US News US passes tighter gun control law

[Rheias]

The US Congress has approved the first major gun control law since 1994, improving background checks on buyers.

The bill was prompted by the deaths of 32 people at Virginia Tech University in April, when a mentally ill student used two guns he had been able to buy.

The law clarifies what mental health records must be included in checks and gives funds to states to help automate the processing of records.

It has been widely welcomed but critics say it will do "more harm than good".

The shooting rampage by student Cho Seung-hui on the campus at Virginia Tech in April shocked Americans.

That shock was all the greater when it emerged that a judge had ruled that Cho was a danger to himself and should receive mental health treatment.

BBC NEWS | Americas | US passes tighter gun checks law

news.bbc.co.uk

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Good, finally getting guns would be a bit harder.

 

[Prometheus]

This should help deter potential mass murderers, well at least slow them down.

 

[Chjoodge]

"It is estimated that there are some 250m privately-owned guns in the US, which has a population of 300m."

Wouldn't this be BBC, I would hesitate to believe that. If it is really so much... wow.

 

[LurkerAspect]

I wonder what happens when you try to "hold-up" a gun shop Who would win?

"It is estimated that there are some 250m privately-owned guns in the US, which has a population of 300m."

Ouch

This should help deter potential mass murderers, well at least slow them down.

Nobody stops the black market, there's just too much money. They won't waste any time or money on checking on the backround of a shady client. Who cares if he kills a mall full of people with that gun? He made money, money is what he looks for, and what he found.

 

[Father_Yetti]

Yeah, now only criminals and police get guns!, the decent man in need of protection is hosed - at least thats where I think this is going.

 

[uberfoop]

Damnit, these laws are so stupid. Really, HOW will this deter criminals? There's a HUGE black market for firearms that doesn't look to be falling apart. All this does is disarm the people who should be the ONLY ones apart from the military to have guns.

And really, take a history course people. Read up on the motives of the founding fathers. The second amendment was put there purely to deter government tyrrany. Really, if Jefferson was around today, he'd probably be going around getting people to buy kalashnikovas. The government is so intent on disarming the public, it's getting to the point where it's not only our constitutional right, but also our duty as free people, to arm ourselves with assault weapons. The more destruction of the constitution that happens, the more reason there is to own a capable assault weapon, just in case.


For those who say that it'll make it harder for crazy psychos to get guns, take a look at how our economics function. If there's demand, there's a market, whether it's illegal or not. Don't beleive me, take a look at the war on drugs. There's evidence that our own government, supposedly attacking it, actually directly helps the drug trade become stronger.


This is just ridiculous.

 

[Malice-]

I agree completely with uberfoop. Although this doesn't affect me, as I would pass the checks to get a weapon, this will do NO good in stopping killers from killing people with guns.

All this will do is make innocent/good natured people who wish to use the weapons for sport/collection/hunting have to go through more bullshit to make it happen. In the end, its going to cost everyone more time, and thus, more money. More money that we don't need to be spending.

Sigh. Seriously guys. If you believe that this is going to deter criminals from killing people with guns, or drop the murder rates AT ALL, then you need to do a bit more thinking about the situation and see the real picture here.

 

[esb]

Any one with a gun can kill. People sometimes act like animals, in a sense that one moment they're your pet(friend) and the next they're biting your face off.
A person with a gun got it for a reason, whether it is for 'protection' or because they are being bothered. Even if a person got a gun, just for no reason, that person could snap any second, and also someone else can get it (little kids for example).

 

[UnknowVector]

The article didn't link to the bill or give its title, but I believe this is it.

Anyway, after reading that, what some of the sources have been saying seems quite true. This bill streamlines existing procedures, and provides a large (250,000,000 annual) budget to help states produce their information systems.

That said, I DO completely support the 2nd amendment, and I would be shocked, and pissed off by serious attempts to remove gun rights. The people have the right to bear arms, taking away the yeast doesn't stop people from making cakes... it just makes it taste that much worse for everyone else.

I'm with ya Uberfoot, theres a reason the prohibition ended.

 

[Matemeo]

Believe it or not, there is ways to kill without the use of a gun.

 

[Father_Yetti]

History Repeats!

The world would be a better place without guns, no doubt. But such a world does not exist. With that said I agree completely with Uberfoop. + Rep for so nicely stating your point. And isn’t it funny how many people forget the very important fact that he highlighted; the right to bear arms was established in order to prevent what our founders had escaped from in their prior government – tyranny! Our government so quickly wants to confiscate your rights, and to do so – with your inability to carry arms as one of those rights revoked – makes it a lot easier for them. All the while leaving you; the people, in a position the founding fathers feared and even had foresight into – thus the right was established to help prevent such. History does repeat itself.

 

[esb]

So... we are supposed to fight jets and their army with the guns we can buy at the store?

The problem is, right now there is no need to have weapons to protect ourselves from our own country, but from other people, or so they say. Most guns are now used to kill (duh) anyone who isn't liked.

 

[Father_Yetti]

History Repeats!

The world would be a better place without guns, no doubt. But such a world does not exist. With that said I agree completely with Uberproof. + Rep for so nicely stating your point. And isn’t it funny how many people forget the very important fact that he highlighted; the right to bear arms was established in order to prevent what our founders had escaped from in their prior government – tyranny! Our government so quickly wants to confiscate your rights, and to do so – with your inability to carry arms as one of those rights revoked – makes it a lot easier for them. All the while leaving you; the people, in a position the founding fathers feared and even had foresight into – thus the right was established to help prevent such. History does repeat itself.

