American Gun Laws,i just don't get it (Aurora Cinema shootings)

[BSM1]

They are legal for civilians to own, but it requires a special license. I even looked into getting one in order to acquire
a Lewis Gun for museum display, but it was a spendy proposition, & my money had better use elsewhere. BTW, kudos
for knowing the definition of "assault rifle", which is entirely lost in the media, who call dang near everything that.

Wasn't considering collectors, but you're right. Glad you caught me on this instead of some liberal apologist.

 

[Revoltingest]

Wasn't considering collectors, but you're right. Glad you caught me on this instead of some liberal apologist.

Hey! I'm a libreral (classical/Jeffersonian) apologist!
But one needn't be a collector to get such a license.

 

[tumbleweed41]

When I lived in the UK, I owned a licensed shotgun that was stored at the Rod and Gun Club armory. (I used to skeet competitively) And I had no problem with British gun laws.

However, as an American, I would not like to see such restrictive laws here. Although I would like to see a bit more regulation concerning purchases and registration.

This may not have stopped the tragedy in Aurora, (see gun laws in the Netherlands and the shooting there last year) but it would make it a little harder to poses guns for criminal purposes.

 

[Cassiopia]

Stop the American bashing! If your not an American I don't care what you say about our gun laws. This is a time of mourning not a time to criticize what you don't like about us!

Nobody has been bashing America or Americans in this thread as far as I can see.
There has been criticism of the gun laws and I have said that I think the gun culture in America is crazy. That is my opinion. It does not mean I have any dislike of America or Americans as a whole.
(I have also said that given the situation being as it is I think it is right that all American citizens have the right to carry one weapon for self protection. If I lived there I would want to do that and I would learn how to use it properly).

It is indeed a time of mourning. But all times of mourning are times of reflection where important lessons can be learned.

Seriously, any decent shot that had a concealed weapons liscence could of gotten him down.

In this case, considering that he released tear gas and was in a darkened theater thrust into panic and confusion as soon as the shooting started; I doubt it.

Do you honestly believe that in America it is legal to kill 12 people and injure more than 60?

Your above quoted post sure makes it appear that you do.

I didn't read it that way and I'm sure that was not the intended meaning.

 

[Vinayaka]

Comparing the US to European countries isn't fair culturally. Europeans aren't a few generations removed from living on the frontier of an unexplored continent. The social and cultural zeitgeist is different. The biggest difference between them and we Canadians is that we adhered to the British model during the colinization of the country, while they forged their own.

Fair enough, but we still see the results of those early decisions, and there is some cross border influence, too much for me anyway, in this aspect of life.

 

[Wirey]

Fair enough, but we still see the results of those early decisions, and there is some cross border influence, too much for me anyway, in this aspect of life.

A lot of that, ironically, is through movies and other media. Canadians watch a lot of US programming, and those guys love resolving problems with guns. It's leaching into our society. If you're Canadian, try this:

Who is Betsy Ross? Who is Dwight Eisenhower? Who is John Adams?

Who is George deSalaberry? Who is Arthur Currie? Who is Alexander Mackenzie?

I'll bet that most Canadians get more correct on the first three than the second. And I'll bet that 95% of them never heard of deSalaberry, and he's the reason we have a maple leaf on our flag. American cultural influence is gradually absorbing us.

 

[Vinayaka]

A lot of that, ironically, is through movies and other media. Canadians watch a lot of US programming, and those guys love resolving problems with guns. It's leaching into our society. If you're Canadian, try this:

Who is Betsy Ross? Who is Dwight Eisenhower? Who is John Adams?

Who is George deSalaberry? Who is Arthur Currie? Who is Alexander Mackenzie?

I'll bet that most Canadians get more correct on the first three than the second. And I'll bet that 95% of them never heard of deSalaberry, and he's the reason we have a maple leaf on our flag. American cultural influence is gradually absorbing us.

Yes, and sadly, the Toronto shootings were a particularly disturbing example. I grew up on a farm, and out there, sure we had guns, lots of them. No handguns, just 22s shotguns, and rifles. I killed one deer at about age 16, because that was in the family tradition. After that brutality, I sold the gun to my cousin. But safety was foremost in our minds, and that's way different than what happens in cities.

 

[England my lionheart]

This guy broke a number of laws when he did this. Why would he care about a law restricting or banning guns? He obviously didn't care about laws against killing people, so how would anti-gun laws have stopped him? Guns were merely his weapon of choice, I can go down to home depot and pick up enough supplies to take down the whole theater in minutes, does that mean floor cleaner should be illegal? Anything can be turned into a weapon, banning certain weapons isn't going to stop crime or even limit casualties. If he wanted to kill a dozen people, he was going to kill a dozen people, guns had nothing to do with it. Actually, he probably wanted to kill more than a dozen but apparently his aim was off.

According to the news he managed to hit 71 people with 10 dying at the scene,of course there are many things one can use as a weapon but most do not have the ease of use that a firearm has and for a coward like Holmes its ideal.

I was not suggesting that there should be a ban but that there should be restrictions on what a person can have at home and an AR-15 assault Rifle is a gun too far IMO.

 

[England my lionheart]

Concur. And if those guns were illegal, think he could get them anyway?

Sure you could buy Guns on the black market but this Guy had no need to.

 

[McBell]

According to the news he managed to hit 71 people with 10 dying at the scene,of course there are many things one can use as a weapon but most do not have the ease of use that a firearm has and for a coward like Holmes its ideal.

I was not suggesting that there should be a ban but that there should be restrictions on what a person can have at home and an AR-15 assault Rifle is a gun too far IMO.

AR-15
Assault Rifle

 

[McBell]

Sure you could buy Guns on the black market but this Guy had no need to.

Which means what?

 

[Father Heathen]

There are a lot of stabbings in the U.K., so why hasn't their government banned knives and replaced them with plastic sporks?

 

[England my lionheart]

Stop the American bashing! If your not an American I don't care what you say about our gun laws. This is a time of mourning not a time to criticize what you don't like about us!

Can you point out where the post bashing America is then we can discuss.


Exactly, gun laws would not stop him.

Your right,they just helped him along the way.


Of course he could, there are Ak's, AR15's, M16's, and all kinds of submacine guns and pistols on the american black market.

Let's be glad the guy didnt have a fully auto, which does require a permit. To get an AR15 one does not need a permit though. Semi-auto assault rifle, pull once per shot.

Or better yet if someone was armed in the theater... read below:


Seriously, any decent shot that had a concealed weapons liscence could of gotten him down.

Even for a professional i very much doubt it,a dark smoke filled theatre would more likely result in even more casualties.

 

[England my lionheart]

Which means what?

He bought them from a shop,legally.

 

[England my lionheart]

AR-15
Assault Rifle

Nice facepalm Mes,now put it into words

 

[McBell]

He bought them from a shop,legally.

so?

Perhaps you have some sort of point that this fact helps out...?

 

[England my lionheart]

There are a lot of stabbings in the U.K., so why hasn't their government banned knives and replaced them with plastic sporks?

Common FH have you ever eaten a Rump steak with just a fork,anyway it is illegal to carry a knife which carries a sentence of 4 years even if its not used.

 

[McBell]

Nice facepalm Mes,now put it into words

would it help to know that I put two links in the post you quoted?
Would it help to know that an AR-15 is NOT an assault rifle?

 

[England my lionheart]

so?

Perhaps you have some sort of point that this fact helps out...?

I would say ease of access,i couldn't go into a Gun shop in the UK and say hi,i would like to buy two Glock handguns,an AR-15 and a twelve gauge shotgun and oh i guess i'll need a couple of thousand rounds of ammunition to go.

 

[England my lionheart]

would it help to know that I put two links in the post you quoted?
Would it help to know that an AR-15 is NOT an assault rifle?

Does that really matter to the 71 people.