Another shooting in the US.

[Aim64C]

You can keep telling yourself that. But, the fact remains. That if you were to revolt against your government, you would be totally annihilated. There is absolutely no chance, that the general population of America would win against the Government.

Bluntly, you're talking out of your rectum.

Strategically, the U.S. military has no chance in hell of waging a war against its own civilian population.

I won't discuss specific base security issues for obvious reasons... but there aren't many bases out there that could handle a group of militants trained by members in prior and reserve/national guard service. Civilians live near and work within these bases and can run surveillance for months without being routed.

Our military dominance relies upon three key assets: Time, Targets, and a secure home field. An insurgent war carried out by civilians displeased with the U.S. government on a large scale completely undermines all of that. There are no targets until you find yourself one (and then those targets disappear as quickly as they appear), there is no time to develop joint operations (you are largely going to be stuck having to throw your closest and most ready resource at the problem... which can and will be exploited by insurgents... only have rotary wing available? ... They know, and are more than happy to greet them with copious small-arms fire and RPGs... all of which would become very plentiful in that version of America... arms dealers would flock from all corners of the earth to supply insurgents)... and ALL of your supply lines of EVERY base are now subject to strike and sabotage operations by insurgents. Loyal soldiers often live off-base... and one cannot possibly bring all family connections into the marginally better security of a base. Family members will be subject to insurgent activity.

The military would fall apart without a real fight.

Not to mention, a large number would likely join the cause. Many of the Midwestern Militia units have very strong political ties with ranking officials in the military and quite a few sympathizers within the ranks.

I'll tell you, as a member of the military... I will never follow an order that requires me to go around and collect firearms from people (or to enforce some kind of police state). It's an unlawful order, for one (and I could be punished under the UCMJ .... depending upon who ends up being the interpreting authority) - and suicide for second. The guy in the Type III NWUs walking up to your doorstep is just asking for a 12-gauge greeting through the door.

Also, I said nothing about "taking away your right to revolt". I said, that America need to fix or make new gun laws.

Because the laws in place were broken, it stands to reason that the only real solution to the problem is to create more laws.

It's times like these where I find myself hoping for a "Selection Event."

 

[Ashflura]

Money needs to be spent on helping those dealing with social and money issues from an early point. Identifying a problem early can save a bunch of lives. The fact anyone can walk around with a gun in America is pretty horrifying, when there are so many shootings per year, its depressing almost. Here in Australia, as someone pointed out, the laws are strict, but it also saves a lot more lives.

People debating don't blame the gun, blame the person - have a sound argument. But it is still a big flaw. With so many people messed up already, its best to have a military gun ban - only those through levels of trust and qualified by passing a hard test should be able to carry a gun. Only to prevent more people who do go psycho to have possession of the arms from the start.

 

[Exaar]

What a surprise. The longer the U.S clings to it's gun laws the longer this shall go on.

People say "It's the people not the gun", By this more drugs like weed should be Legal. It doesn't take a genius to know that the current Gun laws in the U.S make it to easy for your average person to get a gun and no, Stopping/Changing the gun law won't stop it completely, But it will stop some, Even if it only stops a handful of cases a year, Isn't the lives saved worth it?.

It all ok, Untill it happens to you.

 

[Aim64C]

What a surprise. The longer the U.S clings to it's gun laws the longer this shall go on.

It happens elsewhere in the world - and it's worse. There are iconic cases where, in the UK, an individual will run loose for hours with a firearm before he can be apprehended by the police (who are not equipped to handle firearms... as they are such a rare commodity). That... and the culture of Europe is different to the point where firearm related homicide is reported separately from "terrorist" activity... which is when the politically motivated gangs use firearms to kill people.

People say "It's the people not the gun", By this more drugs like weed should be Legal.

By what logic should we keep it illegal?

I'll be the first to say I do not approve of its use... but a lot of problems are caused by making it illegal. The types who currently offer the commodity are linked in with a wide range of other criminal activity (because of the "black market" nature of the commodity). A lot of the problems associated with cannabis are simply because of its illegal status.

