Obligatory 2008 New Year's Eve poll...

[WardenWolf]

The difference is, one has decided he is going to commit a crime, the other is just being stupid. When the person being stupid realizes there can be consequences for his actions, he tends to stop. The criminal already KNOWS there's potential consequences and is prepared to risk them. The average Redneck Joe is not.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

I think that law might actually work, since the people firing guns in to the air are just celebrating, they're not really "criminals" at heart, so that law might actually stop them. (Is a new year's celebration worth going to jail for a year?)

 

[notorious]

Maybe it's different where you guys are but firing guns in an urban area without exemptions or justification (discharge of firearms) has always been illegal in CA.

 

[WardenWolf]

It's always been illegal. It wasn't always a felony. That's the difference. If a person fires a gun now, he loses all his guns if someone reports him as well as goes to jail for quite a long time.

 

[wyocarp]

My son and I had to shoot a couple loud report guns around midnight. They don't have to be shot into the air! We didn't shoot ours into the air, even though I could have fired in a safe direction I'm sure. There's always a chance it will hit some kids out driving around on a dirt road. We have a good back stop, maybe it's not the same as shooting into the air but a little more responsible. I'm surprised I'm one of only three on here to do so.

It's neither illegal or a felony where I live as long as the projectile doesn't leave the property.

 

[BernieD]

Heard a lot of firecrackers. A couple bangs that could have been gunfire, but I doubt it. Here in NW Washington all is quiet.

 

[notorious]

It's always been illegal. It wasn't always a felony. That's the difference. If a person fires a gun now, he loses all his guns if someone reports him as well as goes to jail for quite a long time.

Yep, that is exactly my point and thanks for making it for me. The people who did it before are then by definition, still CRIMINALS because they broke a law, misdemeanor or felony.

That takes them out of the stupid category and into the illegal category. Making something a felony should not make the equation any different in whether or not to break the law, should it?

Otherwise, we lawful gunowners just lost the high ground.

 

[John828]

Living in Beirut must be hard because if I had a problem sleeping last night, then I cannot imagine what it'd be like over there.

Honest, last night was not as bad as last year, but I hear several dozen shots. I know they were not firecrackers either. There is a distinct difference.

 

[OOOXOOO]

I live on the west side of Phoenix,AZ. I heard a couple shots last night but not as many as years gone by. Fireworks galore, some people in my neighborhood had a twenty minute show.

 

[eldogg]

my part time job is not in one of the nicer neighborhoods, it's actually in the hood. it was like a war zone last night. i stepped outside about 12:05 and watched people firing off their front porch.

 

[rust collector]

All quiet on the midwestern front

Never was much of a custom on the northern plains. Generally, when the spirits flow, the guns have been put away to stay. Happy new year anyway!!

 

[expvideo]

Very loud around here, but it is all fireworks. No shooting.

Same here. Everett, WA. It's a highly populated area, so shooting up into the air is not exactly safe. Or legal.

 

[BothellBob]

My guess would be shotgun. We have one house in the neighborhood populated by people who are difficient on so many levels. (We are a couple of blocks from down town Bothell, so it's not merely illegal, it's stupid.)
-BB

 

[44Special]

From Las Vegas

Live in a good neighborhood in sw Las Vegas. Heard nothing last night that was clearly gunfire but it was the first New Years Eve of several that I did not. Police made public announcements before New Year's pointing out that what goes up comes down and asking public to report if they SAW -- not heard -- people apparently firing weapons.

 

[hso]

Nope, and I live in semi-rural East Tennessee.

 

[AlaskaErik]

I heard lots of fireworks going off, but nothing that sounded like a firearm. Fireworks are probably cheaper than ammo these days!