School shootings are a poor basis for gun policy

[rathi]

While the Sandy Hook tragedy does tend to pull on the heartstrings, they are isolated random events. You won't stop them with nonsense like the assault weapon ban, as evidenced when the Virginia tech killer racked up the highest body count with a .22 caliber pistol. Nor will you by arming people at school, especially considering that such shootings can at other locations considering the Dark Knight premiere.

There are roughly 9000 firearms based murders a year in this nation, with most of them never making it into the media spotlight. The majority of those murders are committed by someone who is already a felon. The most effective policies would limit the ability of criminals to obtain firearms. The two primary sources of those firearms are straw purchasing, in which a person legally buys a firearms and then gives it to a criminal and corrupt Federal Firearms License holders who turn to illegal arms dealing. Although its impossible to limit criminal access to firearms entirely, the numbers can be reduced and without putting an unreasonable burden on legitimate gun owners. Legislation should focus on areas where they can do the most good rather than a emotional reaction.

 

[ttwtt78640]

While the Sandy Hook tragedy does tend to pull on the heartstrings, they are isolated random events. You won't stop them with nonsense like the assault weapon ban, as evidenced when the Virginia tech killer racked up the highest body count with a .22 caliber pistol. Nor will you by arming people at school, especially considering that such shootings can at other locations considering the Dark Knight premiere.

There are roughly 9000 firearms based murders a year in this nation, with most of them never making it into the media spotlight. The majority of those murders are committed by someone who is already a felon. The most effective policies would limit the ability of criminals to obtain firearms. The two primary sources of those firearms are straw purchasing, in which a person legally buys a firearms and then gives it to a criminal and corrupt Federal Firearms License holders who turn to illegal arms dealing. Although its impossible to limit criminal access to firearms entirely, the numbers can be reduced and without putting an unreasonable burden on legitimate gun owners. Legislation should focus on areas where they can do the most good rather than a emotional reaction.

Exactly! The gun crime problem is a simple equation: Felon/insane person + gun = victims. While efforts to restrict felons and the criminally insane from legally purchasing guns will help, simply recognizing and removing felons and the insane from walking freely about in our society has been proven to be much more effective. As you say it is unusual for violent gun crime to be the first offense of many felons or insane folks, yet many even having been convicted of that are released back into society for another shot (pun very much intended).

Criminal Sentencing Statistics

 

[LaMidRighter]

While the Sandy Hook tragedy does tend to pull on the heartstrings, they are isolated random events. You won't stop them with nonsense like the assault weapon ban, as evidenced when the Virginia tech killer racked up the highest body count with a .22 caliber pistol. Nor will you by arming people at school, especially considering that such shootings can at other locations considering the Dark Knight premiere.

There are roughly 9000 firearms based murders a year in this nation, with most of them never making it into the media spotlight. The majority of those murders are committed by someone who is already a felon. The most effective policies would limit the ability of criminals to obtain firearms. The two primary sources of those firearms are straw purchasing, in which a person legally buys a firearms and then gives it to a criminal and corrupt Federal Firearms License holders who turn to illegal arms dealing. Although its impossible to limit criminal access to firearms entirely, the numbers can be reduced and without putting an unreasonable burden on legitimate gun owners. Legislation should focus on areas where they can do the most good rather than a emotional reaction.

Give the man a cigar. You nailed it, in fact a buddy and I a few days ago had a discussion on straw purchasers, make the penalties so severe that no one would want to engage in it. My buddy suggested mandatory 20 years minimum, and I thought, sure but add an accessory charge for every firearm tied to the straw buyer and illegal transfer. With penalties that harsh I can't see anyone in their right mind considering it.