You know what the gun-rights advocates say? They say either this is the fault of gun control laws, because in Chicago the good guys can't protect themselves, or they say it has nothing to do with guns one way or another, it's all about social and cultural problems, drugs and gangs, and all that.Four people are dead and at least 28 others were wounded in weekend shootings across the city since Friday afternoon, including a 7-year-old girl shot while playing in front of her South Side home.
The one thing they won't accept is the part gun availability plays in this violence. They don't like to be reminded that the 30 plus guns used in this weekend violence all came from legitimate gun owners. The problem is gun flow, and gun-rights people and gun owners in general are responsible for that.
I say that because the three main sources of guns flowing into the criminal world, straw purchasing, private sales and theft, could all be diminished or nearly eradicated. You know who's standing in the way of that, right?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
There are too many guns already in circulation for your proposals to work. Do you really think that gun owners will stand in line to register and get a license for the guns that they already have? You gave all the right answers to the problem in your first paragraph, but you won't do anything about those. You prefer to disarm good citizens. No deals.
ReplyDeleteActually, I picture it requiring newly bought guns to be registered.
DeleteLeaving the 300,000,000 guns in private hands in America available for a black market. Leaving the borders wide open for illegal importation. This is why I can't understand you. You live in a fantasy world. Unless you're going to impose registration on all guns currently extant, your scheme won't work. So you're either incapable of using evidence to draw conclusions or you're hiding your true desires.
Delete"...they say it has nothing to do with guns one way or another, it's all about social and cultural problems, drugs and gangs, and all that."
ReplyDeleteIf the above has little effect and gun availability is to blame, then why do the "lax" gun states not have a worse record this weekend?
I never said it was ONLY gun availability.
DeleteBut answer his question. Why didn't incidents like this happen in places with lots of legal guns and with no silly registration and licensing of owners? And with shall-issue policies regarding carry licenses?
DeleteI just answered that, Greg. Aren't you reading the thread?
DeleteThere are more factors than just gun availability, but gun availability is one of the most concrete and tangible factors, about which something could be done.
But we've shown you that gun availability isn't the important factor here. We've also shown you that reducing gun availability can only be done by taking guns away from lawful owners. But you say that you don't want a comprehensive ban, so that leaves you with no workable solution.
DeleteGreg, you have shown no such thing. Repeating bullshit and lies does not make them true.
DeleteOnly 4 this weekend? Too bad it wasn't 40.
ReplyDeleteActually, the final weekend tally is 10 dead and 53 shootings, but who's counting. Also, Illinois carries a 10 year sentence for purchasing a gun for a convicted Felon.
ReplyDelete