[Archived] Gun Law Debate: Please keep posts civil and conversational

[Steve Moss]

It's a great concept that the NRA, as advocates of gun safety, should be getting right behind.

I think the NRA is fine with the technology being developed. The NRA is not fine with statutory mandates requiring smart guns (at least at this stage of the technology). The NRA is certainly not fine with negotiating which guns are good and which are bad with politicians who'll keep a promise only as long as it suits them.

For example the "smart gun" in the video is only a .22. And it costs $1,800, several times a traditional pistol's costs. While interesting, it is not yet developed to the point the technology can be used reliably in a self-defense weapon.

Here's a list which I think encapsulates the NRA's concerns with smart gun technology- http://www.forbes.com/sites/josephsteinberg/2014/05/04/smartguns/

[ultrablue]

I'm with you - that's why I said the NRA should be behind the concept, whilst still advising its members about problems with this early version. Instead they are getting in the way of legislative changes and cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Surely if New Jersey are offering to repeal a gun control law so that this smartgun can go on sale as one of an array of choices available, then that is something the NRA should be all for. In fact whilst the smartgun is in its infancy, this would be the time to grab this offer with both hands. The Democrats in New Jersey may not be so generous in a few years time.

[Tom]

Sad news today a 22 year old went on a rampage threatening to slaughter any blonde 'slut' he sees after being rejected, kills 6 in a drive by shooting

Here is his last video promising his revenge it's very disturbing

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4fd_1400921453

[pg]

A recent view at gun control :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP3HJVp3n9c

[Husky]

I'd definitely feel safer if I had a gun.

[ABBEY]

ANOTHER TWO POLICEMEN SHOT IN USA

[jim mk2]

I'd definitely feel safer if I had a gun.

Perhaps you'd feel safer in the US?

The Associated Press 2015

A five-year-old boy has died in a gun battle as his family were driving away from a park north of St Louis, Missouri.

Police spokesman John Green said gunfire erupted from a sport utility vehicle that pulled up alongside the family's minivan at O'Fallon Park last night.

The child's father, who was driving the minivan, returned fire before the SUV drove off.

Mr Green said the child was pronounced dead in hospital.

A 15-year-old boy and an older male passenger in the minivan are in a stable condition after being injured in the shooting. The child's parents were not injured.

No arrests have been made.

[Husky]

Perhaps you'd feel safer in the US?

No. I'd feel safer in England with a gun.

[ABBEY]

and another

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2015/03/18/mesa-shooting-near-light-rail/24961403/

[Tom]

When are they going to do something about their police

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/18/us/dallas-police-fatal-shooting-mentally-ill-man-video/index.html#

Absolute barbaric this gun culture

No thought other than to kill that man, the first instinct is always kill, surely they could have backed away or at the very worst used their taser

[AllRoverAsia]

When are they going to do something about their police

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/18/us/dallas-police-fatal-shooting-mentally-ill-man-video/index.html#

Absolute barbaric this gun culture

No thought other than to kill that man, the first instinct is always kill, surely they could have backed away or at the very worst used their taser

That was murder.

[Tom]

The worst bit is asking a man they just killed to let go of the screwdriver

[AllRoverAsia]

The worst bit is asking a man they just killed to let go of the screwdriver

I listened to the warning but was still shocked as there was no need for the police to shoot. Can only imagine what excuses they will dream up - completely unjustifiabe killing by the police imo.

[K-Hod]

You just wonder what made them think to pull their guns out like that, ludicrous. They should be jailed, but I won't hold my breath. They didn't even need to use force at all. Madness.

[otto man]

Our Bobbies deal with situations of that nature on a fairly frequent basis I would imagine, using only a night stick(Truncheon) and a taser. A totally over the top reaction from the US Bobbies, especially as they were aware of the nature of the call before they arrived. Mum calls for assistance with her Bi Polar son never imagining those despatched to assist would take his life. Shameful.

[Tom]

The cop said the guy lunged at his coleague then 'locked on' to him and made repeated stabbing movements

He does take a step forward but rather than them simply back off to handle it the reaction is to shoot him 5 times.

