I know I probably bring up some of the hottest controversy on this board. Such as the one on the State of Address speech back in January. So, I don't want to disappoint or play it safe. Who here thinks the gun laws need to be revised??? NOT just because of VT this week, but ALL the SENSELESS killing that goes on in this country!!! My vote would be to get rid of ALL automatic and semi-automatic weapons except for in the military. I mean who needs a gun that shoots 15 rounds without reloading or pausing to cock the gun???? My opinion is that NO ONE needs these types of guns for ANY reason!!! It is just overkill!!! People who hunt don't use these types of weapons either. They use old fashioned rifle type guns. As far as I can see this would at least slow down some of this awful senseless killing. It seems like everytime there is an incident, even more people are killed than in the time before it. Please post your opinions here. I was laughing watching the TV tonight because everyone was avoiding talking about gun control. Such as Bush.... HMMMM...

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I used to think gun laws would help. I am not so sure. In some cases it would because people who normally obey the law would try to get a gun and would not be able to. But in most cases if someone is going to break the law they would be willing to get a throw away gun so the laws would not stop them at all.
And these days normal people need to be able to have a weapon to protect them.
It is a difficult question and I am sure people are very strong on their opinions but I am not sure what the answer is.

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While I agree that the gun laws need to be changed, this will not change the fact that if someone wants to get guns they will get them. You can outlaw the automatic & semi-automatic weapons, but that only means that they will fetch a higher price on the black market.

I don't have a well-formed opinion on this subject.
I do agree that if automatic and semi-automatic weapons were outlawed, that there would be a black market for them and true thugs/real criminals would still get them. On the other hand, I'm not sure that the young men that are having these psychological melt-downs and taking it out on theworld would get them, and that would be a good thing.
I do not feel like I would ever need a gun for protection. If I ever found myself in a situation that needed one, I guess I would just pray and put my faith in God (then lay down and play dead )

Interested in hearing what others think. But don't think it really matters, as the NRA and gun lobbyists really shape the policy.

cj/

They will always be able to get guns, there will always be pistol wavers around..and what will happen is the3 bad guys will have automatics and the law abiding people will have single shots..it would take years and years to get all the automatics out of the system, and people would stock up the way we stock up on toothpaste..most people get these guns legally they do not go into these gun shops looking like charles manson drooling... if they don't have guns they will figure out another way, bombs..posion etc...they are creative little sick buggers..yates had no guns, yet she drowned her own children..people who are mad, i.e. mentally ill will find a way...
My DH has a concealed weapons permit..I have been thinking of getting one, since this only happened about a hour and a half from me, plus the aduction rape 2 months ago in a parking lot at 10 in the morning...it is sounding pretty durn good to me right now.

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Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard

I want Automatics/I'm in total fav of them, Reason why? I want to make damn sure if anyone is hurting my children I'm NOT stuck trying to load another bullet in a gun while hes KILLING my child. Or if I shoot and they shoot back with a Auto ,I'm NOT the one loading up a bullet.

People will ALWAYS be able to get guns, Semi's, Single shot,It really doesn't matter. If a Person really wanted to harm someone OR Protect themselves, They will get what is Outlawed.

What happen in VA was horrible,however, removing Automatics wouldn't have stopped it. If he had killing in his heart then it wouldn't have made a differences if it was 1 or 33 students.His mission was to gun down as many as he could in as little time as possible... So if he had a Single shot gun and killed someone with it thats still TOO MANY....

I don;t have a answer in how this or any other killing spree can be stopped, But taking away guns ( Automatics ) from everyone , would leave for the most part the Innocent and law holding person fighting a unfair fight with a wacko who has the upper hand on a gun fight.

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Gun control may be at issue here-- automatic or not, both guns were obtained legally. I do not necessarily think that resident aliens with green cards should have the priviledge of purchasing weapons in our country. Is that the answer -- probably not, but it might be a start. Gun control is sort of like drug control. Look at all of the problems we have with illegal drugs in our country -- is control the answer. I think that guns, drugs, etc will be obtained by those who really want them, no matter what. How many crimes are committed with legal weapons? I wouldn't think the numbers are that high, but I would like to see the statistics.

