Local News reports
The mystery of an accidental shooting back in March has been solved.
Deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office say it happened
March 15th when they responded to a report of a juvenile victim with a
gunshot wound. Fortunately, the victim's injuries weren't life
threatening.
Deputies discovered a .25 caliber semi-automatic
handgun during a search of the home.
It appears that the juvenile found a handgun in his residence, began
playing with it, and it discharged sending a bullet through the victim’s
hand and into his leg.
40-year-old Bartolo Castillo Mondragon was charged with Failure to
Store a Firearm to Protect a Minor. He placed in the Beaufort County
Detention Center on an $8,000.00 secured bond.
Now, what's so difficult about that? What's wrong with making that the normal response to these types of incidents? Gun-rights activists are against it, don't ask me why.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
A gun that is locked up is a gun that cannot be used. That goes two ways. Yes, it keeps it out of the hands of unauthorized users, but it also means that the proper owner doesn't have it if it's needed. If the safe storage laws were reasonable, say a requirement to keep guns out of the hands of unsupervised children, I'd likely support them. But we've seen the laws in D.C. and in Canada. That's what we're concerned about.
ReplyDeleteGreg, I agree, we have a responsibility as indivuduals to ensure that we don't leave loaded weapons lying around. I keep most of my firearms unloaded and locked in the safe. The one's that aren't are on my person or with me. The same should apply to other dangerous items though, I don't leave household chemicles where a toddler can get to them. Mike, no amount of legislation can prevent irresponsible individuals from acting irresponsible, but I agree that they should be held accountable for their actions. As Greg pointed out though, the laws I have seen go above and beyond addressing what a reasonable person would do.
DeleteI have to use wooden dowels to keep my cat out of the kitchen cabinets. The point, as you said, is that we each have to assess what we need for our own homes, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution from the government.
DeleteAgreed, most things are best addressed at the individual level. When that fails we should try to address issues at the local level, then county, then State. Our country is to diverse for Federal regulations to seriously address most issues without violating the rights of a large number of citizens with their broad brush strokes.
Deletermt, you sound like a reasonable guy. Thanks for coming around.
DeleteI disagree about the legislation not helping, though. Look at the seat belt law or the helmet law. People didn't like them at all but they've mainly accepted them and lives are saved as a result.
Safe storage laws, pretty much what you do already, followed by holding people responsible when they don't secure their guns properly, that's what we need.
I actually don't agree with seat belt laws and helmet laws, although I wear mine regardless. I have an issue with laws imposed on us by the insurance lobby, but it has saved them a lot of money. But I do see your point, individuals should be held accountable for their actions. The question is how far should it be legislated and at what level? Even without legislation individuals can still be held accountable for negligent actions that result in injury or death. It's hard to see where another blanket law can adequately address incompetence without further restricting the rights of citizens though. A lot of these issues go deeper into our society and the lack of individual responsibility that is becoming rampant. If we're not careful we'll end up legislating all of our rights away to prevent their abuse.
DeleteBut Mikeb, your safe storage laws are unreasonable. I could agree with you that if a parent leaves a gun lying about and a child is hurt with it, the parent ought to be legally liable for that act. But you carry things much farther than that. You want a homeowner to be punished if a thief breaks in and steals guns. You're unwilling to be reasonable in your demands.
DeleteActually, I'd be happy to fore go the safe storage laws entirely, a man's home is his caltle, and all that, but punishment for irresponsibility and negligence has to be swift and sure.
DeleteSee, now you're talking. Punish those who do actual wrong, and leave alone those who don't. I have no problem with that. We have a point of agreement here.
DeleteAt the moment there are more than 23,407 gun laws on the books that in some way restrict private citizens right to own, possess, or carry a firearm. Of those, exactly 0 (zero) have been followed by a decrease in either the incidence or rate of violent crime, gun related crime, or homicide.
ReplyDeleteWould you care to calculate the odds of that happening by chance?
That's a lie. There are 23,408. Everybody knows this.
Delete"At the moment there are more than 23,407 gun laws on the books that in some way restrict private citizens right to own, possess, or carry a firearm. Of those, exactly 0 (zero) have been followed by a decrease in either the incidence or rate of violent crime, gun related crime, or homicide."
ReplyDeleteAnd you know this how? That rant is not a citation to credible statistics.