Re: Guns and crime: The rate of both homicides and shootings has been dramatically decreasing in the U.S. forlorne Dec 18, 07:46

What do you mean "all of the recent mass shootings have taken place specifically where firearms are banned". It's clearly legal to own RogerMore Dec 18, 08:52

specifically, the schools, the particular theater, and the shopping mall all banned firearms, including those with forlorne Dec 18, 11:56

I don't think it's very pragmatic to have loaded firearms in places where there are lots of children - like schools, or theatres. RogerMore Dec 18, 13:07

An interesting article from Ezra Klein of the Washington Post. He addresses Switzerland in a correction piece also linked. Paul2k Dec 18, 09:02

More American Stupidity - richest country in the world - and no Universal HealthCare for its citizens - Pathetic. {nm} RotoHockeyYTD2012 Dec 18, 15:13

From wikipedia, crime statistics and gun violence statistics for the U.S. Paul2k Dec 18, 10:38

I'm a pragmatist. It seems abundantly clear laws do not keep guns away from criminals, and random mental illness will always be with us. forlorne Dec 18, 11:58

Hmm. Laws do not keep guns away from ciminals? While that is true, from my perspective, it seems to be the wrong way of looking at it. Paul2k Dec 18, 13:53

Yesterday, someone pulled out a gun at a theater and started shooting. They got one shot off, and someone who had a gun dropped them. forlorne Dec 18, 11:59

That someone was an law enforcement officer, not some random citizen. {nm} Antibody Dec 18, 12:02

Pure luck. In his absence, a responsibly armed citizen would have been the next best thing. {nm} edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 18, 14:51

Since I'm not a gun owner and thus haven't received training that I assume comes with earning a permit, does anyone know how Paul2k Dec 18, 15:11

Requirements vary by state. Some requre yearly yearly renewal, some measure of performance. Others, probably just paperwork. edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 18, 15:40

It's good to hear that the people you know do treat their CCW permits with such seriousness and gravity. One hopes that all others Paul2k Dec 18, 15:47

here are a few answers for you... RazorHawk Dec 18, 18:44

Thanks - it's interesting to see perspectives like this. {nm} RogerMore Dec 18, 19:37

Thank you for taking hte time to explain your situation and experience with guns. It gives me better understanding and context Paul2k Dec 18, 19:39

the reason the proficiency requirement was dropped... RazorHawk Dec 18, 20:27

It would be foolhardy to assume an untrained civilian would get the exact same result. He could have just as well shoot innocent bystanders Antibody Dec 18, 19:43

Waiting for popo is what gets people killed. They can't protect you when bullets start flying. That shooter might have taken out a dozen edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 19, 02:30

Assumptions again. A wild wild west shootout could result in additional victims from an untrained civilians.. {nm} Antibody Dec 19, 08:59

Your assumption. Connecticut, say: your assumption is that responsible CCW holder would have blundered into accidentally killing 27 edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 19, 10:06

(scratch 27; make that 26) {nm} edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 19, 10:15

You get things like this happening with trained police officers. RogerMore Dec 19, 10:50

Dunno. But, any claim that a CCW holder is likely to have made that situation worse, defies logic. In the meantime, people died while the edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 19, 11:04

I just provided an example of where involvement by trained police officers caused the unintended injury of eight people RogerMore Dec 19, 11:46

You have convinced me that some police officers are so poorly trained, that some private citizens must surely be better. But, seriously, edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 19, 16:50

Aw man, a whole book? Isn't there some sort of Cliff's Notes? I'd like to know why he think rates of gun deaths and gun homicides RogerMore Dec 19, 20:46

I think you may find that edzep - Port Monkey! Dec 20, 04:08

I was reading his blog last night, and it doesn't give me a lot of confidence. RogerMore Dec 20, 07:18

Yes, I'm making another assumption to counter your assumption. {nm} Antibody Dec 19, 11:53

Learning how to shoot is not difficult. It requires time and patience. You put too much credit in with the govt {nm} websch01ar Dec 20, 05:42

Again, I must say that the best way to curb these mass killings to limit the fire power. There's absolutely no reason for assault rifles... elchan Dec 18, 20:21

Largest massacre at a school ever didn't even involve guns. Eight pistols or even a good sword could have had same results forlorne Dec 19, 06:02

If you're talking about this one, it was 85 years ago and involved explosives. Are there controls on who can buy explosives? RogerMore Dec 19, 08:23

If explosive regulation is so effective, why are we so afraid of terrorists? {nm} Scorpion Dec 19, 21:40

Why would we use peoples' feelings to measure the effectiveness of regulation? {nm} RogerMore Dec 20, 07:25

My point is that you cant' keep explosives out of a determined persons hands with regulation. Why would guns be different? Scorpion Dec 20, 10:30

I'm seriously tired of seeing the same bad arguments repeated over and over again. My last post on this issue for a while is inside. RogerMore Dec 20, 13:58

Bad arguments, or just ones you don't want to accept? Scorpion Dec 20, 17:04

Heh - I probably shouldn't have checked in on Life board today. But anyway... RogerMore Dec 21, 13:31