US Gun Control

[JONATHANPOO]

Let's watch all the Europeans talk about American gun control. Because they understand.

Considering we had 1 school shooting in 1996 and guns were predominantly banned in 1997 and we haven’t have a school shooting since, I think we know at least something about gun control, don’t you? If I count correctly and my sources are correct you’ve had around 200 and most likely more in that time period... I don’t see any moves by the US which have helped that figure, in fact school shootings are still on the rise.

Probably the calmest time for american school kids as they don't have to go to school currently so aren't living in constant fear of them.

[Fultz]

Let's watch all the Europeans talk about American gun control. Because they understand.

Considering we had 1 school shooting in 1996 and guns were predominantly banned in 1997 and we haven’t have a school shooting since, I think we know at least something about gun control, don’t you? If I count correctly and my sources are correct you’ve had around 200 and most likely more in that time period... I don’t see any moves by the US which have helped that figure, in fact school shootings are still on the rise.

Sounds like you know a lot about UK gun control. Hope that correlates for you.

[Conn]

The underlying problem with the USA is the fact that the Constitution is entrenched - it's a much more difficult process to pass any form of 'radical' law, for example in relation to gun control due to the second amendment. A supermajority (66%) of states are required to support an amendment to the constitution in order for it to be ratified, and due to the gun-crazy conservative nature that many of the states, as well as (too) many Americans display, this super-majority will never be achieved.

States that want to pass gun control laws can't; look at District of Columbia v Heller (2008), a Supreme Court case that ruled that requiring guns to be bound by a trigger lock, or disassembled completely, was unconstitutional as it infringed the 'right to bear arms'. Whilst the idea of entrenchment is great in many cases, take for example the 14th and 15th amendment guaranteeing equal rights to all ethnicities, the 2nd amendment is a clear example of how this can go wrong. 

The Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791 (the first 10 amendments, what many refer to as 'the constitution') when completely manual firearms were commonplace. The vague nature of the Constitution generally allows for interpretation by the courts, however, in this case, the 'right to bear arms' is not a flexible law, it's a naïve wording opening up the broad possibility of exploitation.

I don't think anyone is likely to commit to the necessary judicial activism in the Supreme Court, nor are 66% of the states going to agree to amend the constitution once again - if more mass shootings than days in a year isn't a good enough reason to suggest that your gun laws are absolutely bewildering and idiotic, I don't know what is.

[RedPanda]

Let's watch all the Europeans talk about American gun control. Because they understand.

Considering we had 1 school shooting in 1996 and guns were predominantly banned in 1997 and we haven’t have a school shooting since, I think we know at least something about gun control, don’t you? If I count correctly and my sources are correct you’ve had around 200 and most likely more in that time period... I don’t see any moves by the US which have helped that figure, in fact school shootings are still on the rise.

Sounds like you know a lot about UK gun control. Hope that correlates for you.

Amazing to see that I quote US figures and it’s ‘UK gun control’, I won’t bother posting anything further unless someone with some actual intellectual response tries to counter it, it’s clear that you are a typical American.

[Joe Joe]

Gun culture is something deeply in bedded in American society and something that however much push there is will never be changed. Many countries have had issues with guns and have quickly routed them out and for them it has essentially worked. The main example being the UK which was changed in 1996 after the Dunblane Massacre which at first banned Semi-Automatics which was then changed to handguns as well; later removing air guns and pellet guns. This catastrophe saw 18 deaths which is major for the UK but minor for the US, compare this to yesterday (27th of May) there were 24 gun related deaths in America. Gun Culture is something that interests me a lot due to the sheer defence it has no matter how much damage it continues to cause. Now yes there are more guns in the US compared to other countries, however countries that use to allow guns have successfully controlled the removal of them; so its not impossible it just seems they are unwilling to attempt for any reform.

I think one of the main issues is you can walk straight into your local Walmart and purchase a firearm, when your grocery stores are selling items to kill instead of what they are meant to be selling then you clearly know something is wrong. The sad reality is they US wont change it and they never will. I wonder if there will ever be a trigger that pushes for reform.

Sources
- Gun Violence Archive (https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/repor...gun-deaths)
- Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearms_(...)_Act_1997)

[Forgee]

I like threads where Americans get upset over their shooty sticks

[Bobby]

Sure, we have gun control in the UK because of the Dunblane massacre but how many mass shootings occurred prior to that event? The answer is one, the Hungerford massacre which lead to the Firearms Act of 1988.

