And yet another, seems there is always another......

[luvthatduke]

I'm surprised no one's brought up the illegal sales of weapons.
I live near a large city & my understanding is that many guns
of all types (used in crimes), are NOT purchased at stores/gun shows.
Guns of all types have been sold on the streets for decades!
When it comes to regulation my question has been,
"Why aren't we doing more to stop the illegal sales of weapons?"
And yes, unfortunately most of the mass shooters seemed to have
bought their guns legally - but not all.

 

[sam_gordon]

Yes. maybe you want to clarify as that is how it reads to me.

ETA - I'm guessing there are emotions (for some) around the 2nd Amendment and that is what you are alluding to.

BOTH sides are emotional. They're letting their emotions dictate what they think should happen.

 

[CdnCarrie]

BOTH sides are emotional. They're letting their emotions dictate what they think should happen.

I only see one side being emotional. Sorry can't see the other side. Not saying they aren't but I just don't comprehend it.

 

[dvcgirl67]

As far as what you would do I don't personally have the confidence to know what I would do, would I freeze, would I try and fight, would I even have the awareness to unlock my phone or would I fumble with it not remembering the pin number? IDK.

Here's what I know about myself. I'm never going to shoot someone who happens to break into my home...because I'll never own a gun. I'll do everything in my power to keep criminals out of my house, and I do. I hope all of the people riling themselves up, or allowing some hard-core gun owner types on Next Door to rile them up....*really* think through the consequences of buying that gun. And think about possibly shooting an unarmed teenager who has entered your home looking for a key fob....and killing him.

If they think it's as easy as what pundits on TV or people on Next Door are telling them...that you have the right to shoot someone who illegally enters your home....they should think again (and this kind of talk is a regular thing on my local site). They might be able to live with the consequences of taking that human being's life....but we aren't a "stand your ground state"....and so shooting an unarmed kid is going to result in one heck of a long nightmare of a legal battle, possibly ending in jail-time and legal fees and lawsuits that would far exceed anything they can likely imagine.

And then we can just talk about yet another gun being out there in our country.... and all that goes with it. Maybe the Baby Boomer grandma forgets to lock up the gun correctly and her 6 year old grandson shoots himself, or her, or his teacher. Or maybe her son is having a rough time at work and decides to get her new gun and take out everyone in the break room one day. I mean...it never ends, because we have too many guns. And these things happen every single day in our country.

So far, what has actually happened when a few homeowners have surprised the thief when he breaks into their home...is they take off. Again, in all of the cases I've heard and read about, these guys are looking for low-hanging fruit....easy car thefts. They've gotten more brazen as people have taken more care to take their fobs inside, and so now people should be more aware of that and lock their inner doors, arm alarm systems when not home...etc. And tougher laws....there are a bunch that state legislators are fighting over now, but clearly we need more of a deterrent on that end.

We're the only nation that has this level of gun violence....and it's not even close. Basically, I'm saying guns aren't the answer. I'm 55 and up until I was about 25 or so, these types of endless shootings just weren't a thing, because the "gun" thing....wasn't a thing. But here we are...30 years later, awash in guns and endless gun violence.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Here's what I know about myself. I'm never going to shoot someone who happens to break into my home...because I'll never own a gun. I'll do everything in my power to keep criminals out of my house, and I do. I hope all of the people riling themselves up, or allowing some hard-core gun owner types on Next Door to rile them up....*really* think through the consequences of buying that gun. And think about possibly shooting an unarmed teenager who has entered your home looking for a key fob....and killing him.

If they think it's as easy as what pundits on TV or people on Next Door are telling them...that you have the right to shoot someone who illegally enters your home....they should think again (and this kind of talk is a regular thing on my local site). They might be able to live with the consequences of taking that human being's life....but we aren't a "stand your ground state"....and so shooting an unarmed kid is going to result in one heck of a long nightmare of a legal battle, possibly ending in jail-time and legal fees and lawsuits that would far exceed anything they can likely imagine.

And then we can just talk about yet another gun being out there in our country.... and all that goes with it. Maybe the Baby Boomer grandma forgets to lock up the gun correctly and her 6 year old grandson shoots himself, or her, or his teacher. Or maybe her son is having a rough time at work and decides to get her new gun and take out everyone in the break room one day. I mean...it never ends, because we have too many guns. And these things happen every single day in our country.

