Gun Control & RKBA
Related: About this forumSmall step in the right direction in Virginia
http://news.fredericksburg.com/on-politics/2014/01/15/bill-to-increase-penalties-for-celebratory-gunfire-advances/And this is why it matters to vote in every election, we now have a dem governor who will sign this bill if it gets to his desk
upaloopa
(11,417 posts)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)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)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)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)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)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)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
oneshooter
(8,614 posts)Starboard Tack
(11,181 posts)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)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.
That's how guns get into the hands of criminals. It's their main source of supply.
Straw Man
(6,613 posts)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.
sarisataka
(18,216 posts)if anything the penalties are still too weak
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)gejohnston
(17,502 posts)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.