How many mass shootings occurred post-gun control/Dunblane? The answer is one, the Cumbria shootings in 2010.

The UK also has a lot of unreported crime and a lot of gun crime/knife crime despite these restrictions and many terrorist attacks which may have been stopped by law-abiding citizens with guns (London Bridge Attacks in 2019 and 2017)

Has disarming most of the UK helped with much or are we at the same stage we were before gun control?

Perhaps Americans can decide for themselves their own gun control and debate in this thread rather than British people that don't understand US law and what is going on there. For example, many states have outlawed certain weapons, restricted open carry and other forms of gun control. Most, if not all, have not worked as criminals just ignore the legislation.

[Venom]

A lot of Europeans are ignorant to the fact that a blanket ban would not be able to work in the US, nor is it really possible. As some others have stated, it isn't as simple as just passing a law and there you go. The right to bear arms is a right in our constitution, something that isn't changed easily. Never mind the fact that the majority of Americans wouldn't support it. 

Sure you can have some restrictions on firearms, but that is mainly up to the state. My state for example is one of the more restrictive in the US simply because it is 1 of 3 states that actually require a license for one. I had to send in paperwork, wait 30 days for a background check to be done and other checks, before I was given my license. To get a conceal carry license after that, it's typically a 90 day wait currently. I'm not against restrictions by any means, as long as they're sensible and not just out of emotion. I feel like more states should require licensing and such.

The complete removal of firearms from American society will simply never  happen though. There are way too many in circulation, too many criminals with them on their hands, and if you remove them from the law abiding citizens it only opens them up to be extorted by the gun wielding criminals.

[Conn]

A lot of Europeans are ignorant to the fact that a blanket ban would not be able to work in the US, nor is it really possible. As some others have stated, it isn't as simple as just passing a law and there you go. The right to bear arms is a right in our constitution, something that isn't changed easily. Never mind the fact that the majority of Americans wouldn't support it. 

Sure you can have some restrictions on firearms, but that is mainly up to the state. My state for example is one of the more restrictive in the US simply because it is 1 of 3 states that actually require a license for one. I had to send in paperwork, wait 30 days for a background check to be done and other checks, before I was given my license. To get a conceal carry license after that, it's typically a 90 day wait currently. I'm not against restrictions by any means, as long as they're sensible and not just out of emotion. I feel like more states should require licensing and such.

The complete removal of firearms from American society will simply never  happen though. There are way too many in circulation, too many criminals with them on their hands, and if you remove them from the law abiding citizens it only opens them up to be extorted by the gun wielding criminals.

It’s simply nigh on impossible for any state to ban the possession of firearms because of the flawed constitution. The only way to combat it is progressive change, however that’s limited again by the bounds of the constitution. I don’t think social change will ever happen if the events that have already happened haven’t spurred it on much already.

[Venom]

A lot of Europeans are ignorant to the fact that a blanket ban would not be able to work in the US, nor is it really possible. As some others have stated, it isn't as simple as just passing a law and there you go. The right to bear arms is a right in our constitution, something that isn't changed easily. Never mind the fact that the majority of Americans wouldn't support it. 

Sure you can have some restrictions on firearms, but that is mainly up to the state. My state for example is one of the more restrictive in the US simply because it is 1 of 3 states that actually require a license for one. I had to send in paperwork, wait 30 days for a background check to be done and other checks, before I was given my license. To get a conceal carry license after that, it's typically a 90 day wait currently. I'm not against restrictions by any means, as long as they're sensible and not just out of emotion. I feel like more states should require licensing and such.

The complete removal of firearms from American society will simply never  happen though. There are way too many in circulation, too many criminals with them on their hands, and if you remove them from the law abiding citizens it only opens them up to be extorted by the gun wielding criminals.

It’s simply nigh on impossible for any state to ban the possession of firearms because of the flawed constitution. The only way to combat it is progressive change, however that’s limited again by the bounds of the constitution. I don’t think social change will ever happen if the events that have already happened haven’t spurred it on much already.

Yup, I agree with you here.

Nothing will change because of the constitution and the majority of the public support the right to bear arms. Even little restrictions are extremely ridiculed. I support the right to own a firearm, but I of course support restrictions as well. Many people however are either completely left or right on the topic and can't find a middle ground.