Sandy Hook should have ended private gun ownership in America.

[Cyrano]

And the fact that it didn't means that there is nothing that will end it.

What's wrong with us? How did we get here? Why are guns more important than children's lives?

There's a horrible sickness infecting America. And there's no cure in sight.

[Downsouthjukin]

1. This is crazy talk

It’s statements like this that cost us as democrats. I am as liberal as they come but I don’t want to live in a country where you can’t own a gun.

[Cyrano]

3. Thank you for making my point

[LuckyCharms]

5. 'I'm as liberal as they come".

How nice for you.

[maxsolomon]

7. Welcome to DU

You know the OP is hyperbole, right?

[Cyrano]

21. Umm, no. It's not hyperbole. It's about children butchered by a gun.

[maxsolomon]

24. You think this is remotely realistic?

"Sandy Hook should have ended private gun ownership in America."

You know it's not realistic, and it never was. Even Japan allows private gun ownership, albeit with onerous restrictions.

[GenXer47]

16. WHY???

It's nice!
Denmark doesn't have this problem, parents can send their kids to school without mortal fear.
Not sure what your motivation is but please leave your own labeling to others who observe you. To me you look like a passive conservative.

[sir pball]

38. Denmark allows private ownership of guns so I'm not sure what you're on about.

Sure, the laws are quite a bit stricter than in the US (which is A Good Thing), but they hardly amount to a total ban on private ownership ap OP is advocating. I'm not aware of any liberal democracy in the world that bans guns.

Applicants for a gun owner’s licence in Denmark have to show a genuine reason to possess a firearm, for example hunting, target shooting, collection.
Police carry out checks to decide whether it is safe to grant a person a permit and they are entered into records so everyone's arms are accounted for.
Only licensed individuals may own or transfer a gun and ammunition and can only purchase ammunition that matches the firearm they own, according to Gunpolicy.org, an organisation that tracks international firearm policy,
If someone wants to use a weapon to go hunting, they must have at least passed a hunting test (jagtprøve) and a shooting test (haglskydeprøve).
Civilians are not allowed to possess automatic firearms and private possession of semi-automatic assault weapons and handguns is permitted only with special authorisation.

https://www.thelocal.dk/20220704/explained-how-gun-control-laws-work-in-denmark

[Ferrets are Cool]

19. If THAT was the price of NEVER having another child killed in school, would you then?

Just curious how important guns are to you.

[Frasier Balzov]

23. Japan seems more peace loving.

I think they're really the model when it comes to the issue of guns and ammunition.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. Probably because a great many people feel like they need guns to protect their own kids?

I mean I absolutely have no love of guns, but what was the practical means by which "ending private gun ownership in America" was to be accomplished, in your estimation?

Something like Sandy Hook affects different people in different ways. People like us on DU think the solution is to ban guns, but another, fairly logical (given human nature) reaction is to wonder how they should arm themselves against the danger.

[edisdead]

22. I mean how about if we just did.... Something?

Like anything. Literally any small measure. In the wake of 20 some dead kids.

I know you were responding to the OP but sandy hook begs the question of how have we essentially done jack shit in the aftermath…. and all the other aftermaths…

[Hugh_Lebowski]

27. Yeah ... something definitely would've been better than nothing, no argument there (nt)

[CanonRay]

4. I totally agree

if that massacre didn't do it, nothing will.

[Downsouthjukin]

6. I am all for much more stringent gun laws.

But common sense must not go out the window. Outlawing civilian ownership of guns altogether is nuts. If that’s what you want just quit voting for democrats and vote for republicans because as soon as they get what they want, which is authoritarian rule they will do just that. They will outlaw gun ownership.

[SoCalDavidS]

9. So Long As They're Being Paid Off By NRA & Gun Manufacturers, repubs Will NEVER Outlaw Gun Ownership

That's like thinking Faux News is going to suddenly stop with the Lies and supporting fascists like Orange Man or that other Asshole from FL, just because they had to pay some money.

There will be MORE guns in 10, 20, 30 years from now than there are today, and the mass shootings will become more frequent. Many Americans couldn't care less about human lives. The pandemic proved that, and continues to prove it on a daily basis. Pro-Life my ass. More like Pro-Death, so long as FREEDUMBS are maintained. THEIR FREEDUMBS that is. So long as the Libs are owned, that's their line in the sand.

[Downsouthjukin]

10. They will.

Right now they need the vote of their base. Once they no longer need the vote to stay in power it’s bye bye guns. That’s what their one issue voters in their base don’t understand. Putin doesn’t allow private gun ownership. He also does not need votes to remain in power.

[maxsolomon]

8. "It's way too late for Gun Control in America" -Steve Earle, Live at the BBC

That horse has left the barn. 400 million firearms in private hands. This is how it is now.

[GenXer47]

14. we collect 11 billion pounds of trash per week

an 400 millions guns weigh around 2 billion pounds.
It could easily be done.
But if bargaining with yourself makes it easier not to try, then go for it.

