Primary Response

[FenceFurniture]

This might be a drop in the ocean, but it's a start. Interesting to see that gun violence has been cut by a third.

[Bushmiller]

This might be a drop in the ocean, but it's a start. Interesting to see that gun violence has been cut by a third.

Brett

A move in the right direction. I notice that it has been in place since 2009. It would be interesting to hear how many other states have followed suit. It would also be interesting to see the profile (not a side-on photo) of those returning the weapons. Are they concerned citizens, those that are starving or another group alltogether? I expect they are not collecting this information as it would not be conducive to gun owners coming forward. Also is it an amnesty in that illegal weapons can be submitted without fear of recrimination?

Regards
Paul

[FenceFurniture]

Hi Paul, these would undoubtedly be the least likely people to use them, BUT it means the guns aren't available to be stolen by the real perps. Anything to get the number of available guns down.

And for anyone thinking that these people no longer have a way of defending themselves - in most cases they'd have to have the gun in their hands, loaded, cocked and ready to fire, and that's pretty unlikely.

[artme]

Seems many in the USA are like kids who refuse to give things up. These people are acting like kids who are refused things for their own good.

In my first post on this subject I spoke of the mentality over there that we need a gun to protect ourselves from the people with guns.There is an obvious stubborness
about shifting from this point of view. This, coupled with all the "right to own " issues is a dangerous and tragic mix.

I think whatever Obama and others try to do will be thwarted by these two attitudes as well as the constant and strident referral to constitutional rights.

A more insidious influence, I feel, is the politicians who think only of themselves. What is good for them is not necessarily good for the nation.

[jimbur]

We've had a great Christmas here but, every time I talked to the grandkids this atrocity kept coming to mind. Families without their kids.

[FenceFurniture]

Yesterday, I came to the realisation that Wayne LaPierre is literally, and absolutely, bullet proof. He can say whatever he likes, and he'll never be assassinated (with a gun anyway), for two profound reasons:
1. The enormous majority of gun owners would be supporters of him, and
2. It would be such an enormous contradiction in terms, and would set the debate back a coupla centuries.

[jimbur]

Yesterday, I came to the realisation that Wayne LaPierre is literally, and absolutely, bullet proof. He can say whatever he likes, and he'll never be assassinated (with a gun anyway), for two profound reasons:
1. The enormous majority of gun owners would be supporters of him, and
2. It would be such an enormous contradiction in terms, and would set the debate back a coupla centuries.

Wonder how fast the response would be if his house caught fire?

[Bushmiller]

A more insidious influence, I feel, is the politicians who think only of themselves. What is good for them is not necessarily good for the nation.

Arthur

Ain't that the truth! The senseless, supercilious, self-serving, sychofantic specimens of a political cesspool. (Dammn..There goes the resolution to be nice. Next year perhaps.)

Regards
Paul

[FenceFurniture]

Furthermore, Obama is in the same position of being bullet proof. If he were to be assassinated then the argument against guns would receive the boost it needs to be carried out......so it ain't gonna happen.

[FenceFurniture]

Arthur

Ain't that the truth! The senseless, supercilious, self-serving, sychofantic specimens of a political cesspool. (Dammn..There goes the resolution to be nice. Next year perhaps.)

Regards
Paul

It's still 2012 for a few days....

[FenceFurniture]

Seems many in the USA are like kids who refuse to give things up. These people are acting like kids who are refused things for their own good. Agreed

In my first post on this subject I spoke of the mentality over there that we need a gun to protect ourselves from the people with guns.There is an obvious stubborness about shifting from this point of view. This, coupled with all the "right to own " issues is a dangerous and tragic mix. Agreed

I think whatever Obama and others try to do will be thwarted by these two attitudes as well as the constant and strident referral to constitutional rights.
Hmmm, not so sure about that Art, I get the feeling that Sandy Hook may have just been one too many to maintain the status quo.

A more insidious influence, I feel, is the politicians who think only of themselves. What is good for them is not necessarily good for the nation.
And the ones who don't are who exactly?

I guess we have to wait and see what the reaction is ti whatever Obama and Liden put out. I get the impression that the country is pretty off by now. I hope so anyway.

[Bushmiller]

It's still 2012 for a few days....

Perhaps I should keep going....

Regards
Paul

[jimbur]

Furthermore, Obama is in the same position of being bullet proof. If he were to be assassinated then the argument against guns would receive the boost it needs to be carried out......so it ain't gonna happen.

Hang on. Are you actually suggesting rationality in these blokes' thinking?

[FenceFurniture]

Hang on. Are you actually suggesting rationality in these blokes' thinking?

Nah mate, but it's so bleedin' obvious that even a nutter could see it.

[jimbur]

Nah mate, but it's so bleedin' obvious that even a nutter could see it.

I'm not too sure about that. For years these people have been arguing that citizens with guns are the only bulwark against tyrannical government. Suggest that they might lose some of their 'rights' and they could think that now's the time for all armed men to come to the aid of the republic.
I hope you're right though.