How should we make it harder to buy a gun?

Question

I don't think guns should be banned because then only criminals would have guns. But I think it should be harder to buy a gun. What can we do to make it harder?

Warren H said, "Excuse me, its not the legal gun owners you have to worry about"

Um, hello, the VT should was a legal gun owner!

Eugene W wrote, "too late for that now!!!!!!!!"
Um, no, Eugene, it is not too late. Do you really think there will be no shootings in the future?

Answer 1

There are several laws in place that makes it hard from people to buy firearms. But you can't punish the people that own firearm and that follow the laws set forth because a hand full of people break the law. It not the guns that kill people its the person pulling the trigger.
suro

Answer 2

One thing that I would support is to make it a requirement to be a citizen of the United States to buy or import a gun to the US. Remember that the terrorists on 9-11 (Yes I know they didn't use guns) were here legally with student visas. I don't particularly think the resident alien status of the VT shooter was relevant, but I think you are looking for Gun Law issues and not specifically what could have been done in the VT case. Also remember that most criminals aren't necessarily going to get their weapons from a legal source to start with, so legislation is not going to have a big impact,

Answer 3

I agree with everyone who has said this question is hard. By making things harder to buy a gun all you've done is made it harder for law abiding citizens to get a gun. You think criminals buy guns legally?? Why??? there cheaper on the black market. I can go by a 9mm handgun right now off the black market for $100.00. I've already seen the gun, its hardly been fired and all serial numers have been grinded off. The same gun is $800.00 at my local gun shop!! The problem is you cant stop the black market. Also, I hope you know criminals prey on people who are unarmed and the problem with being armed is that you're weapon can always be used against you. What you really need to do is back this question up a few. What people really need to do is stop treating other people like crap. I mean, would it kill you to show a stranger some kidness and compassion?? You think that kid wouldnt have killed 32 people if he didnt have access to a gun?? That kid was so pissed off at someone he would of found other means to carry out his plans. Therefore, society needs to be nicer to people and quit being materialistic and all about the "bling - bling".

Answer 4

We shouldn't; we should make it easier for a law-abiding person to buy a gun. We should make it legal for school teachers and school officials to be armed. It should also be legal for airline pilots to be armed. If someone had been armed at VT or Columbine or on any of the flights that were high jacked on 9/11 then things would probably have turned out much differently. These incidents which have captivated our headlines could have been nothing more than a second page story about a failed attempt of an act of terrorism.

Answer 5

We should make it damned near impossible. The gun nuts are out in force, pointing out that the Virginia Tech gun was illegally purchased, but their denials are politically motivated.

The fact is that every illegal gun was legal at the time of manufacture. Every one. The nature of guns is what drives men of evil intent to pervert their use.

The right to bear arms was included in the Constitution for a number of reasons, none of them relevant today. The founding fathers believed that a standing army was not required if the public were armed and available for call up.

You might not have noticed, but we have that standing army now. An armed public is no longer needed.

We have that standing army because times and weaponry have changed to the point where national security cannot be guaranteed by an informal militia. We are not talking about single shot muskets any more. Does anybody really think that the authors of the Constitution would support the current situation?

The gun lobby are adamant that they have a right to own any weapon they want. I believe the Constitution guarantees their right to collect a limited number of flintlocks.

Until the President and Congress act to free us from the tyranny of the NRA and its lobbyists we will all be at risk. Let the libertarians scream all they want about their right to have these specifically designed murder tools. Would we allow a citizen to collect plague samples, or interesting antique bombs?

I value my right to life and liberty enough to insist that the government should uphold it in the face of companies like Remington and Smith & Wesson.

Every gun recovered from a felon should be smelted to scrap, as well as every unregistered weapon from any source. Handguns should be restricted to the use of peace officers and military personnel, and it should be a serious criminal offense to possess one.

The assumption should be that one possessing a handgun of any kind intends to use it on another citizen. Go to jail.

Every weapon owner whose gun is used in a crime should be charged as an accessory before the fact. Go to jail.

For those who hunt, there are bows. An exception can be made for some hunters, but they should be required to justify their license each year. If the weapon was not used it should be recalled from circulation.

More people are killed by guns each year than by drug overdose. When will our leaders get serious about public safety?

Answer 6

Outlaw gun shows to begin with. Guns are way to easy to obtain in this country. There are way to many guns legally and illegally out there. Put a huge tax on buying a gun. Give life to those who sell guns on the black market.
And, make it difficult for those who do buy guns to get them. Not only an extensive background check, but a mandatory 2 year training program and psychological testing before they can actually purchase one. If they miss one day, they have to start over. Guns should never be that easy to obtain.
In Virginia, the murderer of these college students got his gun the same day he went into the gun shop. All he needed was 2 pieces of I.D and an instant background check. He got it really quick because there was nothing on his background. So you see, you aren't necessarily a criminal until after you get the gun(s). Second, in Virginia, you can purchase 2 guns every 30 days. That's way way too easy. His two guns were just over 500 dollars. That's way way too cheap.

Perhaps modeling our gun purchasing after the laws of Japan would be a great start.

Not only that but we need to change the psychosis in this country from that of fear. Our people have way too much fear in this country and it is dispensed like candy through our media and our right wing political leaders.

Our 2nd amendment rights were never meant to mean that everyone gets to own a gun. It's for a well regulated militia which we already have.

Also, as a college professor, the idea of my students having concealed weapons while in class is a frightening scenerio that shouldn't exist in a free, peaceful and democratic nation.
A country where everyone walks around with guns is not a place I want to live.

There are over 30,000 deaths per year as a result of the perpetrator using a gun. Most of those 30,000 would still be alive had guns been more difficult to obtain in this country.

Answer 7

It should actually be easier to obtain a gun. Consider it something similar to the cold war theories. If every kid on Virginia Tech's campus was armed, how many people would have died that day? Certainly less then 33. Until we have some way to prove that there are no unregulated / illegal guns floating around, people will fight to own a weapon for self defense, and rightfully so. Mutually assured destruction can be a deterrent. The ones currently in place are not getting the job done.

Answer 8

Take a look at the neighbours to the North (Canada for all you who failed Geography) who are 8 times less likely to be shot with a gun!!!

Canada has much stricker NATIONAL gun laws.

1. You have to take a gun safety course.
2. With the exception of specialized licences (such as a money truck operator), You can only travel with a gun from home to a shooting range and back any thing else gets you a crimal charge.
3. You have to register all fire arms.
4. Waiting periods.
5. Stricker limits on types of weapons.
6. Voluntary weapons eliminations programs.
7. Virtually zero tolerance on concealed guns.

It should be a privilage not a right to own a fire arm.

Answer 9

How about a psych eval and fire arms proficiency course. The you issue a handgun of their choice and a right to carry to anyone who passed both.

Because it was Virginia I'm sure most of the students could have qualified. That would mean the shooter definitly wouldn't have gotten to reload.

Remember one thing. The gun was just the means. It wasn't the cause. Don't blame the gun. About 50K die each year in car accidents. No one blames the car.

Answer 10

I understand you are interested in making society a safer place. However, the fallacy of making it harder to legally purchase a firearm is that such laws only effect the law abiding and do absolutely nothing to deter the criminal.

There are currently legal requirements for the purchase of handguns including waiting periods and background checks. This does not stop felons and loonies who would otherwise be legally barred from owning them from obtaining them illegally. The only thing such laws do is make it more difficult for someone who wants to legitimately purchase a firearm for recreational purposes or self-defense. Adding more restrictive laws on purchasing does not solve the root problem.

In short, punish the criminal not the law abiding.