WIth the recent events the past several weeks involving guns, I get when some freak out and want all guns banned. But I dont' agree with them. I don't agree with it because there are deeper issues at play beyond the use of the gun. But since it's not sexy or divisive to talk about those issues, they are ignored by the media. I was flipping between the various news networks where all they spoke about is guns, guns, guns. The crawler on the bottom of all the channels were about guns and how some are making knee-jerk reactions to the media created crisis. Discovery Channel cancelled a show about a family who own a custom gun store because of the events that have happened. It's a shame since that show constantly reminded people how dangerous guns are and how important to get proper training. But since its a show about this issue, it was apparently fair game to cancel, fire a bunch of production people, all for cheap positive PR.
I don't own a gun, but I respect those who do. I know people who do, not because they are afraid of the government and are preparing for an insurrection or are doomsday preppers-which the media has been painting all gun owners lately. These people are perfectly normal, who own guns for sport, either going to a controlled range to safely shoot for fun, or to go hunting. ANd these people aren't going to hunt just to kill for fun. These guys are going to hunt for their families, where what they kill is made into meat for them to have for the year, which saves them money and gives them a healthier type of meat for their bodies, which is more humane than what the US meatpacking industry does to animals. These are people who went through the process of licensing and the battery of background tests to own and buy a gun. They pay the fees and give their info so they can do what they enjoy doing.
What the problem with this time is that there are some, most who have mental problems and probably didn't get the gun through legal means, who are portrayed as the typical gun owner after they commit a crime. When they do the crime, it's always the fact they have a gun that is the first thing pointed out, not the fact that he may other issues that should be pointed out and dealt with.
Look at the recent events.
The football player who killed himself in Kansas City. The main issue in that situation is that he had mental issues-possibly form head trauma he got playing football over time-that led to domestic violence to his partner. Why isn't that the main focus? Instead the focus was that he was a gun owner and how Blacks in the NFL are cultivating a "Gun culture"-again, not looking at the socioeconomic issues these players grew up in that they needed to be armed. I have yet to hear what will be done to curb domestic violence in that community. The focus was on guns and what happens when people who don't have the facts speak out against it, pretty much turning it into a race issue.
The Connecticut shooting. Again, the focus is on the gun, not the person who did it. No one is looking into why he did what they did, beyond the canned "violence in society" response, which is another attempt to stamp out freedom of expression and speech. On top of this, the anti-Gun people, once again painting a broad stroke over all gun owners, are calling for bans on guns or severe sanctions against gun owners. Not once has the media pointed out that the kid came from a family that were responsible owners of guns, or how the kid had some mental issues beyond Asbergers disease-something that wouldn't make him violent by the way.
Guns are the only thing I can think of that you need to get licensed and background checks done on yourself, but you can buy a car, knife, construction supplies/tools or commercial cleaning supplies-which I'm sure each have cause more deaths than guns-with little to no resistance. There are gun laws on the books, but they are not enforced right. People want more laws, but it'll be like most things with severe laws on them. It will leads to those who want a gun to go through more black market routes, like most guns used in crimes are now. It's like drugs and prostitution to me: if we are open and make it legal with full education to show what people fear or think about them is not true and with the support and rehab for those who need it, crime will go down an safety will go up.
As far as crimes with guns? Make the penalties on offenders like the stupid drug laws: 15 years minimum for crimes. I'd swap the mandatory minimums drug offenders get with the BS sentences gun crimes get. Killers who shoot someone get out sooner than some dude caught with pot.
Don't believe the media face value. They have never not exploited a good crisis. The Connecticut one is prime example. They get control of the TV network, push whatever agendas they want on the people, and this crisis is convenient because many NYC reporters live in Connecticut, so it's easy travel for them and they can play up the "It his me locally" BS, where we all know they can give a rats' ass about the people they are exploiting....err covering.