(POL, Likely Heated) Gun Control

[SirFozzie]

((I'm not sure this is the time, and I don't want to derail the current thread with what quite likely is a rant, and what will be a heated discussion each way. I think that thread should be more of thoughts on the tragedy that occurred in CT today. But I need to get something off my chest, and I'm sure that it will touch off a discussion, so, therefore.. this thread -- David))

We have a society that starts nearly every popular drama with violence in some kind of way, usually being shot (CSI etcetera ring a bell?) We glorify Rambo and randomly suggest turning the countries we don't like into a parking lot..

And then we combine it with the nearly unrestricted right to bear arms and wonder why we have sick in the head folks repeating this ad nauseum. Not to mention the cult of celebrity that travels around such mass killings. For weeks afterwards, the nation obsesses about such a murderer.

And then somehow we're shocked that this keeps happening

But yet it's still more taboo to show two people MAKING life (ie, sex and all that it goes with) then people taking life.

Look, I fully support the right to bear arms, but have you seen the gear this shooter packed? Bulletproof vest, and an assault class rifle with enough extra magazines to fire 100 plus rounds.

And you know the response amongst the usual folks (not here on the board, but the usual "THE GUVMINT WANTS TO TAKE OUR GUNS!!!!1ONE!!" will be showing up at any moment on various sites) will be "Well, if the teachers were armed (conceal carry)" they would've taken care of things."

There's only three words that I can say to that.

Bull. Fucking. Shit.

We regulate driving a car, for financial and safety reasons, and a car's primary purpose isn't to take life (although it can be used as such). The gun's primary purpose is to take lives (whether in self defense or not). The problem isn't that we don't have ENOUGH guns in society, it's that we have too many, in the hands of too many people not qualified to handle them, and who would misuse them.

I can certainly understand the views of those, including the White House, who say that now is not the time to be discussing gun control laws. But we've had what, four major shooting sprees in the last five months? (the Oregon Movie Theatre, the Sikh Temple, the Clackamas Mall, and now this). It feels like these things are going on all the time.

[Young Drachma]

We can't have this conversation constructively when there isn't a mass shooting. I can't imagine we're going to be able to have one right now.

[SirFozzie]

So, what do we do, let this keep happening because we're not able to discuss it like rational adults?

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

So, what do we do, let this keep happening because we're not able to discuss it like rational adults?

Didn't know FOFC was in the policy making business.

[RedKingGold]

Yeah, really not the time to start this thread.