09-08-2015, 04:20 PM
Numbers regarding guns and crime are all over the place.
First of all it is important to look at exactly what numbers are being posted. For example, the term "gun deaths" includes suicides and accidents. That greatly inflates the numbers. There is some research that shows that suicide rates may actually drop with fewer guns available, but even if you discount that the number of accidental deaths has to be a cocern.
A large portion of gun violence is between criminals. Many times both are armed. The violent crime rates back in the 90's was inflated mainly by gang activity. Most of the victims were armed gang members. Violence was up in all parts of the country, but the gang activity in large cities was over the top.
The next largest component of gun violence is between people who know each other. If there is a gun in a household it is more likely to be used against someone who lives in that house that a stranger trying to break in. And shootings that don't happen in the house are likely to involve people who know each other in disputes regarding jealousy, bad debts, or any other random things that people fight over. especially when they are high or drunk.
The percentage of gun violence involving self defense is pretty small.
All that being said, I agree that it is impossible to just outlaw guns. But we have to have some sort of gun registration laws to help get the "hot" guns off the streets while allowing law abiding citizens to own weapons. It would not completely eliminate criminals from owning unlicensed weapons, but it would make it much easier for police to sweep these guns up in all sorts of routine arrests where a person or his vehicle is subject to search. I think people will take much more care to secure their weapons if they know that they can be held responsible for what happens with them.
Gun owners also have to be licensed.
We also need some sort of private government data base for records of any person who should be subject to review before being licensed to own a weapon. The law would have to be flexible enough so that any little negative comment from any psychological evaluation would prevent ownership, but there should be a way to screen more strongly for possible mental health issues.
I don't know why responsible gun owners would oppose these laws in the name of public safety.
First of all it is important to look at exactly what numbers are being posted. For example, the term "gun deaths" includes suicides and accidents. That greatly inflates the numbers. There is some research that shows that suicide rates may actually drop with fewer guns available, but even if you discount that the number of accidental deaths has to be a cocern.
A large portion of gun violence is between criminals. Many times both are armed. The violent crime rates back in the 90's was inflated mainly by gang activity. Most of the victims were armed gang members. Violence was up in all parts of the country, but the gang activity in large cities was over the top.
The next largest component of gun violence is between people who know each other. If there is a gun in a household it is more likely to be used against someone who lives in that house that a stranger trying to break in. And shootings that don't happen in the house are likely to involve people who know each other in disputes regarding jealousy, bad debts, or any other random things that people fight over. especially when they are high or drunk.
The percentage of gun violence involving self defense is pretty small.
All that being said, I agree that it is impossible to just outlaw guns. But we have to have some sort of gun registration laws to help get the "hot" guns off the streets while allowing law abiding citizens to own weapons. It would not completely eliminate criminals from owning unlicensed weapons, but it would make it much easier for police to sweep these guns up in all sorts of routine arrests where a person or his vehicle is subject to search. I think people will take much more care to secure their weapons if they know that they can be held responsible for what happens with them.
Gun owners also have to be licensed.
We also need some sort of private government data base for records of any person who should be subject to review before being licensed to own a weapon. The law would have to be flexible enough so that any little negative comment from any psychological evaluation would prevent ownership, but there should be a way to screen more strongly for possible mental health issues.
I don't know why responsible gun owners would oppose these laws in the name of public safety.
