<<The argument seems to me is centured on how to prevent guns from getting into irresponsible or criminal hands in the free society (in police society it is easy)....not on how to take hunting guns away..>>
But when you discuss how to prevent guns from getting into the "wrong" hands you are discussing how to take away the right to bear arms, if only from a select few. Hunting weapons, must I add, can kill as readily as a 357 Magnum.
The question of keeping guns out of the hands of criminals is moot, since felons are automatically barred from owning weapons (and if you use a firearm in the perpetration of a crime, it is an automatic felony, so those who have used firearms in a criminal manner are automatically barred from owning them). Short of revoking the right to bear arms, it is not possible to prevent firearms from falling into the hands of those who would use them for criminal means, since there is no way to determine who in society will or will not use them criminally. Do we prevent all Hispanics from owning weapons in East LA? We can not assume guilt. Neither is it realistic to believe that laws that require a waiting period will be effective in deterring those who are determined to commit a crime, since if they are intent on breaking the law to begin with, it is unreasonable to assume they will be deterred by breaking the law in owning a firearm that has been sold on the black market.
As to teenagers and children getting their hands on weapons, this is a matter in which parents have prime responsibility. Those Colorado kids' parents were highly irresponsible in not properly supervising their children. It is also irresponsible to think that if you "hide" your gun, your child will not be in danger or be in danger of using it wrongly. The best thing to do is to educate children about guns, not hide it away and let them learn the dangers of firearms by trial and error once they find it! And it is the parent's responsibility to control access to their firearms, and their minor children's firearms. In short, kids will be exposed one way or another to guns. The best way to ensure that they are not harmed is to first, educate them about guns, and second, take responsibility for your guns and your children. |
