Posted by MikeT23 on 1/22/2013 12:25:00 PM (view original):
Posted by bad_luck on 1/22/2013 12:21:00 PM (view original):
Posted by MikeT23 on 1/22/2013 11:45:00 AM (view original):
My question has always been "What problem do you hope to resolve?"
Banning and collecting HCAW doesn't solve the problem you seem to be presenting. It just makes you all warm and fuzzy because you "did something".
Address the problem. You know, by making people register all firearms, because even the little ones can kill people, and increase prison terms for possession of an unregistered firearms. Then secure the ******* schools with something more than a sign that says "No trespassing" and a door that can be kicked in by a 120 lb crazy person.
You keep focusing on the schools. Like tec said, mass shootings happen at all kinds of different places.
HCAW are very good at what they are designed to do--kill people. They are more effective than handguns in a mass shooting situation. Make HCAW illegal and therefore harder to get and we make an incremental improvement to public safety.
It doesn't solve all problems. It doesn't stop all shootings. But it is an improvement.
I submit that it doesn't solve any problems.
It just makes some people feel good because they "did something".
FWIW, I've understood what you've been doing with respect to this discussion all along.
You're saying that banning HCAW alone doesn't solve the problems. I agree. But as I've been saying all along (if you've been paying attention) is that it's one step out of many that probably need to be taken to solve the problem of the frequency and/or scope of mass killings.
My take is that you don't think anything should be done unless and until a complete solution can be outlined with a plan to implement. "Complete solution" including things like weapons, registration, background checks, mental health reform, sensationalization by the media, exposure of kids to violent movies/video games, etc, If that's an incorrect assumption on my part, feel free to correct me.
Assuming that is where you're coming from, I'll just say that I disagree. if you wait until a complete solution that is satisfactory to everybody can be defined and agreed upon, nothing will ever happen. Nothing. And that's not acceptable. Incremental changes, though they can be slow, move you in the right direction.
So I'll ask you this: assuming you agree that there can be some sort of multi-faceted solution that can lead to a result in which mass shootings (while not ever totally avoidable) can be downsized in both (or either) their frequency and/or scope, can you envision any scenario in which the continued availability of HCAW to the general public is part of any solution?
Or is it your opinion that nothing can be done, so we shouldn't even bother trying?
Again, it's not just schools . . . it's schools, malls, movie theaters, sports arenas, concerts, etc.