So far, what has actually happened when a few homeowners have surprised the thief when he breaks into their home...is they take off. Again, in all of the cases I've heard and read about, these guys are looking for low-hanging fruit....easy car thefts. They've gotten more brazen as people have taken more care to take their fobs inside, and so now people should be more aware of that and lock their inner doors, arm alarm systems when not home...etc. And tougher laws....there are a bunch that state legislators are fighting over now, but clearly we need more of a deterrent on that end.

We're the only nation that has this level of gun violence....and it's not even close. Basically, I'm saying guns aren't the answer. I'm 55 and up until I was about 25 or so, these types of endless shootings just weren't a thing, because the "gun" thing....wasn't a thing. But here we are...30 years later, awash in guns and endless gun violence.

So well written.

 

[mrodgers]

why isn't this being done. You as a voter in a country with the largest number of mass murders - why are you not pushing for reform? Or if you are how are your pushing for reform?
What changes do you think will need to be done.

Mental health issue is a HUGE issue in many many countries. Very similar to the USA. That is not a difference at all. Neither is bullying, social media, movies or video games.

This is an answer that I can not state here on this board.

Or I should say, the reason that certain people beyond the general public narrate to the general public of what the problem is can not be discussed.

There's a reason why the talk is always the object and never the actual issue. That's a problem with discussions on a board such as this. Not everyone can talk about these issues here, so you have the same mantra being posted over and over and over again but other people can't discuss it.

All I can say is, if there was a gun problem in the US, there's 300,000,000 reasons out there that would have you knowing there is a big gun problem. That the 300,000,000 isn't a problem says that you are all barking up the wrong tree in these discussions.

People are getting killed every day in this country by mere stupidity in using another tool, but no one cares. No one blames the tool in these cases. I just drove through a scene today on the way home of one of these incidents. But I'd bet if everyone was calling to restrict or take that tool away from everyone on this thread, everyone would go nuts over it.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Guns and cars are nothing alike. Not comparable.
Again I ask you why YOU think the mass shootings are so prolific in your country,
Not car accidents. Not about the healthcare system.
Why do YOU think that there are so many mass shooters?
And why do you refuse to answer it.

This is an answer that I can not state here on this board.

Or I should say, the reason that certain people beyond the general public narrate to the general public of what the problem is can not be discussed.

There's a reason why the talk is always the object and never the actual issue. That's a problem with discussions on a board such as this. Not everyone can talk about these issues here, so you have the same mantra being posted over and over and over again but other people can't discuss it.

All I can say is, if there was a gun problem in the US, there's 300,000,000 reasons out there that would have you knowing there is a big gun problem. That the 300,000,000 isn't a problem says that you are all barking up the wrong tree in these discussions.

People are getting killed every day in this country by mere stupidity in using another tool, but no one cares. No one blames the tool in these cases. I just drove through a scene today on the way home of one of these incidents. But I'd bet if everyone was calling to restrict or take that tool away from everyone on this thread, everyone would go nuts over

 

[mrodgers]

So well written.

Not really. It's mostly victim blaming.

I don't care if your armed, not armed, you're coming to hurt me or my family or if you're just looking for a drink of water because you're thirsty or looking for a key fob to my car in the driveway. You break into my home you are a threat. I am not going to say, "Hang on a moment, are you unarmed? Are you here just for my car or are you here to attempt to hurt my family?"

It is not my fault nor any other victim's fault that a criminal has criminal intent and breaks in and enters anyone's home uninvited.

 

[dvcgirl67]

This is an answer that I can not state here on this board.

Or I should say, the reason that certain people beyond the general public narrate to the general public of what the problem is can not be discussed.

There's a reason why the talk is always the object and never the actual issue. That's a problem with discussions on a board such as this. Not everyone can talk about these issues here, so you have the same mantra being posted over and over and over again but other people can't discuss it.

All I can say is, if there was a gun problem in the US, there's 300,000,000 reasons out there that would have you knowing there is a big gun problem. That the 300,000,000 isn't a problem says that you are all barking up the wrong tree in these discussions.

People are getting killed every day in this country by mere stupidity in using another tool, but no one cares. No one blames the tool in these cases. I just drove through a scene today on the way home of one of these incidents. But I'd bet if everyone was calling to restrict or take that tool away from everyone on this thread, everyone would go nuts over it.

