noticed many blogs, putting out something on the subject, so I thought I would repost my opinion, the same that I have shared on the forum. It’s been a quiet Friday and Saturday so far here in the park.
On 2/26/2018 at 4:44 PM, lightfootfan said:
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but someone (Supreme Court) did draw a line, I think in the 30-40’s era. At that time, they said the government could “regulate” to a degree firearms, but they couldn’t take away the right to own one. It was due to the mobster days after the wars. Widespread use of the Tommy Gun which was fully automatic, needed to be curtailed.
Quote
http://thefederalist.com/2017/10/02/actual-federal-laws-regulating-machine-guns-u-s/
Of course, the laws have been battered around, then the government realized they could make money off the ban, so charge a large price for you to get permission to own one.
The stupidest thing to come out of gun regulations just recently, was the Hunters Hearing Protection Act. We don’t want deaf hunters. Of course, it covers all firearms if I am correct. This Act allows persons to affix a “suppressor”, which is a politically correct term for a “silencer”. People are turning firearms into toys. It’s gotten stupid. You can buy a fully automatic pistol now, attach tandem 100 round drums to it. Who in the world needs a full auto pistol.
- In my opinion, civilians don’t need automatic weapons, period. As Eliza said, just move our finger fast.
- ANYTHING, that modifies a weapon to increase it’s lethality, should be illegal, (silencers, bump stocks, extended capacity).
- Magazines should be limited to what the standard capacity of the magazine made for the weapon is. No “extended capacity”. If you want more ammunition, carry a spare magazine.
From left to right. What sane, responsible, people carry. What immature, egomaniac, crazies carry.
JMHO longrifles (covers every type, plus shotguns) should be limited to 20 rounds. That is way more than enough, for defense, and hunting.
I’ve never had to shoot anyone, hope to God I never have to. There is evil out there. When I was an officer, While on duty, II drove up on 2 armed robberies in progress, I was nearly car jacked while off duty.
From 1997 till 2013 while unarmed, I spotted and prevented one robbery, Was nearly carjacked while with Michelle.
Maybe I’m just an evil magnet. I decided to start carrying again. I’m not a gun nut, we own 2, both are just normal semi-auto pistols for protection. I feel a person should be allowed the right to choose to be armed or not, unless your a criminal.
Sadly in the US, we have allowed firearms to morph from a tool to protect oneself, to an egotistical extension of a persons personality. Exotic modifications are added, as if people are dressing up a car for looks and speed.
I have a rule. If you have an ego, you should never touch a firearm. It’s not a toy.
The Evil Genie is out of the bottle though, there is no way to ever put him back in. We will never rid the criminals of firearms, they don’t care about laws. Until we start punishing illegal possession, and shun those that treat firearms as toys, it won’t get any better.
Great post. I believe that civilians do not need firearms. But given the number of shootings all over the world, one wonders.
Susie
I want to turn the clock back to the 50’s and 60’s. They had their bad times, but you could walk at night, and leave your door unlocked.
And one knew one’s neighbour. Now we often don’t know who lives next door and don’t care too. Communication media have advanced but the camaraderie between people has not, I feel.
Susie
You’re so right. No one interacts with neighbors anymore. So sad really, we used to visit and sit on one another’s porches and talk as kids.
And kids could go to play in neighbor’s houses, quite safely. I often wonder how adolescents would go baby sitting decades ago to make a few extra dollars in houses of strangers without a problem,
Susie
There were true consequences back then.
Obviously, I live in England, where personal weapons are banned. With the exception of some hunting rifles and shotguns, which are closely monitored by the authorities, no active weapons are allowed to be owned, by anyone. This was as a result of the Dunblane killings of small children in a school classroom, in 1996.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane_massacre
Since then, we have one of the lowest rates of gun-related killings in the world. People are still shot of course, mostly gang members shooting each other, or criminals being shot by armed police. But the chances of an innocent person being shot by anyone are remote.
Best wishes, Pete.
I wish it were so here Pete, there was a time in the 50-60’s when it didn’t happen. Our daughter was involved in an attempted car-jacking one night last week. She had just purchased her a firearm 2 weeks before. Some thug ran up to her vehicle while it was stopped in traffic at a traffic light, pounded on her window, then tried to pull the window to break it. She pointed her weapon at him and told him to get away. Of course she uses much more colorful language. The guy stumbles back and falls. An off duty officer was going home 2 cars back, and witnessed it. He held the guy there while patrol units responded. I don’t go in the capital city at night.
That was a horror at your school. It’s too late here I’m afraid, if they removed weapons from citizens, we would have more murders, than we have caskets.
I’m glad I don’t live in a place where I have to carry a gun, Ron. That’s why I don’t really judge those who do. I just wish they could see that eventually the banning of guns has a way of working things out for the better. I reckon it’s far too late for America though.
Best wishes, Pete.
I avoid these conversations mostly because they make my blood pressure go us (no, not your post!). Last idiot I heard described his guns as his toys and he deserved to be able to collect them like women collect Barbi dolls. Never heard of anyone getting killed by a Barbi doll but perhaps somehow it could happen.
You and I both, Kate, If they think of it as a toy, they don’t need it. I also don’t approve of “Sport” hunting. I have checked out a couple of the redneck hunting shows in our part of the country. When you see a grown man, get so excited at the sight of a deer approaching, that he looks like he will wet his pants, there is a disconnect in that head someplace.
I usually avoid conversation of this, abortion, and politics. I respect a person if they dislike, or hate, guns. I will respect those that have guns. But when they consider them toys, or get excited over a special brand of ammunition, I shy away from them.
I am so helped by your comments, especially about the previous laws and court decisions. I live near where all the first graders were murdered. Fortunately, Connecticut has enacted stricter laws and our senator is constantly challenging the gun lobby.
I was sickened that day, I was also angry, at those that insist on what they call gun-free zones. It is a nice concept, but it tells crazies and criminals where they can go to do evil, without much chance of interference.
I wish there was no crime, no guns, and we could leave our doors unlocked like we used to. Sadly those times are gone, and it just seems to be a spiral of increasing violence, and misuse of firearms.
Never heard of gun free zones. Funny. Here people are having to be taught to take their keys out of their cars when they park. Apparently suburban cars are being stolen that way.
Schools are gun free zones, that is why most shooters pick them. No one there should have a weapon, so the bad guy is un-opposed.
Thanks. I didn’t know that.
I love the system in Japan. The weapons law of Japan begins by stating “No one shall possess a firearm or firearms or a sword or swords”, and very few exceptions are allowed. Citizens are permitted to possess firearms for hunting and sport shooting, but only after submitting to a lengthy licensing procedure. See: http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-control-how-japan-has-almost-completely-eliminated-gun-deaths-2017-10
They do have a good system in place. Also I like the fact that, their police, look more like police, than storm troopers. The way ours dress, and the vehicles we utilize, make for more fear and lack of respect. Japan started early controlling weapons, we have never really started. Now they have turned into toys, to be collected by individuals.
See my Laughter blog post I just did involving a police officer. ?
That is fantastic! Designated, Decoy.