U.S. Gun Control Laws Criticized Abroad

[hogwyld]

LONDON (AP) - The Virginia Tech shootings sparked criticism of U.S. gun control laws around the world Tuesday. Editorials lashed out at the availability of weapons, and the leader of Australia—one of America's closest allies—declared that America's gun culture was costing lives.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said the government hoped Monday's shootings, allegedly carried out by a 23-year-old South Korean native, would not "stir up racial prejudice or confrontation."

While some focused blame only on the gunman, world opinion over U.S. gun laws was almost unanimous: Access to weapons increases the probability of shootings. There was no sympathy for the view that more guns would have saved lives by enabling students to shoot the assailant

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OIGHU00&show_article=1


It's high time we put the gun industry out of the business of killing...

[mr blur]

1. Well, look at it this way:

I live in a country where healthcare is considered a right. You live in a country where gun ownership is considered a right. Work it out.

[hogwyld]

4. Until we come to our senses

And abandon this bang bang cowboy culture, we will always be a global pariah..

[atreides1]

2. Okay

Now show me the evidence that any gun company has been complicit in this tragedy, or in any others?


Not gun shows, gun shops, or private sellers, just the companies that make the product!

[hogwyld]

15. Remember when Sarah Brady and HCI

were going to kill off the gun companies by way of a thousand papaer cuts through the courts? Well, the pukes enacted a law to shield them. Since we own congress, we can repeal that law.

[MADem]

3. Well, I rather doubt the gun industry is going to allow itself to be put out of business quietly

Not just the owners, but the employees.

And I also don't think that people who enjoy using guns for target practice should have to give up their hobby because a minority of flakes can't handle owning a gun. We can't be making laws for the exceptions to society. At the same time, we need to protect the majority from these bloodthirsty exceptions. That's the challenge.


There does need to be some sanity brought to the process of gun ownership, I believe. It does need to be nationalized, though some may hate that idea. Databases need to be shared between states, in seamless fashion.

If developing good and effective laws involves increased regulation and oversight, well, so be it. Maybe there'll be a visit to the shrink before ya get your license, and checkups every year or three, just to be sure. That's unlikely to be welcomed, but it beats a full ban to those who don't like that idea.

If guns are outlawed, though, it won't be long before nefarious machinists find a work-around for that state of affairs, as they do now in China, where they make their own and sell them on the black market. It will be the law-abiders who do without, and the criminals will proceed with business as usual: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-06/13/content_616018.htm

China's gun and explosives control has made tremendous progress due to governmental strengthening of law enforcement, but illegal guns and explosives are still rampant in parts of the country, especially in the western Qinghai and Guizhou Provinces, which are less economically developed, Ministry of Public Security Security Management Bureau of Ministry director Xu Hu told reporters on June 13 according to a report by china.org.cn. ... Xu said China has confiscated more than 38 million illicit guns in recent years, most of which are homemade guns, leading to few real guns being used in crimes.

[hogwyld]

7. Many of your proposals are very good ones

That might be a compromise I can live with in regards to a national gun registry, and strict mental health/licensing. I just get so frustrated by some that want everyone to have 10 guns to carry around like that will solve all problems. I would like to see at least the elimination of magazine fed firearms as that would at least slow down the reloading rate, and give the survivors a chance to rush the shooter while he's trying to reload.

[piedmont]

5. Ok, I get to criticize their gun bans when their authoritarian governments kill their own people. nt

[billbuckhead]

10. Most of these nations you're criticizing don't even have the death penalty!

Those evil Canadians, Aussies, New Zealanders, Dutch, Spaniards, French, Germans, Irish, Swedes, Italians, Brits

[MADem]

12. Well, the Chinese kill the most people, and they have a very harsh ban....

What that's apropos of though, I 've no idea...

[hogwyld]

13. Difference btw Democracies, and Communists

At least I hope it's that simple...

[Selatius]

6. How do the Swiss live with guns?

[hogwyld]

8. Through very strict regulations

They are tightly controlled, and every round of ammo must be accounted for. Plus, the Swiss are surrounded with money. :)

[Selatius]

14. There's a big loophole with respect to ammo.

The rule at shooting ranges is that ammo bought at these ranges must be used, but many people don't know about the rule or ignore it. As a result, people can accumulate hundreds of rounds of ammunition over time. Ammo given to you by the cantonal government as a result of militia service is given to you in sealed tins. Those are tightly-regulated, however. The seals are only broken when the militia is called up, such as in the event of war or training maneuvers. Given that every able-bodied person is compelled to serve in the defense militias as apart of national service, they know how to operate guns, maintain guns properly, and store them properly. Americans, on the other hand, fall behind in terms of competency.

[billbuckhead]

9. The Swiss are changing their gun laws to EU style gun laws

"These rules will be changed — presumably in 2008 — because Switzerland will be joining the Schengen treaty; and all member countries must adapt some of their laws to a common standard. Following the draft of the Swiss government for the new Waffengesetz (weapons law), these points will change:
Unlawful possession of guns will be punished;
Gun trade among individuals will require a valid buying permit (under today's law, persons with a criminal record can trade guns);
Every gun must be marked with a registered serial number;
Airsoft guns and imitations of real guns will also be governed by the new law"

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Switzerland>

BTW, the same wikipedia link also says 300 Swiss a year are killed by these miltia guns kept at home.

[Selatius]

11. I'm surprised it's only 300 out of a population of roughly 6,000,000 Swiss.

Then again, nobody is given assault rifles unless they're fully trained and are serving in the community militias.

Something has to be said about their level of poverty as well as community cohesion when talking about crime rates in general.

[bouwob1]

16. Gun control

It’s not even that there should be a complete ban on guns there should just be limits on the types of guns. If you are a hunter you do not need an automatic or semi automatic weapon. If you need to shoot a bullet a second to kill your pray you are probably to bad of a shot to be safe owning one. Most of you nra'ers say that if you outlaw assault weapons then the only people that will have them are the criminals. For once you are correct. Because by you owning an assault rifle you are a criminal by definition. I am a firm believe that there is no reason guns that can hold more than 5 shots are needed for anything recreational.


The other big NRA saying is that guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Wouldn’t it be much more difficult for the few crazed people to go on killing sprees if the availability of high powered, high shot weaponry was outlawed? The cost of these weapons would skyrocket making it much more difficult for someone to go about finding and then affording to buy one.

[hogwyld]

17. I never understood why gun people

Had this need for 15 shot magazine either. I would agree with you that we need to get rid of anything that holds more than 5 or 6 shots. I would also like to get rid of the magazine type guns as they can be quickly reloaded adding to the death toll.