We need an armed guard on every firetruck

[regexcellent]

Why are you all so worried about mentally ill people with guns? The vast majority of gun crime consists of people settling disputes (especially over drugs and turf) and botched robberies/muggings/carjackings/burglaries.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Probably has a bit to do with nutcases who like to prove a point by taking people out en masse in areas which typically are considered "safe" e.g. elementary schools, movie theaters, suburban shopping malls, etc. Your vast majority of gun crimes typically involve peasants shooting other peasants in peasant areas of town. In a large number of major metropolitan areas, the "safest" areas have a fraction of a percent of the serious crime levels in the least safe areas.

[Kidlicious]

Why are you all so worried about mentally ill people with guns? The vast majority of gun crime consists of people settling disputes (especially over drugs and turf) and botched robberies/muggings/carjackings/burglaries.

And you think it's not crazy to shoot people for burning you on some drugs?

[Dinner]

Getting guns out of the hands of crazy people is a give me especially since a large percentage of the criminals who commit violent crimes are actually mentally ill. This goes hand in hand with greater access to mental health care so that these nutters can get the medication they need as well as be kept from harming normal people. NPR just had a post-Sandy report how some 3/4ths of violent offenders in prison are on anti-psychotics. We have a massive mental health problem in the country and the least mentally stable people are getting their hands of guns causing most of the crimes. That must stop even if Bezerker is upset that he might not be able to jizz his pants as often from firing off rounds.

[kentonio]

An outright ban or buyback would probably drive people to sell their guns on the black market at huge profit margins and therefore would probably be counterproductive, especially in the short term.

No, no it wouldn't. Very few people spend their time hanging around the kind of people who would buy black market guns, and even fewer would risk a jail sentence for a few extra dollars.

Why are you all so worried about mentally ill people with guns? The vast majority of gun crime consists of people settling disputes (especially over drugs and turf) and botched robberies/muggings/carjackings/burglaries.

Cite please.

[Hauldren Collider]

No, no it wouldn't. Very few people spend their time hanging around the kind of people who would buy black market guns, and even fewer would risk a jail sentence for a few extra dollars.

Cite please.

Am I the only one who sees irony and is bothered by this juxtaposition?

[kentonio]

Am I the only one who sees irony and is bothered by this juxtaposition?

You think a cite is needed for a majority of people not being criminals or being willing to accept a possible jail sentence for a relatively small financial goal?

[MrFun]

Drunk driving used to mean a cop arrested you with probable cause, enough visual evidence of impairment. People with plenty of experience driving under the influence (of anything) without priors aint much of a problem and dont deserve the extraordinary hassle of a DUI conviction without it.

And one day, a drunk driver with no incidents/accidents before when driving drunk, suddenly has his luck run out, and kills a ten year old riding a bicycle.

[Kidlicious]

People with plenty of experience driving under the influence belong in jail.

[Krill]

Vaguely interesting for those that have no experience of mental health treatment.

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/24/psych-central-responds-to-nra-on-the-sandy-hook-tragedy/

[regexcellent]

You think a cite is needed for a majority of people not being criminals or being willing to accept a possible jail sentence for a relatively small financial goal?

You think a cite is needed for most murderers a) not being mentally ill and b) being mainly composed of people who know each other resolving disputes, gang turf wars, and botched property crimes?

[kentonio]

You think a cite is needed for most murderers a) not being mentally ill and b) being mainly composed of people who know each other resolving disputes, gang turf wars, and botched property crimes?

A cite is most definitely needed for b).

*EDIT: I've just noticed you slightly changed emphasis from..

The vast majority of gun crime consists of people settling disputes (especially over drugs and turf) and botched robberies/muggings/carjackings/burglaries.

Which sounded like you were claiming most gun murders were gang/robbery related.

[Berzerker]

You just convinced every reasonable person never to vote libertarian.

I've been doing a good job

Because we don't want to get shot by someone who is mentally ill and could have impaired judgment.

Dont you mean crazy murdering bastards? There's plenty of mentally ill people with impaired judgement you'll have to weed out if you're gonna Minority Report the country.

Getting guns out of the hands of crazy people is a give me especially since a large percentage of the criminals who commit violent crimes are actually mentally ill. This goes hand in hand with greater access to mental health care so that these nutters can get the medication they need as well as be kept from harming normal people. NPR just had a post-Sandy report how some 3/4ths of violent offenders in prison are on anti-psychotics. We have a massive mental health problem in the country and the least mentally stable people are getting their hands of guns causing most of the crimes. That must stop even if Bezerker is upset that he might not be able to jizz his pants as often from firing off rounds.

So innocent until proven guilty doesn't apply when guilt by association is the law of the land? Y'all didn't explain how you can do that to people without dumping all over those constitutional protections you want for yourselves. The only gun we got around here is an old cheap 1 shot 20 gauge with a trigger lock on it and no key - and I dont know where it is. I'd feel more competent defending the castle with golf clubs & balls.

[giblets]

Dont you mean crazy murdering bastards? There's plenty of mentally ill people with impaired judgement you'll have to weed out if you're gonna Minority Report the country.

So if I don't have a comprehensive list of all the mentally unstable people in the country then I should allow people who are known to be mentally unstable to obtain firearms? I'm sorry but that doesn't make a lot of sense.

[Berzerker]

And one day, a drunk driver with no incidents/accidents before when driving drunk, suddenly has his luck run out, and kills a ten year old riding a bicycle.

Drunk driving is and should be illegal

So if I don't have a comprehensive list of all the mentally unstable people in the country then I should allow people who are known to be mentally unstable to obtain firearms? I'm sorry but that doesn't make a lot of sense.

yes, the "mentally unstable" have the same rights as you