Gun Laws/Safety. Do our current laws help to prevent loss of life and ensure the

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   realtalk247posted 9 years ago

   Gun Laws/Safety. Do our current laws help to prevent loss of life and ensure the safety of others?
   
   Hayden, Idaho -a 2 year old boy accidentally reached in his mothers purse, a weapon discharged and his mother was killed. Veronica J. Rutledge, 29, (concealed weapons permit) was shopping with her son & 3 other children when this incident occurred.
   In a “civilized” society I can not understand the obsession to have guns at the airport, hip, bars/restaurants, etc. Gun laws should take into account public safety. While this is a tragedy, the incident could have resulted in the compromised safety of any shopper at  Walmart that day. Do weapons owners have the right to jeopardize others safety? 
   
   

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   Rogochuksposted 9 years ago

   Our current gun safety laws do not guarantee the safety of anyone; they were actually born out of greed, ignorance and hate. The only result of these lax laws will be the continue escalation in tragedies like the ones we read/hear about on the news everyday. Kids will continue getting killed out of negligence, domestic murders will continue to spike, cops will continue to be at risk, and the roads will be continually unsafe until the fat cats in Congress wake-up and tighten gun laws. This is what happens when we elect people to office that actually own the companies that make/sell the guns.

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      Robert the Bruceposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Actually, if you were familiar with the statistics you would know that violent crime is decreasing, not increasing. It's just that the gun tragedies that do happen are more publicized now.

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   cjhunsingerposted 9 years ago

   We live in a quasi civil society and anything else is a desired illusion. Carelessness, on the part of this women, as sad as this situation is, does not give your argument any credibility.
   That one should fall on knife while running does not justify the banning of knives. That a child can start a car and back over a sibling does not justify the banning of cars.
   Gun owners, knife owners, car owners do not have a right to endanger anyone anymore than legislation can ensure common sense and ban stupidity.
   Sadly, our world is a violent place, from the constant threat and action of war to the pandemic use of drugs and the inherent violence of seller and user.
   The scenario goes on to a failed education system, a failed family structure and more.
   I would agree that guns are problamatic, but so are the assaults on good people.
   When these on going, and seemingly increasing assaults deminish, then perhaps a conversation is needed and, I would think, welcomed by all.

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   dashingscorpioposted 9 years ago

   Unfortunately laws do not help to prevent loss of life and ensure the safety of others (unless) people "obey" the law.
   There are lots of areas which do not allow people to carry concealed weapons and yet many people elect to do so every day.
   Commonsense (should) dictate one should not be carrying any type of weapon around children!
   I guess commonsense is not so common anymore.

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   RTalloniposted 9 years ago

   The incident you mention is a heartbreaking event that was caused by carelessness.  The 2-year-old baby did not accidentally reach into the purse.  He only did what people his age do.  Weapons owners do not have the right to jeopardize the safety of others any more than drivers who drink have that right.  If the woman had not been killed she would probably be in jail today and her child in the custody of others.  Laws have never and will never make people always behave responsibly with common sense.  The fault was not with the gun or the laws or the police or the baby or anything except the carelessness of this gun owner.  Education on what responsible gun ownership is will help people understand the truth of the situation and make them able to ask the right questions when such events happen.

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   Robert the Bruceposted 9 years ago

   Your question, "Do weapons owners have the right to jeopardize others safety?" is misleading. For one thing, yes, most Americans have the right to own and carry firearms. Your mistake is in assuming that just because someone is carrying a gun they are automatically putting the lives of others in danger. You've heard the saying, "Millions of gun owners killed no one yesterday." This is a true statement.
   
   Tens of millions of Americans own and carry guns, but the type of incidents you mention are comparatively few in number. I'm not making light of these tragedies, but if you want to be objective about this, you must take the statistics into account. Many lives are saved each year because Americans  use guns to protect themselves and their families.
   
   In direct answer to your question, yes. I think the current laws do a decent job, but the real reason for these tragedies is not the laws, but the individuals themselves. Personal responsibility is the most important factor with gun safety.
   
   For instance, you mentioned the 2-year old boy who shot his mother. I must ask why she had a round in the chamber while it was in her purse? And did she have the gun in a safe holster or was it loose in her purse?
   
   You cannot eliminate all gun deaths, but there are many ways to minimize them without stepping on the People's rights.

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   junksellerposted 9 years ago

   A person carrying a weapon should have mastery over that weapon at all times and nobody else should be able to get a hand on it. Anything less is irresponsible.
   
   Personally, I think purse carry should be illegal. It isn't a very secure carry method and is too easy of an item to set down or have snatched.
   
   This is not an accident. It is carelessness, and carelessness with firearms is dangerous. Case in point.
   
   Ultimately, everyone running around with deadly weapons is a poor solution, but if people are going to be running around in such a fashion, our laws should ensure that they are responsible and trained. Obviously they fall way short of that high of a bar.

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      RTalloniposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      RIght-to-carry states are interesting studies, particularly when comparing crime rates with other states. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/cr … 0tbl20.xls

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