The bigger issue is how do we help people who have "at risk" behavior? Perhaps one should require a psychiatric evaluation prior to purchasing a gun.........that obviously won't happen. I feel for the teacher who singled this kid out and said "you need help". He/She must feel defeated by the system. I am certain that all universities are re-examining their security now. I think it is most important to teach your children to be aware of their surroundings, of others and most importantly what to do in an emergency situation. At least if they are familiarized with the possibilities, they may be able to recall the best course of action in an emergency.

I heard one newscaster saying the odds of getting shot on a campus are less than being struck by lightening. I feel you still need to be prepared for the storm even if you aren't likely to be struck. This kind of thing happens in other countries more than you would think.

I don't think gun control laws are the answer. More laws won't prevent more tragedies. People will get guns if they want guns. Just like drugs. Just because they aren't legal doesn't mean that anyone that wants them can't get them.

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I forgot to say that I don't think "normal" people should have access to automatic weapons or war type guns. There is no need for that at all.

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I didn't read through everyones responses...BUT the bad guys will always get the guns if they want it...

Maybe not a popular opinion but how about having TEACHERS trained and armed...maybe not all of them but a few here and there around school...(noone will know who is trained and armed) Just think if one trained person had a gun the shooter could have been stopped!!

The debate over automatic and semi auto weapons is really mote.The sale and ownership of full auto weapons, which fire repeatedly with one pull of the trigger, has been covered under strict law for more than 70 years. That came about after the Thompson(tommy gun) was the weapon of choice during prohibition. Semi auto weapons, one shot for each pull of the trigger, are also covered by national law and even more closely by local law.
Gun control has proven repeatedly not to work. Think New York City, Washington DC, the state of California, the UK and Austrailia. These places have very strict gun ownership laws and also some of the worst gun crime statistics. However the numbers show that as more states provide for concealed carry permits, crime rates have dropped.
I would ask that rather than letting a news anchorman, (that doesn't have a clue what they talking about)do your thinking for you, do your own reasearch.
Laws have never stopped anyone from doing anything.

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my dh is a hunter and he does use a semi automatic gun and many who hunt do!
but my moto is that guns don't kill people, if you put that gun on the table it would never get up and kill anyone! PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE, government control is never the right thing to do, in austraila they out lawed guns and the crime rate of rapes,break-in etc has increased dramatically because the crimials know they are not going to get shot!
In March 2000, WorldNetDaily reported that since Australia's widespread gun ban, violent crime had increased in the country.

WND reported that, although lawmakers responsible for passing the ban promised a safer country, the nation's crime statistics tell a different story:

* Countrywide, homicides are up 3.2 percent.
* Assaults are up 8.6 percent.
* Amazingly, armed robberies have climbed nearly 45 percent.
* In the Australian state of Victoria, gun homicides have climbed 300 percent.
* In the 25 years before the gun bans, crime in Australia had been dropping steadily.
* There has been a reported "dramatic increase" in home burglaries and assaults on the elderly.

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Tightening gun laws will only make it more difficult for people who want to legally obtain guns. If someone really wants to get a gun and doesn't care about the law, there will always be ways for them to get it.

In the case of the VT shooter, the guns were obtained legally and the shooter had no criminal background. Many think that the laws should be tightened in Virginia since they have some of the most lenient laws. However, even a waiting period (like they have in many states), probably would not have made much of a difference in this case.

What happend at VT is unfortunate, but I don't think tougher gun laws would have made a difference unless there was some kind of psychologial evaluation.

Sarah......mom to Jason & Devin

It's my understanding that the gun laws in Virginia are not so lenient as they are intelligent. I believe that ownership of a gun by law abiding citizens is easy, however using a gun in a crime adds a significant number of years to a sentence that are non pleable. Meaning those years are non negotiable and will be served regardless of, plea barganing, good behavior, time served and what not.

One poster mentioned that nobody needs a full or semi auto weapon. My response would be that nobody needs a Corvette or Harley Davidson. We could all drive Yugos or ride mass transit and get to work just fine. It's a matter of personal choice.
If you chose to be unarmed that is your choice. I chose to be armed because it is my choice.

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If you out-law guns then only the outlaws will have them


I believe in my right to bear arms, which is probably why we are lifetime members of the N.R.A.. I do agree that some types of guns are not suitable for anyone other than police or military. I wonder why no one was up in arms a few months ago when the student drove his S.U.V. through the crowd of students? Where are the SUV protests???

