Gun control

[Chas]

Yes, thoughtful post, TBD.

We (TBD and I) have made several attempts to discuss gun control on another forum, but it always seems to get derailed by extremists on both ends of the spectrum.
Having a thoughtful, polite, constructive discussion has been difficult.

This is the problem, right there. It's so bad that I can't often ask for education on guns without getting insulted- it's like because I have never held a gun I'm the enemy, and to my own liberal peeps I'm the enemy for even asking gun owners to educate me. I can't win.

That's why I'm really enjoying this thread- because all the voices are so calm and rational, yet still state opinions with force- and it's teaching me. It's rare.

How does this kind of conversation happen in the real world? Can it?

But the problem is not guns, per se, it is violence.
The underlying problems are poverty, ignorance, and mental health.
The largest steps we can take to reduce gun violence are social: mental health care, equitable opportunity for education and employment.

I agree that these are obvious steps. Taking these steps would fix much more than just gun problems. I'm just not sure we as a culture are ever going to be invested in these things for any reason.

There should also be more rational firearms laws. Banning "assault weapons" is not constructive. The federal "assault weapons" ban did nothing to reduce gun violence

What should those laws look like? If you were in charge, what steps would you take?

I don't have a clear answer to what those laws should be.

One of the reasons I'm interested in the conversation/discussion/debate is to help work that out.

We in the U.S. currently have a mix of reasonable and unreasonable, effective and ineffective laws. And the enforcement is inconsistent.

On of the problems is the lack of uniform laws. There are the federal laws, the laws of each of the fifty states, and a hodge-podge of local ordinances.

Some states that have very restrictive laws (e.g. Massachusetts) are bordered by states with very non-restrictive laws (e.g. Vermont & New Hampshire). Some see that as a plus, some don't.

There is also the problem of reciprocity between states, some recognizing gun permits from some states but not others. There are surprising instances where a state with very few restrictions (e.g. Wyoming) won't recognize the carry permit from a strict state like Massachusetts.

I would like to see laws that:

• Allow law-abiding people to own firearms
  
• Allow trained people to carry firearms
  
• Prevent felons from possessing firearms
  
• Prevent people who have been adjudicated mentally incompetent to posses firearms
  
• Require safe storage of firearms
  
• Allow safe transport of firearms
  
• Provide rational reciprocity laws
  

There is more to it than that, and there are definitions to work out for "safe", "rational", "trained", and such.