[maxsolomon]

25. Right, I'm bargaining with myself. Whereas you're a realist?

Vast numbers of hoarding gunners are hoping for an excuse to use their private armories. They believe the End Times are coming.

There is no scenario where confiscation is "easy".

[Jedi Guy]

26. Unless you were being flippant, that's got to be the most flawed analogy I've ever seen. N/T

[EX500rider]

28. So people will just go put their expensive firearms on the curb in a can voluntarily?

No compensation?

And what % do you think would do this & what % would say they sold them awhile back or lost them in a boating mishap?

[Silent3]

31. The limits, but hardly elinates, the possible effectives of new gun control laws

A number of recent mass shooting have been done using recently purchased guns, not by someone reaching into an old, existing stockpile. Make new purchases harder and you can still take a worthwhile bite out of senseless killings.

[maxsolomon]

33. I'm all for that.

Alabama was done with stolen guns (I'd wager).

[moondust]

11. Or limited way back when

the country formed a standing army and no longer needed militias for its national defense. For quite some time settlers were moving west where there might be little or no law enforcement out on the wild frontier so they had to protect themselves and their property. Those days are past.

At least they could do the responsible thing like Australia:

~
A person must have a firearm licence to possess or use a firearm. Licence holders must demonstrate a "genuine reason" (which does not include self-defence) for holding a firearm licence[2] and must not be a "prohibited person". All firearms must be registered by serial number to the owner, who must also hold a firearms licence.
~
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_of_Australia

The 'gun buy back scheme' started on 1 October 1996 and concluded on 30 September 1997:

[GenXer47]

15. 2A was for slave owners

Don't believe the milita crap. More colonialist history.
2A was for the South to put down slave revolts.

[moondust]

20. Yes, that too.

But at some point the slave patrols ended--though no doubt some white folks thought they still needed the gunz to protect themselves and their property from the freed slaves and the poor.

[Bonx]

12. Well, no.

[Archae]

13. So who would enforce this and how?

Have the Feds go door-to-door ransacking houses, apartments and businesses looking for the "wrong" guns?

Or any guns at all?

I sold my two guns years ago.

I just didn't want them anymore.

[superpatriotman]

17. Start showing the corpses

If America can't handle the gruesome effects we can't handle the cause.

[Ferrets are Cool]

18. Why are guns more important than children's lives?

It will NEVER happen to THEM. They don't give a FUCK about other peoples lives/kids.

[Irish_Dem]

29. We are living in the most serious moral decline in American history.

We are a country where murdering schoolchildren is just fine. We are OK with it.

What does that say about this country and Americans?

[Model35mech]

30. When we get rid of guns and ammo sales we'll need a new way to fund wildlife.

Over 80% of Americans support wildlife conservation. Currently near 80% of funding for conservation comes from excise taxes collected on the sale of guns/ammo, and fishing equipment.

No gun and ammo sales = no money from the top revenue source (Pittman-Robertson Funds), which were enacted as user fees on hunters in 1937. Those funds have done TREMENDOUS good in setting aside habitat.


In 2020 roughly 40K of 49K gun homicides in the US occurred in METRO AREAS. There is a very clear asymmetry in gun homicides that occur in Metro vs Non Metro areas. Most non-metro area homicides are suicides. Most Metro area gun homicides are related to crime, frequently gang or variously organized criminals.

As you might expect that results in a very polarized orientation between metro and non-metro citizens to the gun problems we face.

The 2nd amendment doesn't take these differences into account, it applies to the United States like a universal coat of paint.

And THAT is what mostly is in the way of Metro areas developing common sense gun regulation for their communities' alarmingly high rate of gun homicides.

I think the US could deal with gun homicides if solutions were allowed to reflect both Community Problems and Community based
desires for solutions.

[themaguffin]

32. No, it should not have, but the lack of serious reforms limiting what is owned is a huge failure and

turning point.

As stated then, if the deaths of those young children didn't lead to real reform, nothing will.

[Model35mech]

35. The 2nd amendment has become the problem. We need change in it

Setting aside ridiculous nitpicking over the punctuation in it, there is much not being addressed

In particular, Metro areas face VERY different gun death rates, and gun death types, compared to non Metro areas.

Non-metro areas have 1/5 of the gun deaths, and most of those deaths are suicides. Only family members really care about such.

Metro areas have 4/5ths of the gun deaths and most of them are homicides (with a substantial number of those committed by cops).

We need a 2nd amendment change that reflects room for solutions to REAL problems, not that of a hypothetical militia no longer needed or wanted by the US military

[themaguffin]

36. I don't see that ever happening. btw, it should have been called the "slave patrol amendment"

[Model35mech]

37. The hard takes time, the impossible takes somewhat longer

I've witnessed a fair number of once deemed politically impossible things across my life.

[scarletlib]

34. We should repeal the 2nd Amendment

It is now a perverted doctrine allowing unfettered, uncontrolled ownership and use of guns.

This would not abolish private use of guns but would allow for government policies and requirements for sensible gun ownership. The same as other countries.

The 2nd Amendment today takes precedence over all others including the right of persons to a f***ing life.

No gun is more precious than a human being’s life.