I Support Better Gun Control Laws

Molly, you need to do your homework. The Second Amendment says" A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." James Madison, the one who drafted it, said that a militia is all citizens of the country (actually he said all male citizens). The well regulated part refers to the usage of that word in that era, and means as it was written to be skilled or practiced.

Guns are not violent. People who misuse them are. Punish the ones who use guns for criminal acts, don't punish law abiding citizens for other people's actions.

Translation of what mollyl19 just said: "I lost."

Any 'gun control' law is unconstitutional, the second amendment is quite clear. AND if gun control really worked, Chicago would be like Mayberry

@PP I can't give you the list -you'll have to look that up yourself but "GVA uses the FBI definition of a mass shooting, which is defined as a single event where four or more people are shot (not necessarily killed) and does not include the shooter in the tally."

"Guns don't kill people, people kill people". I dare say though, a mass killing would take a lot longer with a butter knife, than a semi automatic rifle. Yes, there are other ways to murder a person than by shooting them to death, but a gun is one of the easiest and most accessible ways. I wonder what the statistics are...in the last year...death by guns vs. death by pressure cooker? a pressure cooker was created to cook, a gun was created to _____ ?

Serenitree, that was my point. People who plan to commit mass shootings always pick places where the citizens are unarmed. They know they would never stand a chance against targets who would fight back.

Uncle Buck, I disagree. Read the accounts of the War of 1812 in particular. The British Army, the most powerful in the world at the time, was soundly sent packing by the American farmers and their Kentucky long rifles. Whose marksmanship was talked about in British Army discussions years after their defeat. Because ammo was scare, those farmers learned how to bring in their game with as few shots as possible.

Actually the second amendment talks about a well regulated militia being necessary, and then says that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

No, I don't think the founding fathers specifically were talking about any particular class of weapons. I know that the intent was to have citizens armed enough to defend themselves against an oppressive government.

Ok first of all, assault rifles were not used in the shooting last night. A semi automatic rifle was used, which happens to look much like an M16 or an M4. The rifle used is functionally different. Secondly, guns don't have clips.

Exactly UncleBuck! My point exactly. Killers will find a way to kill, but if we can make it a little more challenging for the killer, by not giving him a killing device, he or she might have to work a little harder at figuring out how to manipulate a plane, a pressure cooker or a toaster oven. We could just be buying ourselves a little time.

At least if only outlaws have butter knives, we can tell who the outlaws are.....since they stopped wearing black hats exclusively back in the John Wayne Era. Everyone walking around with a gun on their hip, sure worked out well in the old west eh? Before they shot it all to pieces. Imagine a show down at sundown with butter knives. At least the chance of an innocent by stander getting struck with a stray butter knife would be less likely than a bullet. You're right though, if outlaws had butter knives, and nobody else did, we'd all be eating some pretty dry toast.

@diggler - oh and you could also make an argument that if one person at the club had a gun - the body count might have been a lot lower.

@ real mustang - I may not have been clear - I was referring to 1776 and the Colonists - the British forces were much better armed and trained and had the English not had to supply their troops thousand of miles away the outcome might have been different and we might be singing God Save the Queen - but you are correct by 1812 the military had changed from privateers and gentlemen farmers to a trained military

I live in Florida. No other mass shootings come to mind. Please list the other fourteen that occurred in Florida this year.

Chicago has the strictest gun control laws in the country.

@real mustang - I'm not sure how well trained they were - they were mostly farmers - and if I remember correctly the European military members that came over to train the Yanks found them totally untrained and were frustrated - (duh they were farmers not soldiers) - and the firearms at the time were probably used more for food than for offense - so banning them could mean a family starved to death (not arguing a point - just discussing context).

Gun violence only happens in gun restricted areas. Guns are clearly not the problem

Which proposed gun laws would have prevented the shooting in FL?

@molly - you only referred to a part of the amendment - the other part says "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" - not taking sides on the argument - just saying that's the rest of the amendment

Paris has STRICT gun control.

The problem is that not enough people carry guns. Shooters used to be killed by law biding citizens before they went on their shooting spree. We need to ban gun free areas cuz that's the only time there's ever a mass shooting

Molly, the "gun nuts" won't accept any restrictions because all the politicians throughout history, even in the United States, have all lied. Every time any government said "we won't take your guns, we only want you to register them," well guess what? Confiscation later.

the right to bear arms (or was it to arm bears ???) is so the king of england cant bully you...

personally i am not that afraid of that old lady with the crown in england, but maybe you are.

@molly - totally get what you're saying. And from my personal perspective - I don't own a gun, don't have one in the house, and in 61 years of life haven't needed one. I wouldn't be interested in carrying one - hell I lose my keys from time to time. And I wouldn't want to feel like i wasn't safe without it. Does anybody need a high capacity magazine - nope - but you restrict it and people with duct tape two of them together and serve almost the same purpose.

you're right we won't find a good answer to this one - i people want a gun they'll find one - prohibition of alcohol and drugs prove that point.

Me too

OK, Molly. I will go watch Fox news while you are digging up the statistics. Don't stop to attend a Pro Choice rally on your way to the library.
PS I wonder if the baby has any choice in the matter? 😁

Molly, have you noticed these massacres only happen in 'gun free zones'???? The second amendment doesn't change with technology, they didn't say muskets. AND you have more ammo for the same reason you don't buy toilet paper one sheet at a time

Also, there is no definition for an "assault weapon". An assault rifle is one that has selective fire, or is capable of firing more than one round per trigger pull.

@prof plum - I live in florida too - don't recall anything of this nature although gun violence is rampant - but your point is well made.

Depending on who you talk to, every government is oppressive. Is someone suggesting an attack? Red Flag people! Big Red Flag!

i think we could use a medal detector on this site, just in case.

I am sure they would have been in the news. I don't remember any others this year.

I don't see why a list can't be provided, unless maybe there is no such list???

Molly, I hear a lot of talk about statistics, but all of those tossing that word around are supplying NONE.

"250 million guns out there.
You can never get them back.
Can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.
But while all those guns are out there.
I want my wife to have one.
I want my mother to have one.
I want my daughter to have one.
And hell, I'll have one too!"

*traditional...

Thank you, Diggler, we need some humor at the moment. :)

@Itscomplicated You just can't help it, can you? You take a tragedy and immediately make it political.

I am tired too, and I don't think anything is going to get resolved, until we all put our guns back in our holsters.....turn away from each other and take 20 steps, and at the count of 3, everyone turns and fires. May the best man?...gun? No....person...win.:)

ban hand guns that would be a good start, no good reason for them anymore , the wild west is long gone

The suicide vest the terrorist was purported to be wearing is illegal, too. Guns are not the problem. Many times, they prevent home invasions and store robberies.

i stand corrected no need for those either

Now we've got armed bears? Did I hear that right? Quick ma, grab my sling shot.....smokey's on the loose, and this time it's personal.:)

Diggler has a point. Let's all put our guns back in our holsters. That was just a figure of speech, I assume, Diggler?

Yes Mustang, you did say that, sort of. But you said Muslims, which implies that others are less cowardly. My point was that nobody will attack a gun range.

Molly, how would the Muslim have known who was armed if they carried concealed?

Fortycreek, because the Constitution of the United States bans the government from taking away people's rights to have them.