This is not true....the number one reason for violent death/murders in the United States is overwhelming with guns....again, it's not even close, and not even an argument. It's just numbers....math that doesn't lie. It's well over 10-1 of guns vs. "cutting tools" like knives, asphyxiation, blunt objects.....etc.

Another fact, gun violence is the now the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States.

And a newer fact...firearms are now also responsible for over half of the suicides by males in the United States.

These are facts. There's no "barking up the wrong tree" when the "tree" itself is made out of guns.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Not really. It's mostly victim blaming.

I don't care if your armed, not armed, you're coming to hurt me or my family or if you're just looking for a drink of water because you're thirsty or looking for a key fob to my car in the driveway. You break into my home you are a threat. I am not going to say, "Hang on a moment, are you unarmed? Are you here just for my car or are you here to attempt to hurt my family?"

It is not my fault nor any other victim's fault that a criminal has criminal intent and breaks in and enters anyone's home uninvited.

Guess we’ll have agree to disagree.
We can do this all again shortly I’m sure.

 

[mrodgers]

Guns and cars are nothing alike. Not comparable.
Again I ask you why YOU think the mass shootings are so prolific in your country,
Not car accidents. Not about the healthcare system.
Why do YOU think that there are so many mass shooters?
And why do you refuse to answer it.

I believe I have stated many times there is a mental health problem and a criminality problem. The criminal problem stems clear up through topics which we can not discuss here.

If we do not want to have a crime problem, why do we have a revolving door in our justice system? Why do we take crimes off the lawbooks and tell the criminals that their crimes are OK now as long as it doesn't get this big. Why does my county take in other counties' court cases for money and then just let them go?

And finally, why are the majority of the crime problems in areas of a particular political demographic and not where those who oppose your gun thoughts reside?

 

[mrodgers]

Guns and cars are nothing alike. Not comparable.
Again I ask you why YOU think the mass shootings are so prolific in your country,
Not car accidents. Not about the healthcare system.
Why do YOU think that there are so many mass shooters?
And why do you refuse to answer it.

Oh, and you are absolutely correct. Guns and cars are nothing alike. Cars take innocent lives FAR more often than guns.

Or is it that you feel you need your car, so we can't talk about it in the same sense as you want guns to be talked about?

 

[dvcgirl67]

Not really. It's mostly victim blaming.

I don't care if your armed, not armed, you're coming to hurt me or my family or if you're just looking for a drink of water because you're thirsty or looking for a key fob to my car in the driveway. You break into my home you are a threat. I am not going to say, "Hang on a moment, are you unarmed? Are you here just for my car or are you here to attempt to hurt my family?"

It is not my fault nor any other victim's fault that a criminal has criminal intent and breaks in and enters anyone's home uninvited.

This sounds exactly like the talk on my Next Door site. But in my state of NJ....any attorney and likely almost all police officers will tell you it's bad advice. If someone all of the sudden opens your inner garage door and you happen to be sitting in your kitchen with your gun on the counter in front of you.....and you shoot that unarmed person.....you're in big, big legal trouble....life-changing trouble.

All that I would say to people in my area....particularly those who own higher end late model vehicles....is be more aware of your surroundings, keep your doors locked and perhaps get some additional locks, or an alarm system/camera if that gives you a sense of safety. But if you choose to purchase a gun, truly do your homework on how and when you are legally allowed to defend yourself with your new gun against someone you consider to be a threat.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Guess we’ll have agree to disagree.
We can do this all again shortly I’m sure.

Yes....it's like banging ones head against the wall....that's how it is in this country anyway. It's pointless. It's already too far gone....over 300,000,000 guns in a nation with just slightly more people.

Dan Murphy will start another thread just like this one again. Sadly....I'll see you then. I'm all vented out on this one.

 

[Frwinkley]

Guns will never be "limited" in our country because people see it as something being "taken away" from them. Nobody has said anything about taking every single gun away. Ons side of the political aisle started that dialogue and as a result, gun acquisition has skyrocketed.

My question is this: why does an ordinary citizen need a machine gun? Can somebody please explain this to me?

 

[CdnCarrie]

I believe I have stated many times there is a mental health problem and a criminality problem. The criminal problem stems clear up through topics which we can not discuss here.

If we do not want to have a crime problem, why do we have a revolving door in our justice system? Why do we take crimes off the lawbooks and tell the criminals that their crimes are OK now as long as it doesn't get this big. Why does my county take in other counties' court cases for money and then just let them go?

