I think we should debate the merits of a UK/Japan-style gun ban.
I don't know if there's anyone here that supports such a move, but I think it's worth discussing the pros and cons.
Coming in late, but can you lay out the UK/Japan style gun-ban? I could go research it, but a bit tied up...I know it's much stricter.
I'm not a gun guy at all....never grew up with them in the house, never had a desire to own one, have always disliked going to the shooting range (I've never felt comfortable with people I don't know being able to end my life so easily because I'm in close proximity to them while they hold a gun). At the same time, based on my line of work, nearly 95% of my customers are hard core hunters and gun enthusiasts. And I respect that....but these are weekend hunters who are by the book and have a huge respect of the fire-arm and seem to leave a legacy of respect for the weapon as they pass it on to their kids. I mean more power to them..it's not for me, and I've turned down at least 20 hunting trips in the last 2 years.
Anyways, I'm all for a significantly harder background check on all guns, and I'd be OK with a complete ban on assault weapons. I think a huge hurdle would be how you handle the abolition of semi-auto's.....and certainly, you can't really go out collecting or taking people's weapons.
Again, I'm late to the convo and this is half baked, but I think to at least get some movemnt on the issue:
1. I'd make background checks significantly harder, and likely extend the wait period of purchasing a weapon several months. I do think there should be some type of medical background that takes medications prescribed, mental hospital visits, etc into account. I don't know the exact figure, but it seems nearly every mass shooter in recent history had a history with anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medication
2. I'd grandfather in current legal ownership of semi-Autos that are currently legally owned, but ban there purchasing going forward. A major part of making progress is assuring current legal gun owners the government isn't coming for their weapons.
3. I don't know what the current law is on the books for kids who use someone else's gun for a shooting, but that needs to become a huge penalty as well....did anything happen to Adam Landa's mom when he used her weapons at Sandy Hook?
Bottom line.....I'm tired of these mass shootings. It's absurd..I know by raw numbers in the US, there are more guns in the marketplace, yet personal gun ownership is down considerably. It's odd you'd have 32% homes with gun ownership (vs 50% in the mid 70's) and yet the crime is having an inverse relationship.
Something needs to change. I sound like a grandfather, but culture needs to change too. This stuff just wasn't prevalent (outside of Columbine) in my age. It's worries the hell out of me with a child getting ready to enter the public school system.....