Drugs like cocaine, however, should remain illegal. Just as civilians have no reason to be purchasing mortar rounds without being recognized by the state and issued a license for such ordnance.

It doesn't take a genius to know that the current Gun laws in the U.S make it to easy for your average person to get a gun and no, Stopping/Changing the gun law won't stop it completely, But it will stop some, Even if it only stops a handful of cases a year, Isn't the lives saved worth it?.

No.

By that logic, most people on the road should not be allowed to drive a vehicle. Public transportation is available (as is car pooling), and the number of traffic incidents a year and traffic deaths is astronomical. Only the top 10% of drivers should really be allowed to drive a vehicle. The saving of tens of thousands of lives annually in this country, alone, is worth it.

By the way - there are fewer registered vehicles on the road in this country than there are estimated firearms. Firearm homicide is 1/3 the rate of traffic death (the overwhelming majority of which involves alcohol). Statistically speaking, reducing the number of cars on the road is a much higher priority than reducing the number of firearms. Cars kill far more people per operator than firearms.

And those are only the instances where someone manages to get someone killed with their 2,000 lb missile traveling at 70 mph. There are plenty of times where the operator causes substantial financial damage to multiple families with no fatalities.

It all ok, Untill it happens to you.

I've had knives pulled on me. I suppose I should be thinking about what can be done by the government to reduce the likelihood that someone crazy will have access to a knife.

I don't expect the government to keep me safe. That's my responsibility. I have a plan to escape every room I enter, and a plan to kill anyone within sight of me under as many different situations as I can imagine within the time frame. If you're acting shifty in the airport terminal - my eye is on you, and I already have it planned out in my mind how I'll go about neutralizing you - or escaping if the threat requires it.

I'm not perfect at it... but I simply don't subscribe to the idea that the government should be keeping me safe by taking things away from people who obey the laws. If you want to keep people safe, have better training for police officers, higher standards, and better recruiting - have tax incentives or some kind of assistance for private security to bring it up to the same standards (or allow it to exist at far higher standards).

The only real way to practically address these types of threats is with dynamic security measures - boots-on-ground police who can respond to situations that crop up.

 

[swag monkey Enma]

If they take away guns, criminals will find other means. By using a gun, the law can track you from the make of the bullet, the make of the gun that fired it, the signature that the gun left on the bullet, and the serial number on the gun used. Plus, if you use a gun, there is residue left on the perpetrators skin. Taking away guns will solve the shootings, probably. However, it could cause worse things to happen. Vehicular manslaughter may go up for one. Using a knife, a bomb, or any other kind of weapon can become the new "gun". Guns have their good aspects and their bad aspects, but we can't get rid of something that is most often used to stop something much greater. Even if they were to prohibit guns, what's to stop criminals from getting them anyways? Gun running, smuggling, black market sales... These are all ways for criminals to get the weapons they need. The law does not stop them now, and it won't stop them then. What most people do not realize is that guns are the reason why most of us are alive today. They protect us just as much as the hurt us, like a double edged sword. Yes, this was a tragedy, and yes it should not have happened. I am human and I can see that that was a tragedy. But we can not take away guns or make the laws more strict, for criminals do not follow the law now, and will not follow it then. The real problem is not the laws, but the criminals. Its late, and I do not wish to get into a debate about that particular subject, so I will leave my statement as it is.

well said

 

[swag monkey Enma]

You don't need a auto/sub-auto machine gun to protect your family. No one said to take away your right own weapons, but it's stupid that civilians are aloud to arm themselves with military grade weapons.

If you can't protect yourself, or your family with a pistol/bolt action, then you shouldn't even be using a weapon.

You are correct, however the thing is people own sub/auto machine guns regardless of the law. It is the easiest thing in the world for a common citizen to purchase a gun. Subs/autos included, so with that said a federal law stating that guns are prohibited will simply further benefit the smuggled weapons, or illegally purchased weapons bought every day in this country.