And finally, why are the majority of the crime problems in areas of a particular political demographic and not where those who oppose your gun thoughts reside?

I don’t know anything about your political demographics. That’s meaningless to me.
Mental health issues extend beyond the US borders.

Oh, and you are absolutely correct. Guns and cars are nothing alike. Cars take innocent lives FAR more often than guns.

Or is it that you feel you need your car, so we can't talk about it in the same sense as you want guns to be talked about?

A gun is a weapon. A car is a valuable tool.
Trying to compare the two is asinine.

 

[prairie_girl]

This is an answer that I can not state here on this board.

Or I should say, the reason that certain people beyond the general public narrate to the general public of what the problem is can not be discussed.

There's a reason why the talk is always the object and never the actual issue. That's a problem with discussions on a board such as this. Not everyone can talk about these issues here, so you have the same mantra being posted over and over and over again but other people can't discuss it.

All I can say is, if there was a gun problem in the US, there's 300,000,000 reasons out there that would have you knowing there is a big gun problem. That the 300,000,000 isn't a problem says that you are all barking up the wrong tree in these discussions.

People are getting killed every day in this country by mere stupidity in using another tool, but no one cares. No one blames the tool in these cases. I just drove through a scene today on the way home of one of these incidents. But I'd bet if everyone was calling to restrict or take that tool away from everyone on this thread, everyone would go nuts over it.

IF there was a problem?

 

[Colleen27]

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-weekend-shootings-jan-20-to-23/

Over 30 people shot in Chicago this weekend alone. Like in TWO days, more than 30 shot.

Many of them teenagers.

Nothing on national news with these stats, even though they occur week after week. It's like it is just a normal, every day thing that is not worth reporting. Very sad.

Right or wrong, the reporting is always different when the victims were engaged in criminal activity or in a place surrounded by such. Mass shootings get the press they do because we can all relate to them - we've all gone to social gatherings or movie theatres or grocery stores or send our kids to school, and the very nature most of these shootings involves less-than-targeted attack. I do get what you're saying - I'm a native-born Detroiter and my son moved back to the city a year ago, so I'm more aware than most of the shootings that don't make the news - but it is the intrusion of violence into mundane spaces we think of as safe that drives the reaction to mass shootings, not just the death toll.

I have seen this too. People go on that app and rattle on, talking a big game about how they would confront the person who "breaks in" to their unlocked car that's parked on the street. It's unnerving. Sure, the people opening car doors to steal what they can is wrong, but pointing a weapon at them is not going to end well.

It's hot heads talking up on an app. But, that talk can embolden somebody, if you know what I mean.

And it isn't always just hot heads talking. A while back, one of our beloved pollsters asked a question about approaching a stranger's house to ask for help in an emergency and I wasn't the only one who said I wouldn't do it because of the possibility of being treated as a threat/intruder by a panicked homeowner. It has happened several times in my county where someone even just turning around in the wrong driveway got shot at - fortunately only to the level of property damage - by a person who thought to confront the "threat" of someone on their property without their permission. The scary part is, it never results in charges and when it gets posted to local social media, far more people applaud than criticize.

More mentally ill people in the US? Or I should say, more mentally ill people unchecked and out in the streets in the US?

It isn't one or the other. It is both. But generally the same people who don't want to make any changes to deal with one also oppose anything that could improve the other.

 

[prairie_girl]

Not really. It's mostly victim blaming.

I don't care if your armed, not armed, you're coming to hurt me or my family or if you're just looking for a drink of water because you're thirsty or looking for a key fob to my car in the driveway. You break into my home you are a threat. I am not going to say, "Hang on a moment, are you unarmed? Are you here just for my car or are you here to attempt to hurt my family?"

It is not my fault nor any other victim's fault that a criminal has criminal intent and breaks in and enters anyone's home uninvited.

Wouldn’t you have to take same time to put the ammunition in your gun? And to get your gun? Aren’t guns and ammunition supposed to be locked up separately? Are you admitting to being a bad gun owner?

 

[mrodgers]

I don’t know anything about your political demographics. That’s meaningless to me.
Mental health issues extend beyond the US borders.

A gun is a weapon. A car is a valuable tool.
Trying to compare the two is asinine.

I disagree. A gun is also a tool. A tool that many many people here in the US has utilized to protect themselves and their families when there was no other option to protect themselves or no one else to protect them.