@Herodadotus:
While I'm not usually in favor of gun bans or extremely tight gun control, this year has shown how inept our country is about gun safety and safety in general. Why should anyone have an automatic or semi-auto weapon? And how can anyone with mental issues or in general get guns with such ease? I don't care who's guns they are, the family needs to be able to prevent the guns from reaching the hands of someone they can't trust with them.
After this year, I can't not agree that something needs to be done about gun control, especially with the background checks and auto weapons.
Speaking of mentally unbalanced people with guns, does this remind you of the Gabrielle giffords incident? I can't remember how he got his hands on a gun though, if it was issued to him or if he stole it. Either way im sure it could have been prevented.
@MDL:
i'm glad that i took the chance to try my friend's air rifle when i did (on monday),
because after learning about this horrible event i don't want to be near another gun for a long time.
Look their is a huge difference between what happened in that tragedy and what you are hinting at. Guns used for hunting, target or a legitimate special reason are ok. But full automatic weapons, pistols/large caliber (not air pistols or single shot target) and weapons that obviously have no practical use in the few reasons i mentioned above are pointless and will only be too much of a liability to hand out to the civilian population.
I myself have fired (and owned a few) several shotguns, hunting rifles, air rifles, air pistols and more, and all were used on large farmland, shooting clubs or within the confines of my property in a safe setup. They had a purpose, in in regards to the high powered hunting gear; licensed very stringently with lots of checks and a huge background clearance to boot. Also a valid reason and area that was deemed suitable for shooting.
Now admittedly it is really hard to get the guns and licenses, and continuously hard to keep, but its for a reason, and does a very good job at removing all the wannabe maniacs, leaving the decent portion of hobbyists and farmers to do their business and hardly ever result in tragedy.
I wont deny the need for guns in this modern age, i just think we have to be very stringent and watchful of the people allowed to use them.
Its not a popular film, but 'bowling for columbine with micheal moore' shed some good light of the insanity of what goes on in the states. From memory he opened a bank account and was given a free gun…..i mean what the hell is going on!