The majority of those responding to this week’s online poll thought that gun control laws should stay the same at the state and national level. About 54 percent said Congressman Jared Huffman should not push for tighter gun restrictions in Congress, while about 64 percent thought our state representatives should not.
About 35 percent were in favor of tighter state regulations.
Here were some of the comments.
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“It’s way past time to put some effective controls on the sale, purchase and carrying of automatic and semi-automatic guns, cop-killing and flesh-maiming bullets, large magazines and other gear with no civilian use. These are not sporting guns. Support for expanded mental health services and gun safety training is also part of the picture. In the meantime, ask WalMart, Dicks and other gun merchants to remove guns like the Bushmaster AR-15 version and others from their sales, forever. We should also require full, effective background checks on all gun purchasers, including at shows. Too many people are killed and wounded by guns in this country, including eight child deaths per day! Saying ‘no’ is not sufficient anymore.”
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“Guns do not kill, people kill!”
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“Huffman will say anything to get noticed but he doesn’t have the skills to get anything done, especially against the all-powerful NRA. However, Wolk and Levine will just have to jump on the bandwagon that is likely to be rolling.”
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“I am all for gun control, but unfortunately we are too late. Gun control legislation should have been addressed long before assault and semi- automatic weapons were even invented. When the constitution was written allowing citizens the right to bear arms, the weapons were not as deadly as they are today. If a new constitution were written today, I would suspect that there would still be a right to bear arms but a definition would be included to limit the arms to only non-semi- automatic rifles and handguns.”
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“I believe that most are missing the point. It’s not guns that are the problem; it’s the mentality behind them. We’ve allowed ourselves to become a violent society. Looking the other way, or not in my backyard, or me myself and I, and plain old greed have become the norm. It’s not OK. Harsh punishment for crimes and helping the mentally ill: That’s what’s needed. Godless society doesn’t work either. I don’t want the government controlling me any more than they do now.”
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“Increasingly, it seems the federal government disregards the Constitution and the 10th Amendment. I think the details of gun control should reside within the realm of individual states (which can work together cooperatively for consistency, if they choose).”
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“Loopholes need to be eliminated, we need background checks 100 percent, and all types of guns should be registered whenever an owner moves to a new county. Stop quick purchases at gun shows and stop internet gun purchases; limit the amount of ammunition purchased during a specific time period unless a permit is obtained; address mental health issues; educate parents on warning signs and where to get help, do not turn the schools and teachers into anything other than a place to educate. The list is endless. The elected officials (federal, state and local) have failed to set up the basic safeguards. Why?”
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“No, California already has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, and as far as I can tell it has not stopped the criminals from getting their hands on any gun they want. The law breakers don’t care about gun laws so they are not effective.”
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“So many innocent children and their teachers are being murdered. It makes me so sad to hear there is such resistance to a ban on assault weapons. The mother of this mentally ill boy had enough ammunition and assault weapons in her home to murder each and every child at that school. She took so much pride and joy taking her own children to the shooting range with her. It is a pity that our right to gun ownership requires us to accept the slaughter of our most fragile citizens. Is that what freedom means?”
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“The 10-year ban on assault weapons across the United States did nothing to decrease gun violence. We don’t blame cars for accidents; its the driver. Every one of these horrific incidents has involved a mentally challenged person, and as soon as it happens everyone who knew them says “no surprise” but we continue to be too sensitive to mental health issues and we refuse to address it so the problem continues. All another assault weapon ban will do is spur more gun sales, the focus and funding needs to be on these individuals who need medical attention and lifetime monitoring.”
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“The issue they should really address is mental health. California already has the strictest gun laws in the nation now, but as we know, government will cover the issue with a ban on weapons as a coverup instead of facing the real issue, because the gun grabbin’ fools will use this as a way to get their way. It has been written in the constitution and the 2nd Amendment as your and my right to bear arms. Just a little piece of freedom, and someone wants to take it away.”
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“The right to keep and bear arms is the enumerated right that people have a personal right to own arms for individual use. We already have restrictions that prevent lawful gun owners from having a magazine size greater than 10 rounds.”
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“This is a no-brainer. Why on earth should it be legal for assault weapons to be sold?”
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“We need to work on all levels because the NRA will work against anything that is proposed. I was in law enforcement for 31 years and no one needs an assault weapon or a high-capacity magazine for protection or for hunting.”
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