Gun Control: Say What you Mean.

[Esquilax]

I think you're being too defensive, even there: what the guy is actually saying is "you want to imprison people for disobeying the law?!" Well... yes, yes I do. I'd like to enact restrictions on gun ownership, and punish the people who break those laws, possibly with prison time. Yes, I would like that.

What does the OP think the alternative is? Or is it just that he personally disagrees with the laws gun control activists would like to see, and therefore ANY punishment for breaking them would be crazy and over the top?

You break the law, you get punished, that's part of humanity's social contract. It sounds like the OP has more of a problem with the prison system, than gun control.

Well, even that isn't exactly how I feel.

Yes, I do think we need meaningful gun legislation passed but, no, I don't think it should include locking people up or taking away guns from mass numbers of people.

Truth is, we have a problem with violence here in America. Limiting the guns might help, but at this point it would be kinda like locking the barn door after the cows already ran off. But regulating guns is a different story. I mean, I've heard a comparison from several gun advocates: "Cars kill more people than guns but nobody wants to take away cars." I agree with them here; nobody wants to tak away cars, but cars are VERY highly regulated. There are speed limits, insurance laws, licensing for both the driver and the car (which can be revoked), vehicle inspections, driver testing and laws that prevent you from driving while under the influence of alcohol. So if we're going to compare cars to guns, fine, let's regulate guns as well as we do cars. How about licensing guns? How about getting gun owners to get insurance on their weapons? How about background checks for all gun sales? How about laws that hold people accountable when their improperly stored gun is used criminally by a third party? Every time someone suggests any of these things, half the nation starts screaming "Gubamint gonna tak my guns!" About the only thing the NRA and other gun groups seem to get right is the importance of gun education.

Yeah, I may have oversimplified too, but my issue was mainly with the OP's weird logic, rather than mine or anyone else's stance on gun control.

To be honest, I think you've got it just about right. Here in Australia, guns are strictly regulated- we learned our lesson after our first mass shooting- and the amount of gun violence here just plummeted. You can even still get a gun, if you really want one; you just need to be accountable for it.