[Byte1]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

I apologize, I thought you were referring to incarceration. I agree with you. I don't recall which , but some state(s?) tried requiring death penalty for any felony where a gun was used. I don't think it helped, but honestly don't remember.

As for comparing to other countries. I see no problem with learning from others. Certainly we are different, but when every other country in the world does not have a serious problem we have, then I think it is worth trying to see why. Seeing what works someplace and figuring out how it might be applied here is just smart. It's, in my opinion, learning from others mistakes so I don't have to do it myself.

On your suggestions, we are not far apart. I absolutely want age limits. For the same reason we have age limits on drinking, driving, joining the military, etc etc etc. Children's brains have not fully developed.

And the thing I would add is universal background checks. If someone has a history of violent crimes, spousal abuse, mental illness, etc. I don't think they should have legal access to guns.

Which leads to my other suggestion, which I don't see any reason responsible gun owner should mind, and that is holding the seller of guns responsible to have performed the universal background test. If they failed to perform the test, or sold even though the buyer failed, they should share the blame for anything the illegal purchase results in.

So, I am okay with all of yours except age limits. (I think if a person can go to war at 18, then that should be old enough to own a gun) And I think we should add too more.

Once again, I have not verbalized my thoughts in such a way that makes my thought(s) coherent enough to be understood. I did not mean that there should not be age limits. What I meant to suggest is that age limits will not stop the killing or protect the children. If I am not mistaken, our governor signed a state law that indicated an age limit for purchasing rifles in Florida. Supposedly, no one under age 21 may purchase a firearm in Florida. I do not think that will save any children from a mass murder in public schools, but I also agree with you that anyone that can fight FOR this country should be able to purchase a hunting rifle when they come home. As long as our youth can still participate in firearms safety classes and sport competition as well as hunting, I have no problem with age limits for the purchases of firearms. As long as a father or mother can still purchase a firearm for their children (under supervision) to participate in such activities, I am fine with some form of guidance/supervision for our youth to become familiar with firearms.