What gets me is the mum puts trust in the police to help and those very people shoot Her son dead within 10 seconds of arriving

[K-Hod]

As you say, stepping forward doesn't warrant 5 gun shots. Appalling.

[otto man]

The cop said the guy lunged at his coleague then 'locked on' to him and made repeated stabbing movements

He does take a step forward but rather than them simply back off to handle it the reaction is to shoot him 5 times.

What gets me is the mum puts trust in the police to help and those very people shoot Her son dead within 10 seconds of arriving

I've watched the video a few times now and can see no evidence that he threatens the officers at all. Yes he steps forward but does not appear to do so in an aggressive manner. Now I appreciate things can escalate quickly and the need for caution from the bobbies, but however you dress it up I believe it was a totally over the top response and I'm at a loss to understand why the officers in question haven't been charged or at the very least sanctioned in some way.

[K-Hod]

I've watched the video a few times now and can see no evidence that he threatens the officers at all. Yes he steps forward but does not appear to do so in an aggressive manner. Now I appreciate things can escalate quickly and the need for caution from the bobbies, but however you dress it up I believe it was a totally over the top response and I'm at a loss to understand why the officers in question haven't been charged or at the very least sanctioned in some way.

As wrong as it is, I doubt they will be charged. Think of all the firearm related instances recently involving the police over there....

[Tom]

Some quotes:

"It was at that time that I realized that I was going to die if I didn't stop the threat in front of me and I pulled my service weapon and fired two times in self-defense," Rogers wrote.

After Rogers and Hutchins repeated the command, "the suspect stepped from the doorway and suddenly jabbed the screwdriver at my partner and then seemed to lock onto me and began to move toward me jabbing the screwdriver at me in fast motions," Rogers wrote.

------

Police tactical experts disagreed Tuesday over whether two Dallas officers acted properly last year when they fatally shot a mentally ill man who was holding a screwdriver.

They did an absolutely perfect job, said Keith Wenzel, a retired Dallas Police Department trainer, adding he would show students the video of the shooting as an example of good tactics.

But another police instructor said she planned to use the video to teach students what not to do.

Its the worst thing Ive ever seen in my life, said Cecile Tebo, the former commander of the New Orleans Police Departments Crisis Intervention Team. That was handled very poorly.

[jim mk2]

Just another day in the USA

Press Association

A 12-year-old boy was cooking with his older brother before he shot his six-year-old brother dead, wounded the older brother and killed himself, a Florida sheriff says.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco identified the 12-year-old boy as Kevin Pimentel. Deputies say he killed six-year-old Brady Pimentel and wounded 16-year-old Trevor Pimentel.

The sheriff earlier said there was an argument over food, but later said that was under investigation.

He said the boys were home alone while their mother was working. Authorities have found no evidence that child welfare officials or police had been called to the home before the shooting last night.

Mr Nocco said the mother still does not know all of the details about the shooting.

"This is a horrific scene," he said. "This is a nightmare."

[Tom]

US cops killed more people in March than UK police have in total since 1900.

Even if we averaged for size of population the UK police would have killed 206 people since 1900 and the U.S. cops have killed 111 in March alone.

Absolutely mental statistics which I imagine is heavily down to the nutjobs with their gun culture

[Amo]

I'd hate to get on the wrong side of the law in the US. The cops are just looking for an excuse to toast ya or bash your skull in. Just look at what they did to Kelly Thomas, the homeless dude (don't Google it if you're squeamish) who was shown on camera being beaten to a pulp and tasered by two cops for 'resisting arrest'. And as predicted, the guilty bacon all walked free.

[ABBEY]

biker gangs killing one another with knives and guns..the world's gone mad.

[Steve Moss]

Gangs, bikers and otherwise, have been killing each other ever since they invented the concept of "gangs".

I remember stories of Milo and Clodius, and their followers, slaughtering each other as far back as the Roman Republic.

That's what happens when criminals vie to control territory.