Would stricter gun control laws largely prevent incidents like the horrific elementary school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut?
- No. You cannot legislate evil. I say we strike the murder’s name from the record books and in the media. I would call them murderer #200 or whatever. My gut tells me that these people are seeking the attention they can’t get any other way. Gun control laws won’t help. Take away the potential for notoriety in committing these crimes – even if that is just the first step.
- No, not entirely. To connect existing gun regulations to all of these violent outbursts without evaluating the way our government addresses mental illness, and how our society glorifies violence, would be a mistake. It will only be through an accumulation of significant changes in all these topics that we will see these tragic events subside. I don’t think that the guns are THE problem, just wish that the gun folks would acknowledge that they are part of it.
- No, during the waiting period to purchase the mental health check should be more thorough and there should be stricter laws about storing weapons. But the purchase of firearms should remain a right of every American.
- No. People who want to commit horrific crimes will do so rather they have to break the law to get the gun, bomb making material, airplane … Only the law-abiding citizens will be affected by gun control. However, I do not see the need for any citizen to own a functioning assault weapon.
- No. The owner of those weapons should have locked them up enough so that only she could access them. No matter what the laws are, just like drugs, anyone can access dangerous weapons if they have the desire to do so.
- Unfortunately, no. People will always get a gun if they feel they need one and mentally unstable people will also find a way and a reason to use one. Having said that, lawmakers should open this discussion and revisit our amendment rights as times have definitely changed since this country was founded.
- We can certainly hope so! At least all semi-automatic and assault rifles and guns should only be sold to military, security and police. We’ll never get the amendment changed because of our history as a nation and the use of legal weapons for hunting, etc. It would be nice if there could be state/federal laws about “storing” guns and ammunition. These tragedies are horrific for families and for our nation!
- No, I don’t believe that controls will prevent such a horrific tragedy. I believe allowing open or concealed carry is much better solution. Confronting a school or building where no guns are allowed opens up unarmed citizens to attacks with no defense. If guns were allowed, the shooter in this situation may not have attacked a facility where he would be would be challenged. Read about the Bath School Disaster in 1927 where 38 elementary school children and others were killed. This was not with the use of a gun, but dynamite. Guns are not the problem, it is people and if they don’t use a gun they will find another weapon.
- It sure the hell wouldn’t hurt! Gun control may not “largely prevent” such incidents but it would most certainly reduce the carnage. Gun controls must focus on military grade assault weapons. There is no place for these in our society. The Second Amendment provides for a well regulated militia in lieu of a standing army. We have a standing army and, therefore, do not require a militia, especially an unregulated detached group of mostly untrained gun owners. Granted, some lower courts have interpreted Second Amendment gun rights for individuals self defense. However, that defense does not guarantee the right of an individual to squeeze off five rounds a second!
- That depends on what we mean by stricter gun control. This is a many-faceted problem. The Newtown schools have procedures and drills in place – should they be improved and replicated? How can we prevent a violent break-in? Gun safety is a goal: shouldn’t gun possession be licensed and require proficiency in gun safety? Stricter background checks may help prevent people with evil on their minds from buying, at least through legitimate channels. What can we do to help people who might explode in this way before they commit atrocities like this? Just as widespread cpr training has saved countless lives, is there a way to train our whole community in mental health awareness and intervention?
- NO, it was premeditated. In this case the person would have been able to get a weapon under the strictest laws because he didn’t have a previous record. Also he was determined to follow through. The bottom line with acts of violence like this anyone that wants to get a weapon, they will find a way!