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Anyone who wants guns will get them, no matter what kind. Why should "normal" people not be able to obtain these weapons because of the nuts out there. Maybe if someone "normal" had a gun on their person 32 people would not have been killed. There is something to be said for the right to bear arms.!

OMG, NO!!!! Teachers can be just as psychotic and unstable as anyone else. Not to mention, what if a student found out the teacher had a gun, and wrestled him to the ground for it??? I know what you are meaning, tho. I would vote for a "classroom marshall" (???), like a sky marshall, but, in the class room??? But, they have security on campuses already, right??? I just don't think you can police or control all situations. The best defense, IMO, is to be aware of your surroundings, and use your best judgement.

I don't really have an opinion on gun control, but, I have a funny story to share I was 8 months pregnant, and DH decided I needed to have a gun in the house. Not just any gun, oh no........., a 12 gauge shot gun!! Good grief, he even wanted to take me to fire this thing!!! I said "good grief, I'll be on my a%* honey". I can not imagine shooting that thing. DH said just the sound of me cocking it would scare someone off. We got rid of the gun, btw

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[quote=mrk11118;2787127]If you out-law guns then only the outlaws will have them

QUOTE]



Exactly, laws are only for law obiding citizens. Those who want it can get it and THOSE are the ones you need to watch out for, more laws won't help.

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You can not have a officer or a security guard in every classroom....its just doesn't make sense. You can't control every situation in life sometimes its just unfortunately"wrong place, wrong time".

Oh and I am sure you would have been able to control that shotgun if you had too...LOL!!!

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Vicki


TLJ Women united in Spirit!

We don't need better gun laws, we need better mental health laws!

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Typically, it's not the LPR's who are using guns for ill, it's the people who came into the US packed like sardines in a box truck. Becoming legal in the US means that the government knows all sorts of things about you. I agree that this problem has more to do with mental health laws than gun laws.

I agree with you completely....just like getting illegal drugs....the criminals will get guns illegally....Gun control is NOT the answer....Sheri

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For the poster who thought I was letting a TV anchorperson do my thinking for me HOW ABOUT NO!!!!!!! Just for the record here I have been anti-gun for at least 18 years now. My son's father was shot and killed in front of our apartment before my son was even born almost 19 years ago now. So my gun control issues don't JUST apply here. I truely believe part of the answer here is getting rid of the automatic and semi-automatic guns. I believe a LOT LESS people would have died. I have lived without a gun my whole life and have not needed one. I was inside my apartment when my boyfriend was shot. Probably the ONLY reason I am even here today!! Yes, I also believe that people kill people not guns kill people, but let's face it, it would be REALLY DIFFICULT to kill 32 people with a knife. I don't know what the exact answer here is, but I seriously think laws need to change. This senseless killing needs to stop.

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WOW, Crzy4cpns

That is really so sad and shocking! I don't think you were the person she was referring to about getting your info from the TV anchorperson, though. I think they were referring to a comment Bobswife made in post #7.

I'm sorry about your experience. I'm glad you've been inspired to take the stand that you do. And I agree with your message completely.

This is the point that I was trying to make....this kid at VT, the Columbine killers, etc are not "normal" criminals/thugs and probably would not go to lengths required to get auto/semi-auto weapons. Not having legal access to these types of weapons could limit the damage they are able to inflict when they snap. Gun control for this type of weapons is not a panacea; it would not stop violence, but it could reduce the impact of some of it.

cj/

Virginia doesn't need better gun laws. Like others have said, Cho would have gotten the guns one way or the other. The criminals will always find a way to get guns. We need guns to protect ourselves from the 'crazies'. My DH has a concealed carry permit. He carries it all the time. It wasn't long ago there was a debate on the Virginia Tech campus concerning students/professors being allowed to carry weapons on school property. Had a professor or someone had a concealed weapon Monday, maybe we wouldn't have 32 dead today and many others seriously wounded.

And had Cho been committed to St. Albans as was recommended and the judge decided instead to have him have outpatient care, then there might have been a different outcome. He lied on his checklist questionnaire about mental illness and since he had not been committed, there was nothing on his record that came back to cause him to be refused the gun when he went to the gun dealer. My husband actually knows the owner and buys all his guns, ammunition at the gun shop where Cho bought his gun. It's a very reputable dealership and the owner and employees are all very responsible, law-abiding men. I know this must be very hard for them.