"Guns are the problem"

[AgnosticBoy]

After a High School shooting in Florida, CNN held a forum to discuss the problem of mass shootings. The community was allowed to attend, some of which were parent's of shooting victims, and they would discuss this issue with politicians and others. One parent stood out because he made a strong and straightforward point about guns being the problem:

For Debate:
1. When it comes to gun crime or mass shootings, are guns the problem?
2. If yes, then should we ban them?

 

[thatquietchick]

People are usually the problem when it comes to gun crimes or mass shootings. Instead of banning guns, we should make it harder to get a gun license. Even then, this will not completely eliminate the problem. Banning guns completely has the chance of resulting in some people stocking up on guns before the ban goes into place.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

1. When it comes to gun crime or mass shootings, are guns the problem?

A lot of people will say that guns are the problem since they are what's being used to kill. My view is that eventhough they are dangerous and can be used to commit atrocities, but that doesn't mean they can't also be used responsibly and for the good. I think the real problem that needs to be fixed is keeping the guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill since those are those groups account for the vast majority of gun crime. Those that say that guns are the problem, usually paint every gun owner with the same brush.

2. If yes, then should we ban them?

I don't think we should ban guns if there's a way to allow gun ownership while keeping gun crime down or non-existent.

 

[2Dbunk1]

1. When it comes to gun crime or mass shootings, are guns the problem?
2. If yes, then should we ban them?

Gun ownership is a matter of commonsense. Commonsense is a large, ranging variable -- not controllable by a longshot! The only controllable object in the equation is the availability of guns.

Automatics and semi-automatics in hunting is un-sportsmanship IMO. Unless one has designed their home paranoidly as a redout, rapid firing weaponry is unnecessary and should be banned!.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

Here's something scary that even the NRA should think about. A few days ago, a LAPD officer was shot by a young man. The cop died. Turns out this young person was schizophrenic and paranoid.

Checking the gun laws, it seems people can be schizo or have any other type of mental illness and buy a gun. The only exception is if the courts have also adjudicated that someone is mentally ill. How many people actually rely on a court system to tell them that they are mentally ill? Hek, how many people with mental illness even get treated by professionals given the lack of mental health in our country? Scary!

And here's that tragic story of an officer being shot by someone with a mental illness...