Guns don't kill people ....

[xoxoxoBruce]

I would have overlooked a normal typo but that one had a big impact on what you were trying to say.

[Stormieweather]

I think gun ownership should be more difficult to achieve. Not impossible, except for automatic/semi-automatic weapons, just more carefully controlled. I think a permit and complete background checks should be required of all permit holders. It should be revoked in the event of domestic violence, mental illness, or any felony crime. If accused of a crime, all guns should be confiscated, to be returned if found not guilty/charges dropped. It should be required that all weapons be secured and accessible only to the permit holder(s).

If you fuck up, you lose your guns.

We lose our jobs, cars, drivers licenses, children and spouses for fucking up, we should also lose our guns.

And mental illness should be an automatic block to owning a weapon. Sorry if that feels too harsh, but shit..you can't be a police officer or judge or teacher or daycare provider if you have a documented mental illness, and you should not be allowed contact with a gun either.

The permit should be required to be renewed periodically, and another full background check (including mental health records) should be done. A registry of all licensed gun owners and the weapons registered to them would be kept. Longer sentences for illegally possessing a weapon should occur.

I say this as a gun owner, and one whose (adult) son has a concealed permit and is an active enthusiast. I have nothing against guns, but they are too easy to get and their possession is too unregulated. We pay less attention to guns than we do to cars!!

f you are a responsible adult, you should have no problem obtaining a permit and retaining it any more than you would a driver's license.

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by Stormieweather

And mental illness should be an automatic block to owning a weapon. Sorry if that feels too harsh, but shit..you can't be a police officer or judge or teacher or daycare provider if you have a documented mental illness, and you should not be allowed contact with a gun either.

Gender Identity disorder is still technically recognized in the DSM. Should trans* people not be allowed to own guns?
So is ADHD, and depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. Should they not be allowed to own guns?
So is obsessive-compulsive disorder. Should they not be allowed to own guns?
So is bipolar disorder. Should they not be allowed to own guns?
So is borderline personality disorder. Should they not be allowed to own guns?
So is sadistic paranoid schizophrenia. Should they not be allowed to own guns?

"mental illness" is far too broad an umbrella, unfortunately. Obviously psychopaths, sadistic schizophrenics, etc shouldn't have guns. but where do you draw the line?

I'd be much more interested in screening for violent factors like history of verbal/emotional abuse (even if not physical), racism/hate, gang/criminal affiliation, history of alcohol abuse, etc.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I would have overlooked a normal typo but that one had a big impact on what you were trying to say.

Psshh....read what I mean...not what I type.