The Very Definition of Insane.

[5MinAlone]

" Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. " -Albert Einstein

We have had gun control as a public safety measure since 1934, on a federal level, with the NFA34; followed by the GCA68 in the 1960's (which some may argue is Wiemar/Nazi plagiarized), and Brady in the 90's. Including the now defunct "assault weapons ban" (also the 90's), thats 4 major federal laws passed in almost 100 years, add to that the thousands of local and state laws, and if you ask me, if gun control worked as a public safety policy, then gun control proponents would not be constantly needing to "demand more".

With all those laws being passed encompassing almost 100 years of our history, if weapons laws made for good public safety policy, we'd all be living in the violence free utopia that those proponents constantly promise will be the result of letting them violate, yet again, that which shall not be infringed.

The most glaring indictment of modern American weapons control laws is in the FACT that gun control is an abject failure as a public safety measure.

If background checks worked, and so-called "universal background checks" and government being able to deny Americans their rights based on secret watch lists would do that much better- then explain the ever-growing list of modern mass shooters who passed their BG checks and were able to buy their weapons in accordance with such laws?

Not even the ridiculous new demand that government have the authority to deny people their rights without due process and based on secret lists would have stopped the San Bernardino California massacre, as both Farook and Malik had recently had no problems flying abroad, with Malik passing the "extra scrutiny" required of foreigners entering the US from nations with terrorist problems!

Gun control has had almost 100 years, four major federal acts and countless other laws to prove any merit it may have had as a public safety measure.

Yet we still "need more"?

Again-


" Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. " -Albert Einstein

 

[Frank Ettin]

....Gun control has had almost 100 years, four major federal acts and countless other laws to prove any merit it may have had as a public safety measure.

Yet we still "need more"?

Not sure what you hope to accomplish "preaching to the choir"; but however pernicious we think the current level of regulation of firearms is, simply bellyaching about it isn't going to get us anywhere.

Realistic, actionable suggestions about what to do about it are welcome in the Activism Forum.

 

[hso]

We know. We've been working to stop the erosion of our rights and restore them for over a decade.

 

[Plan2Live]

We take "them" on every chance we get and we do it confidently and respectfully without raising our voices. I got 25 minutes on a local radio talk show today and went up against three representatives from Moms Demanding Action. If it was a scored debate my performance would have been rated a Knockout.

I asked them if they would back the NRA Eddie Eagle program being taught in every elementary school in the country on an annual basis. Silence. I asked them to cite a comprehensive study by a credible, non-biased research group that proves the majority of guns used in crimes were obtained via a face-to-face private sale sans background check. Silence. I explained "our" position that their side never stops asking for more and more every time we give in a little bit. I asked if they couldn't see that as a legitimate concern of ours. Silence. Then I delivered the knockout punch. I offered my services as speaker at their next position neutral true gun safety event. Silence.

That's how we do it. We push back one step at a time at every opportunity.

 

[MedWheeler]

It's because too many of "us" are still wasting our energy debating as if we think the other side has public safety, crime reduction, or "the children", in mind.

Here's a hint: They don't.

 

[Prijador]

Plan2live: Hell yes, man - great work!

 

[CapnMac]

Frank speaks the truth.

The problem we must address first is that legislators have only one tool--laws--in their toolbox. If you collar a legislator and convince him a given law does not work, his primary response will be to create a new bill.

Yet, that is our way forward. To stop bad legislation; to see if bad laws can be repealed; to support court cases, especially appellate cases which help strike down the foolish laws piled upon laws.

 

[Zoogster]

Just how insane they are in California can be shown with legislation of last October.
They 'closed a loophole' that allowed concealed carry permit holders to carry concealed handguns at schools.
Meaning when the single police officer/security guard on campus is the first to be shot before they even realize what is going on, the teacher or principal or someone else won't be using their own firearm to deal with the shooter. Because they will not be allowed on an individual level to have access to a firearm even with a permit.
No, instead they will rely on the police to respond.

Such legislation creates a catch 22 scenario.
When people in the population are free to purchase and acquire deadly guns, but only those that ignore the law will have them in prohibited areas, it does not matter matter how many people you have that would use their guns for good, only those that will use them for bad are empowered.
So that gun proliferation increases the means for bad, without allowing an increase in the means for good.
The good guys have them at home, and you may not want to break into their homes, but the bad guys have the advantage most other places, because only they brought their guns. Leading to a reliance on typically inadequate police presence. Which encourages an authoritarian state through reliance on police and a high number of them and the associated financial and cultural burden, and reduces positive uses of firearms by individuals in public. All of which erodes gun rights.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Okay, new laws are insanity. You aren't the first to say this. What are you doing to change it?

There is a lot of energy spent complaining that could be energy spent doing.

 

[4v50 Gary]

It was never about public safety. It's about total control and an armed citizenry is incompatible with their intended police state.

 

[Onmilo]

Blowing yourself up, running people down with a truck, shooting cops in the street and thinking you are going to break a resolute population is pretty insane.
Yes indeed.