 

[Matemeo]

It is NOT the guns that are to be at blame, it is the PEOPLE. People look past such simple truths so often, its amazing.

 

[JuffoWup]

Yeah, guns make you safe. Just ignore the studies that show that you're most likely just to cause harm to yourself with gun in the house than to protect. People like Uber are either completely ignorant to facts that have been cleared out in nations like US, that door swings both ways. While every gun nut gets his gun for "protection" ( and lets face it people, this is BS ) it
also gives EVERY FUCKING LOON out there chance to get gun, no questions asked. You'd think americans would have learned after years of record breaking gun deaths, NOT to promote more firepower for its ill educated citizens, but nooooo00... Keep the guns to the proper authorities, and regular people are better off without AR-15's and other weapons that are not hunting weapons.

 

[Aqua Dragon]

However, like a few people have stated, The right to bear arms is not only in the "Supreme Law Of The Land", but also it DOES protect people. Sure, it is easy to buy a gun it was also stated that there is, of course, a black market for guns.

If you ask me, I think that the fact that so many people in America even have guns makes it impossible for a dictator to really rule :nuts:

 

[esb]

Back in the time with our founding father, people were more civilized, had more respect, and honor. They would use a gun only when needed. Now you see someone stepping on your lawn and you kill him.

 

[uberfoop]

Yeah, guns make you safe. Just ignore the studies that show that you're most likely just to cause harm to yourself with gun in the house than to protect. People like Uber are either completely ignorant to facts that have been cleared out in nations like US, that door swings both ways. While every gun nut gets his gun for "protection" ( and lets face it people, this is BS ) it
also gives EVERY FUCKING LOON out there chance to get gun, no questions asked. You'd think americans would have learned after years of record breaking gun deaths, NOT to promote more firepower for its ill educated citizens, but nooooo00... Keep the guns to the proper authorities, and regular people are better off without AR-15's and other weapons that are not hunting weapons.

Yes, but my point is, 'EVERY FUCKING LOON out there' can go get a gun anyway. It's not all that hard. It's better to have 50 maniacs with guns and 50 nonmaniacs with guns, than to have 50 maniacs with guns and 50 unarmed nonmaniacs.


In any case, if EVERYONE is disarmed, do you REALLY think that that will change anything? Have you EVER swung a felling axe before? Do you think a madman can't slice a person dead in a single stroke with those?
And then you have the problem of a free-for-all in the powerful groups and major power clampage upon the people, creating a situation that could turn totalitarian dictator in an instant if something goes awry.
Woohoo.

And then of course you have the problem of even more constitutional failure snowball effect, which just causes more problems.

While every gun nut gets his gun for "protection" ( and lets face it people, this is BS )

Let's face it, this is BS? K. I'm going to take a rebuttle like 'let's face it, this is BS' totally seriously especially when I don't agree at all with what was said.


The founders of the nation didn't stick the second amendment in there because they gave a damn about deer hunters. The gun death problem won't be fixed by removing the legal firearms, and the illegal ones won't ever be removed (if you think they will, look at alcohol during prohibition, look at the drug trade, look at the number of gun deaths due to illegal firearms, look at the cia's own actions towards supporting illegal trade eg transportation of products, etc. So fine. Have it your way. Disarm the innocent and let the crazy people run rampant. Gotta love your solution.

I know that Britain for example has had more success in gun control, but they also have a geographical, political, and social system which all help with that. With our social structure, the fact of the matter is, the people who are willing to go out and shoot people up will get guns anyway. Does a criminal REALLY stop and think 'whoops, I can't kill with this ILLEGAL automatic firearm, I better go and get a legit gun first, or I might get arrested or something'.

 

[Father_Yetti]

Face the facts...

Nicely stated Uberfoop. Let us get some facts straight here, alright: Guns don’t kill people…I kill people. J/K. But truly it is people who kill other people. Have you ever seen a gun stand trial? Or think of it this way in a related debate: have you ever seen a video game stand trial for murder? No, these things are just objects. I can use a candlestick for evil, for murder even if I wanted to. I know many, many people who own guns and none of them are whacko they are respectable sincere individuals. One of my friends owns a mini arsenal. You better believe he keeps it under lock and key; his safe alone cost well over 5k. He personally knows the loss of a loved one, due to violence and the death instrument was a gun. One of his family members was killed - with a shotgun - buy another family member because of jealousy over a girl. This guy was going got kill whether he had to strangle him to death, stab him, drown him whatever. The gun had nothing to do with it. When facing tyranny, however, a knife will just not suffice and leaves you out-tooled; you need real weapons that are made for real killing. The bad guys and psychos are going to get them anyway, (no matter what), and the government already has them.

 

[Jackal]

God you americans are so attached to your guns.

If someone is burgling your house you can either
A) Stab them with a big kitchen knife
B) Hit them with a baseball bat
C) Taser

If you are in a normal sized house chances are that it will be easier to sneak up from behind someone. So if someone jumps up on you ur gun is gonna be useless because it would be hard to point the thing in the right direction. Of course though the kitchen knife would be good because you can stab or strike someone using 2 sides.

Or you could always get a burgler alarm and let the police deal with it...