re-load.  Previously the 30 round clip would not have been available and he would have been limited to a 10 round clip.  Therefore, for this one example, it’s reasonable to expect that after 10 shots he would have had to reload and could have been stopped much earlier, as he was after firing 30 rounds and having to reload then. In fact, stopping him after 10 rounds may well have been easier and more likely, considering that after firing 30 rounds, the victims would have been more traumatized and more injuries would have occurred by then...  That could have been quite a significant difference.  The guy who recently shot-up the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado had a shot gun, a semi-automatic (or maybe automatic) assault type rifle and a hand gun or two.  The most damage could be done with the assault rifle.  It’s said that this rifle jammed after firing a certain number of shots and he had to go to his back-up guns.  Even with this, he killed at least 12 and wounded 58 others.  70 people in all were shot.  This all took place in less than 90 seconds.  If his assault rifle would not have jammed, it’s reasonable to expect that many more could have been killed or severely wounded.  This guy had no legitimate use for this type of weapon.  Same goes for the guy who shot up the crowd gathered to hear Congresswoman Gifford. 

Frankly... I think that it's reasonable to say that no normal citizen has a need for an assault type rifle... they're not needed for hunting... normal weapons should be sufficient for protecting your home, and are likely more suitable...

Starting with the completely reasonable considerations of Limited Magazines, ban on certain Assault type Rifles and Background checks for all Gun Sales, including Private Sales.  These three Simple and Reasonable steps could have saved a lot of grief for a lot of people.  It’s pretty sick and sad that the U.S. can’t grasp this issue and take the reasonable, good sense measures!

One more thing that really should be considered in gun safety regulation... Hollow-Point, Armor Piercing, Cop Killer bullets... normal citizens don't have a need for them... They are incredibly capable of inflicting incredibly more significant damage and have no place in the hands of normal individuals...

I'd like to include one story to illustrate the point of the hollow-point bullets... as mentioned above, I watch a great amount of true crime... shows like Dateline, 48 Hours, 20/20 and those seen on the Investigation Discovery channel... one story, several years ago in Oregon... a young couple, on what was effectively their first date, although they had known each other for some time... out late at night because the guy was studying photography and wanted to take certain pictures of the Moon... In a relatively remote location... out of nowhere, they were confronted by a young man who first asked some directions, or something like that... suddenly, for (obviously) no reason... he just shot both of them, as I remember there were multiple shots fired... she, very miraculously survived.... just barely... very barely... had he used hollow-point bullets... she would have had absolutely no possible chance of survival... again, her survival was very miraculous... she went on to become an attorney, which had not been her path up until that time, and do good things in the community...

The NRA, has the incredibly bad position that No Gun Regulation is Ok!  This makes no sense... it comes under the category of non-sense!

The shooting of the Grade School Kids in Newton, CT, is another good example.  Some of the kids got away when the shooter had to reload.  Frankly, it’s occurred to me that, having see the various pictures and followed information on the shooter, Adam Lanza, that I expect there’s a good chance that he chose a Grade School (something a lot of people had wondered about) because, he probably considered (rightly so) that if he attempted the same at a Middle/High School, he would probably have been taken down earlier by students who are over the age of 6 or 7 years old. 

With all the episodes experienced over the years here in the U.S. it would not necessarily be too surprising if at some point, the Demand for GUN CONTROL will be so overwhelming; that some serious GUN CONTROL, will in fact pass and be put into effect.

If this should happen, you can pretty well thank the NRA!!!!!  The NRA’s position of fighting Any type of Reasonable Regulation whatsoever, will cause more and more fatalities in Schools, Theaters, Malls, etc… will be responsible for the Demand for Stricter Gun Control!!!!  It is reported that even a majority of NRA Members, support Back Ground Checks and certain reasonable regulations; however, the Jack-Assed Leadership of the NRA, will have nothing to do with it.

It’s clear that as opposed to being a civilian organization dedicated to the Rights of individuals in the U.S... that the NRA is simply, purely a LOBBIEST Organization for GUN MANUFACTURERS!!! The NRA is incredibly Well Funded; this is not a grass roots organization concerned with the Civil Rights of Americans.  

The number of people killed by what should be considered a Lack of Reasonable Regulations; will eventually overcome the NRA. They could and should start now, by backing Reasonable Regulations which are supported by a Majority of Americans. The fact that certain regulations are supported by a majority of Americans and even a majority of NRA members, and fought by the NRA, shows you that they represent Gun Manufacturers; not the people of the U.S.

Let me add, one last paragraph. I'm fully aware of the concept and the thinking that Americans have the right to bear arms, and that, protection of the public against a tyrannical Government, is included in the considerations.  At this point in time; anyone who honestly thinks that the U.S. Government is likely to turn against the citizenship and/or who thinks that if they did, that the individual citizens would have a good fight against the strength of the U.S. Government; isn't making much sense!

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