Those are/ were EXACTLY my thoughts and I realize this is a very sensitive subject. Imagine being a 17 year old boy that can't go out with friends, go to college, have a girlfriend, on top of the communication... I've expressed that to his Dad. In fact, I talked to him about it 2 weeks ago. Kelli has autistic kids at school and they can be violent. It's like anything else in life, in the right circumstance, bad things can happen.

In the instance I'm talking about, I am genuinely worried about him getting his hands on a gun. He's a frustrated/violent kid and I'm not sure of his awareness of right and wrong. I've known him since he was 6 years old.

In ACTUAL FACT ---- if you read the article I posted --- there is FAR more access to guns in general and the murder rate has FALLEN at the same time.

I'm not saying I'm for more guns or anything of the kind -- I'm just saying that the FACTS don't hold water when relating homicides and the plentiful supply of weapons.


A quick copy and paste from the article....


The rate of firearms-related murders in 2011 was 3.2 per 100,000 people – a sharp decline from 1993 when the rate of firearms-related murders was 6.6 per 100,000 people.
The number of firearms-related murder victims dropped from more than 17,000 in 1993 to 9,903 in 2011.


The article points to two manufacturers whose sales have risen 200% or more --- so SALES of weapons have obviously risen at the same time as the murder rate has dropped in half. If they were directly related - we'd see both numbers rising or falling. But here, clearly - one has doubled - and one was cut in half.

There are just bad poeple in this world also. Unfortunately there is no real way to stop these things from happening. i'm not saying do nothing, but poeple will find a way to kill poeple, be it with a gun or a knife or fertilizer.
There are no simple answers.

Some folks do not like the facts getting in the way of their feelings or opinions.
(this is NOT directed to anyone here!, just my opinion of a nation influenced so strongly by media)


Jeff-

Glad other's pay attention to that fact. In this day and age the media is much more opinion based than fact based. Facts don't surface until the feeding frenzy calms.

This is true but such a flimsy position. How many massacres with knives are we seeing? How many teenagers are going to put together a bomb that does anything like this?

As far as the number of guns going up and crime going down, I didn't even mention that because I don't see how it's relevant. Your belief Greg is apparently that because the number of guns has risen, the volume of gun crime has dropped.

I doubt anyone could prove that, and I can offer quite a few other possible reasons. Let's see, longer minimum sentences mean that repeat offenders are in jail and thus not on the street to shoot people. More law enforcement means less crime, or at least people are caught earlier and therefore go to jail on those minimum sentences and so forth.

I agree 100% with the title of the article. Gun control offers no cure-all. You can't ban assault rifles and high capacity clips and think it will go away, but as part of a comprehensive approach to combating violence like the shooting.

lets see there was one in china last friday(knife i believe). the columbine idiots had made home made bombs. WTH is flimsy.

The checks and balances in CT on firearms is among the best in the US. With that said it wasn't good enough. I think there is more on the ammunition and accessories side that should be done.

Why not the same background check on any ammunition purchases over 50 rounds?

Why not limit the high capacity mags and or have the same waiting period and background check?

The ammunition and accessories are far to easy to get a hold of. Everyone who purchases firearms legally now use either a Drivers, hunting, or conceal carry licenses. I for one won't mind waiting an extra couple minutes when i purchase my rounds or next magazine.

I'll again add an additional perspective, I just saw half my graduating class at services today. Just an terrible way to catch up friends.

I also encountered the media when I was walking to my car. I was trying not to make eye contact with him but he approached my none the less. He asked if he could ask me a question and I just looked at him with utter disgust. Showing pictures of kids lined up at a funeral home is just wrong.

Nick

Don't forget that the difference is all 22 of those children are going home.

When someone can show me that banning something ends the problem -- I'll totally agree with you. 'Til then - it's nothing but a feel good move that solves nothing.

We banned booze for awhile

We banned drugs

We don't allow teenage sex

We pledge to stay married for ever and ever

We swear to God "we'll never do "it" again".... and that lasts maybe 15 minutes.

We're humans. Humans just don't mind very well. Most of us do... but those few pesky ones -- well -- they just ruin it for all of us.

:cheers: