Federal Assault Weapons Ban-opinions/gun laws in other nations?

[Aimee4311]

I'm wondering what people's opinions are on the possible renewal of the assault weapon ban in America.

I'm also curious about the gun laws in other countries, and since I know there are women on here from all over the world, I thought people could help me out.

Personally, I am a proponent of people owning and enjoying guns. I enjoy shooting all types of guns- rifles, shotguns, and handguns, and I own a couple of each. I'll be getting my concealed handgun license very shortly.

I do not think assault weapons should be banned. I believe it should be more difficult to purchase them- a waiting period and a more in depth background check that actually shows if there is a history of mental illness or instability.

Currently, many states do not release the information on its mentally ill citizens to the FBI for the background checks. Also, current federal law does not require states to submit the list of people convicted of domestic violence for the FBI database. Basically the whole background check system
needs to have the holes filled in so unstable and/or violent people cannot purchase them.

Each time I've bought guns, I walk in, fill out a background check authorization form, and then have walked out with my gun 10 minutes later when my background is shown to be clean. Easy and convenient for me! But it definitely needs to be more thorough.

I have more to say about this issue, and I'm hoping others will have an opinion as well. I'd like to hear it!

 

[tina3747]

Why on earth do you need an assault rifle??

I'm scratching my head at the average US person needing a gun but an automatic weapon?!

 

[Nibblenic]

I think it is absolutely crazy for anyone who isnt fighting in a war to need an assault weapon. Even our police officers dont carry guns as standard in the UK and only very few have the types of guns you descibe and yet again they are not carried as standard just on certain type of call outs
Surely if you want to shoot for enjoyment you can go do it in a gun range. Im in the UK were people still do shooting for enjoyment and as a hobby. It is extreamly controlled though.

Ive read a few of these threads spread across the forum and find the views in the USA on guns very strange. This whole guns dont kill people, people do. Well im sorry but the gun helps! There is no way to kill that many people in that sort of time any other way without future planning or breaking the law by making a weapon such as a bomb.

Also I believe these myths that if you make guns illegal it is only the law abiding that then dont have a gun or defense against the bad people. In the UK there is very little gun crime. Most 'bad people' tend to carry knives. Which are also illegal here in some ways, obviously not knives for kitchen purposes. Now im not saying we dont have violent crime here we do. People being stabbed is becoming far to common place. However you can not stab 27 people in a few minutes you have to be in close proximity and are more easily disarmed. You are also more likely to survive a stabbing rather than a shooting.

As for defense of our homes. Very few people have a gun licence very few burglars carry a weapon. Infact and this may surprise you people in this country as prosecuted for hurting people who break into their property for using unreasonable force. It doesnt happen often but does happen.

I honestly do not know what the security is like for you primary schools. However this is how it works where i live. We have an extreamly low crime rate where I live and a small population. To get into my daughters primary school you have to be buzzed into a electronic metal gate. Once in the yard you have to be buzzed into the school itself. Then again you have to have either a pass or be buzzed in to get to the area where the class rooms are. Then there are extensive corridors before reaching the classrooms.

In the UK we had a similar shooting to the horrific event you had just had it was called Dumblane if you want to google. It was then were gun became very tightly controlled an were made illegal. Yes we have had other shooting since and 'mad men' raiding someones guns but it is so very rare and rarely are the people hurt wither not known to the shooter or a member of the police force.

Guns are just no longer a part of our lives. I live very rurally and when i was young like yourself we had family parts where we would do shooting etc and enjoy it. This was before Dumblane the the controls. We as a nation we more than willing to give up our enjoyment of guns to protect the larger population and show that those young peoples loves were not lost for naught.

I really do hope you can have a cultural change in the USA with your attitude towards guns and look closely how countries like the UK work. We are far from perfect but we arent scared your children will be shot when they are 6 years old and learning in school.
IT has happened twice in the last almost 30 years one in 1987 and Dumblane in 1996 and has not happened since.
You might think you need these things, you might get huge enjoyment out of it. But there are 100 if not thousands of people having their lives destroyed by guns. Surely you can give up that enjoyment to save these horrific mass executions?

 

[Kess]

I think the US gun laws are mad, personally. The stats on gun-related crime speak for themselves, and when you add in the 50 gun massacres in the last 25 years (that's an average of 2 EVERY YEAR!) I'm really amazed nothing much has been done before now tbh. 82% of the guns used in those massacres were legal btw.

I also think of all the countries to have a gun love affair, the US is probably most likely (of developed nations anyway) to have problems arising from it - the lack of a good healthcare system and such a limited economic safety net, plus more race relation issues than I think there are in other countries, and quite a right-wing culture in general, means an awful lot of people are sort of pushed out of society in such a way as to probably make them angry.

I was saying to DH I couldn't understand how anyone could go and kill a bunch of random people like that, and he said, Well, imagine if you had lost your job due to the economic policies and laws favouring big businesses and there was little safety net, and your child/spouse was going to die of a completely treatable condition because you can't afford it. I though, If I'd been taught all my life that guns were no big deal, and that guns were good against bad people - like burglars and attackers, but in my head the employers/government/society at large are now "bad people" as they are not saving my dying spouse/child or helping us get food or a roof over our heads, and the culture almost glamourises mass shooters, and I can go ahead with something homicidal without much effort or time to think since I own a gun already... well... actually I still can't imagine ME killing people, but someone who has any violent tendencies at all?

The problem with background checks etc is they're a bit like CRBs, they don't show anything that hasn't come to light yet. And in a country with no free health care, I imagine a lot of people with mental health difficulties don't seek treatment, and of course in any criminal justice system you only get a criminal record if/once you're incompetent/unlucky/prolific enough to get caught.

I like the Japanese system. To get a gun in Japan you need to prove you ARE stable and sensible, rather than the US system where it is assumed you can have one unless they have proof you AREN'T. You have to have a mental health assessment, pass a test, keep the gun and ammo locked seperately in your home, and go back for reassessment every so often to retain your license. Many types of gun you can't get at all there.

 

[Andypanda6570]

I am in New York and we have probably the most stricter laws of all the states. Don't think our right to own a gun should ever be taken away, but there is NO reason NONE for anyone other than Law Enforcement in my opinion to own an assault weapon. I pray there are banned from anyone buying them owning them or shooting them/ Things need to change and those 26 babies-people are leading our way to do this, their deaths should be an example and an inspiration, they are heros. Mental health checks should be applied for anyone wanting to own a regular firearm , rigorous background checks and also think training should be provided . It has to stop now, we can still have our rights and be safe in the process. There is NO reason for anyone to own these deadly weapons, except people who protect the public. When the constitution was written it did not take into consideration the new world the today world . I am all for gun control and I just know this is going to pass into law and I am so happy about it.

 

[lozzy21]

Unless you go hunting or enjoy shooting as a sport at a gun range i dont understand at all why you want a gun? I dont think the general population should be allowed to have hand guns at all and the only hunting rifle's allowed should be single shot ones. Anything else is nothing short of a pissing contest.

You can have to pass test after test to get a gun but correct me if im wrong didnt the bloke in the recent shooting break into his mothers home, steal the guns and then shoot her dead? How would tighter restrictions have prevented that apart from the guns being illegal in the first place?

I am not against guns, i went out with family friends when i was younger and shot rabbits ( to cull and eat, not just for fun) I was also in the army cadets so shot at target ranges but to have one just for the sake of having one is irresponsible.

 

[Natsku]

I think assault weapons should be restricted to gun ranges, not allowed to the general public to keep at home. There is no reason why someone would need an assault weapon.

I live in Finland and there are a lot of guns around here. Estimates range from 32 guns per 100 people to 56 guns per 100 people (the larger estimate includes illegal guns such as ones captured during WWII)
You have to apply for a license to own a gun and then a separate license for each gun you then buy. You have to give a valid reason for own a gun (self-defence is not a valid reason, its things like hunting, sport, collection etc.) and after getting the gun you need to prove that you are sticking to the reason (references from shooting clubs, hunting clubs etc.) and there is an extensive background check done from police records (as far as I know there's no background check into mental health records which has caused some issues in the last few years). The license can be cancelled for reckless behaviour or mental health issues occuring after getting the license.

At the moment anyone over 15 can get a gun (15-18 requires permission from their parents) but that might change with EU laws.

There isn't too much gun crime here. There has been some school shootings in recent years which almost led to changes in the law. 14% of homocides are caused by firearms which is much much less than in the US which I think is probably to do with the stricter rules on guns (you can't carry them except for transporting them to the gun range or to hunting and they have to be stored locked away or with vital parts removed) as well as the fact that there's just less crime in general over here (more to do with poverty levels and the criminal justice system I think)

 

[Aimee4311]

Interesting points, I've already learned a lot. I am not against tightening the laws to make it more difficult to obtain guns. I think the Japanese idea that you have to prove yourself mentally fit enough to own a gun sounds fair. We have to prove ourselves fit enough to drive a car, why not to own a gun?

