Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Small step in the right direction in Virginia (Original Post) gwheezie Jan 2014 OP
I think your gun in your pants going off in a public place should upaloopa Jan 2014 #1
There is a difference bossy22 Jan 2014 #9
Punishing stupid acts after the fact is one thing SkatmanRoth Jan 2014 #2
S'why I support a nationwide FOID card. sir pball Jan 2014 #8
I disagree a little bossy22 Jan 2014 #10
I fail to see what the problem is with education SkatmanRoth Jan 2014 #11
I have no issue with education as well bossy22 Jan 2014 #12
Who will write the test, and control it? oneshooter Jan 2014 #13
How do you enforce "nasty penalties for negligence" without gun registration? Starboard Tack Jan 2014 #14
easy gejohnston Jan 2014 #15
It sounds like a good law to me. Straw Man Jan 2014 #3
Seems a no brainer... sarisataka Jan 2014 #4
I agree Duckhunter935 Jan 2014 #5
OK by me. Eleanors38 Jan 2014 #6
unless I missed something, gejohnston Jan 2014 #7

upaloopa

(11,417 posts)
1. I think your gun in your pants going off in a public place should
Wed Jan 15, 2014, 07:18 PM
Jan 2014

be a criminal offence also.
We can't get the hell away from them but we can make them aware of public safety.

bossy22

(3,547 posts)
9. There is a difference
Sat Jan 18, 2014, 04:06 PM
Jan 2014

Celebratory gun fire is not an accident, your gun going off in your pants is. Accidents are a part of life, thats why we don't generally criminalize them unless there is evidence of gross negligence.

SkatmanRoth

(843 posts)
2. Punishing stupid acts after the fact is one thing
Wed Jan 15, 2014, 07:22 PM
Jan 2014

The law would be better if it also includes firearms education for citizens where it is taught that firing into the air is not just dumb, it is also dangerous.

Common sense gun laws should also cover common sense education about guns.

sir pball

(4,726 posts)
8. S'why I support a nationwide FOID card.
Sat Jan 18, 2014, 12:31 PM
Jan 2014

No individual gun registration, for many reasons that I'm not getting into now, but just a simple, cheap, readily-available ID. Would come with basic education on safe storage and use. Top it with nasty penalties for negligence, in storage or use, and I suspect a lot of genuine accidents would be stopped. Safety doesn't require a lot of intelligence, you just have to care about it - which a lot of people don't. "Accidents" don't "happen" with guns.

bossy22

(3,547 posts)
10. I disagree a little
Sat Jan 18, 2014, 04:09 PM
Jan 2014

I think most "accidents" with guns aren't actually accidents but there are a few cases which do qualify as accidents.

If you really think about it, there aren't many true car "accidents". If you look hard enough you will discover that most accidents are due to poor decision making on behalf of the driver/drivers.

SkatmanRoth

(843 posts)
11. I fail to see what the problem is with education
Sat Jan 18, 2014, 06:56 PM
Jan 2014

The State of Florida has a requirement that to get a hunting license, a person has to pass a one time Hunter Safety Course.

The course is 12 hours classroom and 3 hours proficiency on the range. Once taken, it is good for life. I took the Hunter Safety Course and I don't even hunt.

Fifteen hours of education is a small price to avoid needlessly killing or injuring another person due to ignorance of guns.

It seems to be a no brainer that to get a driver's license or an official State ID card, a person has to pass a gun safety course.

http://myfwc.com/hunting/safety-education





bossy22

(3,547 posts)
12. I have no issue with education as well
Sat Jan 18, 2014, 10:00 PM
Jan 2014

the problem is that people pushing mandatory education requirements are doing so not primarily to ensure trained gun owners, but to discourage gun ownership- essentially make it harder. If education is really the main goal i support a national gun safety certificate that can be attained through taking a test. Anybody at any time could take this test and no classes would be necessary- since many people learn gun safety without the need of a $200 course. I think such a program should be modeled after HIPAA training in most major health centers

Starboard Tack

(11,181 posts)
14. How do you enforce "nasty penalties for negligence" without gun registration?
Mon Jan 20, 2014, 08:09 PM
Jan 2014

What you propose is punishing negligence where the owner can be tied to the event. What about the careless owner who leaves his unregistered guns laying around for thieves and others to use? That's how guns get into the hands of criminals. It's their main source of supply.

True, a lot of accidents might be stopped, but you leave a hole a truck loaded with stolen guns could drive through.

Also, a FOID card might be acceptable with serious training and testing. Hell, it's much easier to get a CCW permit than a PADI card. How crazy is that? Oh, right, we don't have a constitutional right to go scuba diving. Silly me.

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)
15. easy
Mon Jan 20, 2014, 08:24 PM
Jan 2014

Current law is that the round drops on someone and can be traced to you by various investigative methods, you can be tried for manslaughter. What would registration do? Having owning a gun in the general area where the round might have come from is not probable cause for a search warrant. Without probable cause, the cops would have no right to ask.

What you propose is punishing negligence where the owner can be tied to the event. What about the careless owner who leaves his unregistered guns laying around for thieves and others to use?
That is how our legal system works, due process and all of that. You mean like Sean Penn who left his CC gun in the car that got stolen? Or do you mean someone gets the entire safe stolen? The latter actually happens in places like Australia and Canada. In the later, no jury is going to convict on a criminal level.

That's how guns get into the hands of criminals. It's their main source of supply.
True

True, a lot of accidents might be stopped, but you leave a hole a truck loaded with stolen guns could drive through.
how so? Accidents are very rare, there is no cure for negligence and occasional poor judgment. Same with cars, true accidents are rare.

Also, a FOID card might be acceptable with serious training and testing. Hell, it's much easier to get a CCW permit than a PADI card. How crazy is that? Oh, right, we don't have a constitutional right to go scuba diving. Silly me.
Not true. I have a PADI card. SCUBA is actually more dangerous, to you, than owning a gun if you don't know what you are doing. How would you have this testing and training? NYC has questions about how a the mechanics of switchblade knives etc that serve only to discourage ownership and nothing else.

Straw Man

(6,613 posts)
3. It sounds like a good law to me.
Wed Jan 15, 2014, 08:11 PM
Jan 2014

Increasing safety without infringing on legitimate use: win-win.

And this is from someone who just got accused in GD of being an NRA stooge.

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)
7. unless I missed something,
Thu Jan 16, 2014, 01:46 AM
Jan 2014

I'm amazed that isn't the status quo to begin with. I always thought that someone dieing due to stupidity, like shooting in the air, was manslaughter everywhere. Now makes me wonder if I need to send an email to the state PTB.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Gun Control & RKBA»Small step in the right d...