Have we become obsessed with eliminating risk?

[L00b]

I simply don't agree with you that there's nothing more we can do on firearm control. Derrick Bird should not have been in possession of those firearms and the Cumbrian deaths were preventable.

How were they preventable, pray tell, when you yourself acknowledge that:

The local community are still giving Derrick Bird good character references (including the local vicar) even after the events of last week. Predicting when people will "flip" is just about impossible.

It's very difficult to stop criminals obtaining weapons illegally. Gun crime is on the increase. That's absolutely no reason to make it easier to obtain guns generally.

Who is suggesting to "make it easier to obtain guns generally"?

 

I think we (well, posters arguing against the usual, thoughtless, hysterical, knee-jerk, ban-this-that-the-other approach, if I may be so bold as to associate them in this post) are all for maintaining the status quo, in the face of a one-off event (as deplorable as it was).

[harvey19]

As I posted earlier it is the person that commits the crime and if they are determined to kill they will find something to use as a weapon.

A single match can be used to set fire to a building killing the occupants.

As has been stated in several posts there are stringent regulations in place.

A man flipped as simple as that.

[spinac]

As I posted earlier it is the person that commits the crime and if they are determined to kill they will find something to use as a weapon.

A single match can be used to set fire to a building killing the occupants.

As has been stated in several posts there are stringent regulations in place.

A man flipped as simple as that.

 

Those who "flip" could potentially choose any number of weapons, but how many instances are there where a killer has gone on a "spree" using fire, a knife or indeed the most commonly available killing weapon, a car?

 

Any?

 

The gun is a unique special purpose killing machine (its sole purpose) and deserves extra special restrictions.

 

I don't see the Cumbrian deaths as a price worth paying for the benefits that guns bring to society. (Remind me, what are the benefits that guns bring to society?)

[harvey19]

deserves extra special restrictions.

 

(Remind me, what are the benefits that guns bring to society?)

 

The point is there are special restrictions.

Guns are used for vermin control and sport.

We are going round in circles here.

[spinac]

Deep voiceover: Somewhere, in a house near you, is a lone man with money problems, relationship problems and a grudge against society. He's about to flip, and he's got a gun, and a license ... to kill

 

OK, I know you can't buy guns from Tescos and killings like those in Cumbria don't happen often, but if you'd lost a loved one in a random killing, maybe you'd want to rethink the rules that allow the likes of Derrick Bird to own several guns. I still haven't heard whether he was a member of a gun club, so it still looks very wrong to me that he and others like him possess guns.

 

Haven't shown up at a club meeting for 3 months? Hand the gun back. Better still keep it locked up at the club.

[harvey19]

Deep voiceover: Somewhere, in a house near you, is a lone man with money problems, relationship problems and a grudge against society. He's about to flip, and he's got a gun, and a license ... to kill

 

OK, I know you can't buy guns from Tescos and killings like those in Cumbria don't happen often, but if you'd lost a loved one in a random killing, maybe you'd want to rethink the rules that allow the likes of Derrick Bird to own several guns. I still haven't heard whether he was a member of a gun club, so it still looks very wrong to me that he and others like him possess guns.

 

Haven't shown up at a club meeting for 3 months? Hand the gun back. Better still keep it locked up at the club.

 

I understand what you are saying but people are closely vetted before being granted a firearms licence which can be revoked at any time.

As terrible as this incident was it was an isolated incident.

If he did not have a gun he could have made petrol bombs or other weapons.

By the way I do not own or wish to own a gun myself but do not like the idea of blanket bans because of the actions of an individual.

[spinac]

If he did not have a gun he could have made petrol bombs or other weapons.

 

As previously posted - it doesn't happen though does it? Stabbing, clubbing to death "sprees" don't happen. Sure people have used fire to kill but it's rarely a firebombing "spree"

 

By the way I do not own or wish to own a gun myself but do not like the idea of blanket bans because of the actions of an individual.

 

Neither do I like the idea of blanket bans. Again, as previously posted I don't believe you can or should attempt to eliminate risk. In my opinion however the risk/benefit analysis leads me to think that there should be even greater gun control than we already have. This is not a knee jerk reaction to a current news story. Thomas Hamilton was a legal gun owner (17 killings at Dunblane in 1996) as was Michael Ryan (16 killings Hungerford 1987). The "tightening" of gun laws then were useless, just as American "gun control" is. Delaying the purchase of guns by peforming checks on individuals still does not alter the fact that they end up in the hands of those who shouldn't have them (including 6 year olds, as previously posted).

 

Anyway, nuff said. We can agree to disagree.

[Cyclone]

China has had about 5 stabbing spree's in the last month.

In Scotland a man killed multiple people with a machete in a school if I remember correctly.

 

It does happen.

 

Gun control are useless, the vast majority of killings and gun crimes are committed by criminals (obviously) who possess illegal weapons, at least that's the extension of your logic.

[spinac]

China has had about 5 stabbing spree's in the last month.

 

How many died?

 

In Scotland a man killed multiple people with a machete in a school if I remember correctly.

 

Details?

 

Gun control are useless, the vast majority of killings and gun crimes are committed by criminals (obviously) who possess illegal weapons, at least that's the extension of your logic.

 

Something happens illegally, so legalise it?

[Cyclone]

Deep voiceover: Somewhere, in a house near you, is a lone man with money problems, relationship problems and a grudge against society. He's about to flip, and he's got a gun, and a license ... to kill

 

OK, I know you can't buy guns from Tescos and killings like those in Cumbria don't happen often, but if you'd lost a loved one in a random killing, maybe you'd want to rethink the rules that allow the likes of Derrick Bird to own several guns. I still haven't heard whether he was a member of a gun club, so it still looks very wrong to me that he and others like him possess guns.

 

Haven't shown up at a club meeting for 3 months? Hand the gun back. Better still keep it locked up at the club.

 

Of course you would. That's exactly why we don't let the victims of violent crime make legislation or run the court system.