Guns in the news again this week as--

[catsittingstill]

Two students shot by accident.  One in critical condition, the other may be released from the hospital this week.

More here.

Comments

[boywizard.livejournal.com]

According to an article in the current issue of Time, more than 31000 people in the US are killed by guns each year. In 2009, according to the NHTSA, 30797 people were killed in traffic accidents. Why are we not horrified by the carnage caused by firearms in our society? The Supreme Court says that the Constitution guarantees each citizen the right to bear arms, regardless of whether they belong to a militia, so we are probably stuck with that. The court has not said that restrictions can not be placed on the kind of weapons that we can bear, or on their accessories. If I fear the federal government, I would prefer to resist with a long gun rather than a handgun. If I want to defend my home from intruders, a shotgun is more effective than a Glock. Just the sound of operating the slide can deter some miscreants. If I feel the need to carry a firearm for protection in my day-to-day activities, I want it on my hip in plain view - no mugger is likely to mess with me when I am obviously armed. Concealed carry makes me nervous - I want to know who is packing, so I can decide whether I want to stay in their vicinity. Not that I think that the average gun carrier is likely to go nuts and start shooting, but accidents happen, as evidenced by this incident. The availability of 30 round clips is simply crazy; there is no rationale that justifies them unless you are police or military, and maybe not even then. BTW, why does Ohio allow concealed carry with next to no training? Police officers are required to maintain a standard of proficiency, but ordinary citizens get a free pass. I want people who carry to have to go to a range every month and fire a hundred rounds (or more) so they have some basic ability with their weapon of choice. OK, rant over.

[antinomic.livejournal.com]

Most of these deaths are crimes of passion, stupidity in anger. If a gun was not available, they would grab a knife. If not a knife, a rock. This isn't a new issue. Just the weapon of choice changes. In 2111, they will be debating on the right to carry phasers.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Um. The article I linked to was not about a crime of passion. Stupidity, yes--taking a loaded gun anywhere but a shooting range is stupid, putting a loaded gun in a backpack is profoundly stupid, bringing the backpack to school is mind-bogglingly stupid--but no passion involved.

So your argument falls apart in this case. The kid set the backpack on his desk too hard. The gun went off. The bullet passed through another boy's neck and hit a girl in the head. If the kid had had a knife, or a rock, in his backpack, everyone in the class would have been perfectly safe.

Guns don't kill people--oh, wait, sometimes they do.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the right to bear arms could be restricted to sane adults with no criminal record, the size of the clips could be limited to 12 rounds, and you could have to pass a test for gun safety to be allowed a pistol.

You know, just regular sane stuff.

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

Well, no, guns don't kill people.

It's those damned bullets</>.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

We could let everybody have all the guns they want and just control the bullets :-)

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

As I've remarked elsewhere, and recently:

If "right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be abridged" really means what it says, then dammit, I want a thermonuclear missile. I do. I want to carry around a nuclear stockpile. Because either I can have my own supply of nukes, or there is a limit to the 2nd Amendment, and we can have a conversation about what that limit is.