[Vision2020] : 11 year-old Montana girl shoots twohome intruders

[Ted Moffett]

All-

Someone "Offlisted" a response to a comment I made recently on Vision2020,
about connections between irrational impulsive violence resulting in death,
and firearm use and ownership.  This led to a long exchange that I wished
had occurred on Vision2020, but the other person in this discussion did not
want exposure to this public list.

We both made good points back and forth in the debate, which ranged from US
Constitutional issues, rights to self protection (why not promote non-lethal
stun gun ownership and training in use for home protection, I asked?),
examples of lowered rates of firearm ownership correlated with increasing
rates of violent crime in some nations (read study from Harvard at the link
below), examples of nations that have more firearm regulation than the USA
who have lower violent crime rates and firearm deaths and injuries, the
slippery slope of firearm regulation potentially resulting in widespread
loss of the right to own a firearm, even for the law abiding and responsible
citizen, etc.

I took the position that firearm ownership should always require a test and
background check, with ownership recorded as we do with automobile
ownership, and a firearm license issued.  The rights of all law abiding and
"responsible" citizens to own firearms should be protected.  But anyone with
a violent crime conviction (think Hamilton) should have their firearms
seized.  Automatic weapons, or weapons easily modified to full
automatic, should be banned for general ownership.  There is no legitimate
use for these weapons for self protection or hunting.  The argument to allow
these weapons to be legal for general ownership is similar to the argument
for legal ownership of RPGs...

I have heard all the objections to this position, and after debating this
issue in depth "Off List," I'm not seeking a back and forth, so perhaps
others on this list could parse through the details if anyone objects to
what I just wrote.  I acknowledge the arguments from the limited or no
firearm regulation position, but my ideals of promoting a world without
violence perhaps biases my thinking against the claim that we should all be
armed and ready to use lethal force to solve the problem of violent crime,
via easy unregulated access to firearms.

I will forward this study from the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy,
regarding the firearm regulation debate, that I was sent by the person with
whom I had the firearm regulation debate:

http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf

Ted Moffett

On 7/25/07, Joe Campbell <joekc at adelphia.net> wrote:
>
> Saundra says: "I'm happy to respond to your push, Kai, with a shove:  I
> can dig up as many stories highlighting the tragedy of guns in homes as you
> can pro-gun stories.  Here's a *local* example, and there are a
> heartbreaking number of similar tragedies across the country."
>
> Kai responds: "Between 1996-1999 459 children under the age of 5 died from
> accidental drowning in non-pool home accidents. Bathtubs accounted for 292
> deaths, 5-gallon buckets were second with 58 deaths, even the toilet claimed
> 16 lives. ... It doesn't matter whether it was an accidental shooting or an
> accidental drowning. The fact remains, the ADULT failed in his or her
> responsibilty. Is the death of a child any less tragic if it is by drowning
> or being left in a vehicle?"
>
> I think you're missing the point, Kai. One suggested justification for
> unrestricted gun laws is protection. If it turns out that there are more
> folks who die by accidental gun death than folks who thwart murderers,
> robbers, etc., then that original argument looses its steam: guns are more
> likely to harm than help. No one claims that pools or bathtubs are needed
> for protection, so the comparison is irrelevant to Saundra's point.
>
> Not that your comments are irrelevant altogether, though. Ultimately, the
> responsibility for gun accidents rests on adults and for anyone who happens
> to own a gun that is an important fact to keep in mind!
>
> Best, Joe
>
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