Risk of death is less with strict gun laws

[imp]

I have a big scary dog close at night. Gentle as a lamb, he will get up on his own and patrol the house at night. Then he comes bedside and whines like a baby until he's boosted back on the bed. Bullies have most of their bulk in front, their back legs look they belong to another dog. The only thing dangerous about the bully breeds...the one reason why so very many people fear them...
...their intestinal fortitude can clear a room.

Understood, and agreed! A good observer, a dog will know much earlier than a person if something is up. imp

 

[Manatee]

It's useless to argue the point, it won't be solved in our lifetime anyways. One of the few positive steps is making gun shops accountable for weapons they've sold. If you sell an arsenal to someone. The victims of that crime should have the right to sue. A baby step though...

That is just a scheme to drive the gun shops out of business through punitive litigation.

 

[Warrigal]

Warri, I feel you miss the very important point here: any individual's body and life are his or hers alone. What that individual does to that body is not to be governed from without, if the individual is "free". Freedom is the question here.

Do you oppose suicide, on principle? imp

My husband once attempted to kill himself when he was suffering from anxiety and depression. It was very deliberate and he took an overdose of his medication over an hour to avoid vomiting up the pills. When I found him he was pretty unresponsive and I called an ambulance. He was taken to hospital but fortunately the tablets weren't all that lethal.

He has not attempted suicide since but I had to steel myself for that possibility and the knowledge that if he did he would probably be better at it next time. Our daughter was quite traumatised by his attempt, as was I. For a long time I was emotionally frozen, trying to distance myself from the pain that might be on the horizon.

His depression finally left him and has not returned.

Am I glad he didn't have a handy gun at the time? You better believe it.
Suicide is transferable down the generations and affects more than the person who chooses to kill themself.

 

[Misty]

Chicago has the strictest gun-control laws in the country. “Assault weapons” and high-capacity magazines are completely banned, and they have a very high murder rate. Some area's are like war zones.

 

[fureverywhere]

I'm just curious...a question for the way total gun lovers. Respectfully do you believe there should be at least some gun control laws? Or do you think it should just be a completely free market? Is the logic that every American citizen has the right to protect themselves with firearms? Should there be any kind of background checks? If so what do you feel might be something that should bar someone from buying a weapon? A criminal record? A history of psychiatric hospitalization? Domestic violence charges? just trying to figure out the mindset.

 

[BobF]

How about getting the press to go after the criminals and less on the showy cases they love to feature. Can't stop the press from reporting on the mass shootings but maybe just report without all this anti gun nonsense being the message.

For the laws we have in the US, yes, each state is doing its best to recognize gun ownership. The feds can control the types of guns by not allowing the machine gun types into the public market. The feds can also require mental limits and make sure those backgrounds must be released by the doctors or no gun permits at all. Fed controlled owner ship rules like buy, signup, and wait a week or so for possession. States need authority as each state has different requirements for hunting etc.

Mostly, if folks really don't want guns in there area, they should get their congresspersons to start the USA Constitutional Amendment movement and see how well they might do. Someday that might work, but for now all this anti gun harassment is not doing a thing but irritate all that are for or against guns.

 

[fureverywhere]

Although nobody is listening at this point there is the issue of suicide and depression. Sure you can kill yourself any number of ways, the right pills, a bottle of booze, and a plastic bag...oops, don't forget to add big rubber bands to your shopping list. The point is that having access to a gun means statistically you will be far more successful at dying. Or ending up a vegetable with half of your face missing. Then you'd have to communicate with your caregiver about getting those rubber bands...of course duct tape might do in a pinch...grim stuff.

 

[~Lenore]

Although nobody is listening at this point there is the issue of suicide and depression. Sure you can kill yourself any number of ways, the right pills, a bottle of booze, and a plastic bag...oops, don't forget to add big rubber bands to your shopping list. The point is that having access to a gun means statistically you will be far more successful at dying. Or ending up a vegetable with half of your face missing. Then you'd have to communicate with your caregiver about getting those rubber bands...of course duct tape might do in a pinch...grim stuff.

So, your thought is, more gun control is needed to stop suicides?

I own a hand gun. I, at one time, considered suicide. I got my gun and also some pills and lay in my bed deciding which way should I go? Pills first then gun or ...? As you can see I did neither and I still own the gun and threw away the bottle of Nembutal pills.

 

[Davey Jones]

Of course that's the whole answer in a nutshell. But the gun nuts defend their right to stay armed insisting that their guns aren't directly responsible for the daily violence. Of course not...it's everybody else's weapons. Also the twisted view that the only way to control gun violence is by having more people with guns to shoot the bad people with the guns...really how do you fight that logic? What they disregard is our rights. The right not to get seriously wounded or killed because we happen to be in the way.

Good post,makes a lot of sense.