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Originally Posted by Jazuela
I'm not suggesting that we "eliminate" a tool to commit violence. I'm saying provide better checks and balances, and accountability for both the buyer and the seller, and make it a NATIONAL regulation, not a state-wide regulation. There is nothing preventing someone from going to any state that allows them to legally buy a gun, and legally buying one. And then, once that person has possession of that gun, bringing it back to their state, where state regulations prohibit them from buying it (because licensing, conceal carry, mental illness checks not done, no testing, whatever. WHATEVER REASON.)
If it is illegal for them to get it in the next state also, then it will be more difficult for them to get a gun. They'll still be able to get one. But it'll be harder to do. AND - just the fact that they got one at all, in ANY state, would mean they violated the law.
In some states, the regulations and restrictions are stricter than in other states. There is no consistency. That is WHY Chicago has the problems it has. Chicago is an example of a city that will always have problems. But it is AS BAD as it is, because of the ease of LEGALLY acquiring a firearm across state lines.
The regulations - whatever they are, however strict or loose, need to be nationwide.
And again - "other tools" don't exist for the express purpose of killing. The primary function of a gun is to kill. That is its #1 primary function. It has limited use in anything else other than target practice, which is what you do when you're trying to be good at killing.
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Have you heard of the Gun Control Act of 1968. This federal law established a NATIONWIDE set of regulations that regulate the sale, possession, and transportation of firearms for all states and territories.
What do you mean about accountability for buyer and seller? If a gun dealer sells a firearm to a prohibited individual he has broken the law. If a prohibited person obtains a firearm he has committed a felony. News flash, criminals don't obey the law.
States can and do have laws in addition to what the federal government has laid down. As I pointed out in another post Florida has a 3 day waiting period before you can take possession of a firearm after successfully completing a background check.
Do you read my posts? I stated earlier that a person cannot go into another state and purchase a handgun and walk out the door with it. The gun must be transferred to a licensed gun dealer in the purchasers home state where the individual must pass a background check before taking possession of the gun. If the gun is prohibited in the purchasers home state or if the individual cannot legally own the firearm, he/she will not get it from the gun dealer. A private individual cannot sell an out of state resident a handgun. It must be transferred to a licensed dealer in the purchasers home state just as a gun dealer must do. Long guns are treated a bit differently and can be purchased out of state but if the home state of the purchaser prohibits that firearm the out of state dealer cannot sell the rifle to him. Even if an out of state purchaser is able to obtain a rifle that is banned in his home state he is still violating the law for possessing it.
Were cars designed for drunk drivers to operate? How about axes, they were a weapon of war but are also used to cut down trees. Knives were and still are weapons of war in addition to being used in the kitchen. Clubs were definitely used first as weapons but we don't regulate baseball bats do we. The fact that guns were originally designed as weapons mean nothing. My point which you don't seem to accept is that nearly any item can be used as a weapon to injure or kill another person. In the absence of a firearm a determined individual will find another tool to use to commit the crime. Yes there would be fewer gun homicides but there would be more by other means.
I take great offense to your statement and take it as insult that if a person uses a gun in target practice it is only to enable them to be more effective in killing. You don't know me. I have never killed anyone in my life, I've never threatened anyone with a gun either. I have no desire or daydreams of killing someone. I am just as sickened by the senseless killings going on in this country as anyone else. There are millions of gun owners in this country who think just like me about the violence.