One other thing I wanted to clarify is that the assault rifles you can buy legally are not automatic weapons. They are semi auto, which means 1 trigger pull, 1 bullet.

One person asked why own an assault rifle? I guess because it is different. My husband and I own one and love shooting it!

For us shooting is a hobby, though I guess you would also call us collectors. We like getting new types of guns we don't already own, just like anyone who collects things does.

 

[Natsku]

I'd like to own guns as well (would love to learn to hunt) and really like shooting assault rifles but I think for the case of safety its best to keep them in gun ranges (although you are allowed automatic weapons here for the purpose of collecting them but I think that means you're not allowed to shoot them)

 

[Strike]

In Canada one has to have a license prior to buying a firearm. And there is an extra license if one wants to buy a restricted weapon like an AR-15.

Now, these weapons are NOT fully automatic and that is ILLEGAL.

My husband owns an unrestricted rifle and is planning to buy me a Sig Sauer very soon.

Do we hunt? No. But we do love to target shoot. I'm also in the military and would love to go shooting a lot more than I get to at work. I find target shooting is actually a very calming influence. In order to do it well you have to concentrate, control your breathing and emotions.

Anyway, the security check is done when one applies for the initial licenses (after taking a course) and we have very strict laws on storage and transportation of weapons.

Pretty sure Canada has more weapons than people.

Final point - we all seem to forget that the same day of the Newtown shooting, 22 children were stabbed and killed by a man wielding a knife in China. There are crazy people out there and, if they really want to do harm they will find a way.

 

[CMarie]

I live in Canada and I honestly struggle to understand this fascination so many people have with guns. I've never shot one nor do I ever plan on shooting one, and I definitely agree that assault rifles shouldn't be available to the general public. A hand gun sure, but even with those I agree that there needs to be a much more strict process to get access to.

 

[Tasha]

In Canada one has to have a license prior to buying a firearm. And there is an extra license if one wants to buy a restricted weapon like an AR-15.

Now, these weapons are NOT fully automatic and that is ILLEGAL.

My husband owns an unrestricted rifle and is planning to buy me a Sig Sauer very soon.

Do we hunt? No. But we do love to target shoot. I'm also in the military and would love to go shooting a lot more than I get to at work. I find target shooting is actually a very calming influence. In order to do it well you have to concentrate, control your breathing and emotions.

Anyway, the security check is done when one applies for the initial licenses (after taking a course) and we have very strict laws on storage and transportation of weapons.

Pretty sure Canada has more weapons than people.

Final point - we all seem to forget that the same day of the Newtown shooting, 22 children were stabbed and killed by a man wielding a knife in China. There are crazy people out there and, if they really want to do harm they will find a way.

Bolded part is true, and it is very tragic. Those twenty-two children's (and their families) lives will be changed forever. But for me it shows why the gun laws need to be tighter, none of them died that day, even though a crazy man attacked them. The damage a gun can do is greater in a shorter amount of time and with more ease, IMO.

 

[staralfur]

As Tasha said, those kids in China were NOT killed. It's tragic either way but IMO makes a very strong case against guns and the quick damage that they are capable of doing.

Like most in this thread I see no reason for any civilian to own an assault rifle. Given the gun culture in America however, I might feel safer owning a handgun if I lived there. Simply because so many other people do. Living in Canada I do not feel unsafe without a gun and will never own one.

 

[Aimee4311]

This article was recommended to me by a friend. It is a bit long- took me about 10 minutes to read. But I think it brings up issues worth considering.

https://kontradictions.wordpress.co...ew-the-assault-weapons-ban-well-ill-tell-you/

 

[TriChick]

As Tasha said, those kids in China were NOT killed. It's tragic either way but IMO makes a very strong case against guns and the quick damage that they are capable of doing.

Like most in this thread I see no reason for any civilian to own an assault rifle. Given the gun culture in America however, I might feel safer owning a handgun if I lived there. Simply because so many other people do. Living in Canada I do not feel unsafe without a gun and will never own one.

I've had to correct many people on this as well in the past few weeks. Fortunately, the man in China was subdued before he could inflict any fatal injuries. The same would probably not be said if he had a rifle.