Laws won’t stop every shooting. But laws can give a message that we will not tolerate the random carnage and get us to think differently about our gun culture. This does not happen in other countries where there are strict laws and an understanding that gun violence is not acceptable or to be tolerated.
Firs up, OF COURSE this happens in other countries. That’s an abject lie. But the bigger quote is how laws don’t PREVENT crime, they only allow punishment under the law when a crime is committed, and defines what that crime is so that lawful people can avoid committing crimes at their own discretion.
The tin ear part is Joan’s intentional ignorance and misrepresentation of the law. She’s voicing her feelings as support for passing MORE laws against guns and gun ownership…meanwhile she’s ignoring the laws we have already on the books. When lawful gun owners say “Don’t pass new laws, enforce the laws we have!” they mean it.
In America it is illegal to own a gun if:
-You are a convicted Felon
-You have Been committed for mental health involuntarily
-You are the subject of a protection order, or have been convicted of domestic violence.
-You are an addict of a controlled substance
-You are not a legal resident of this country
-You have warrants for your arrest
We have laws about HOW you can buy a gun:
-All handgun purchases must be through an FFL IN YOUR STATE or from a resident of the same state you reside in.
-All Long Guns must be purchased through an FFL or from a resident of the same state you reside in.
-You may not knowingly sell any firearms to any of the above prohibited people.
And of course Behavior is heavily regulated.
-It is illegal to commit an act of murder, assault, or manslaughter. Gun or no gun.
-It is illegal to threaten somebody. Gun or no gun.
-It is illegal to provide a dangerous environment to children in your house or on your property. This includes guns.
These are all FEDERAL laws. Further states have all sorts of miss-mash about what guns are allowed or not. How one can legally carry and where, and what constitutes legal carry.
All of this above is true, and yet Joan is STILL wringing her hands. These laws do NOT stop criminals because they are NOT enforced. Most of the publicized mass-shooters were people who did not violate any of the possession laws, but COULD have if law enforcement had done anything when these individuals were brought to their attention or placed in their custody.
The laws are on the books….they are simply not enforced in any reasonable sense.
Why would Joan’s pet laws be enforced any better than laws that have been around since before I was born?
Damn, perfect timing… not to pimp my own stuff ;).
But laws can give a message that we will not tolerate the random carnage and get us to think differently about our gun culture.
Right because the current laws against Murder obviously don’t send a strong enough message that killing is wrong. We need special laws aimed at the people who haven’t murdered anyone and aren’t planning on it.
Instead of addressing the very culture she points out as a problem, she ignores it. How about looking honestly at the people committing most of the murders, the associations they have with other criminal activities (hint Joan, it isn’t speeding ) — she wants to address the aspects of American society that aren’t involved. Guess she doesn’t want to talk to “those” people who are the actual problems — you know, criminals.
Actually, the way to say “we won’t tolerate it” is by executing the offender after a speedy trial and appeal process, not dragging it all out over 20+ years.
Plus, if it was something like – oh, I don’t know – public hanging, I bet the message would be loud and clear.
Only problem is the corruption in the system, from sleazy lawyers, lab personnel that have falsified lab tests, and other various malfeasance that means you can’t be sure without eye witnesses that it is really beyond a reasonable doubt.
Great comment!
I 100% agree. I’m very pro death-penalty, but in its current form it is a total boondogle with little benifit to society.
Also it is an abject failure of justice when an inmate on death row dies of natural causes.
Just as abject as when an inmate gets murdered in prison by another prisoner. (which is another reason to liberalize our death penalty)
So the bar is that low?
It’s enough reason to ban things and restrict freedoms if it gets people to “think differently about our gun culture”?
Hey Joan how come we don’t apply that “logic” to things like abortion or underage sex or drug use? Oh wait… you’re anti-freedom so unless’ it’s a personal hobby-horse you’d be just peachy with that line of thinking.
Also note that she expressly hates our culture. She’s willing to lie, cheat, associate us with monsters, and have armed men throw us in prison because she doesn’t like the *cultural* aspects of gun ownership.
“This does not happen in other countries where there are strict laws….”
Seriously, did she completely miss the Westgate Mall incident in Nairobi, Kenya? And she’s using “gun violence” as an excuse to stump for more laws here like those they have … in Kenya?
Check that link. Kenya has almost every single law the gun-grabbers here want. Full licensing of gun owners, dealers, and manufactures; full registration of ALL firearms; background checks (criminal, mental, and domestic violence); limits on the types/number of firearms a person can own; limits on ammunition quantities; safe storage laws; full prohibition on open AND concealed carry; and state policy to destroy surplus, collected, and seized firearms rather than re-sell them.
Yet none of that stopped – or even slowed – any of the activities at the Westgate Mall, now, did it? Anyone want to wager that the al-Shabaab shooters had secret insider-only carry licenses, their normally-prohibited AK’s were registered, and they limited themselves to the amount of ammunition specified on their firearm licenses?
Yeah, didn’t think so. But I’m just so sure those laws will work here.