Sunday, April 22, 2007

Time for a Gun Law Change

It's not surprising in the wake of the Virgina Tech shootings that gun laws have become a hot-button issue again. While McCain and other Republicans do not believe a change is needed, Democrats have taken the opportunity to speak out and re-address concerns over current laws. They argue the current laws make it too easy to acquire a gun, and with a new Congress in town, maybe now is the chance to finally do something about it. Obama said the shooting highlights serious shortcomings with gun control.

"We're still selling handguns to crazy people," Obama said during a campaign stop at a Nashua senior center on Friday. "We're supposed to have a system that these people are screened out. What's clear is the background check system in this case failed entirely."

Obama is not a hunter, and while he has said he will not take away hunters' or sportsmen's rights, he did say there must be a reasonable balance between those rights and public safety.

"(Cho) had a semiautomatic weapon with a clip that allowed him to take 19 shots in a row," Obama said. "I don't know any self-respecting hunter that needs 19 rounds of anything. The only reason you have 19 rounds is potentially to do physical harm to people. You don't shoot 19 rounds at a deer. And if you do, you shouldn't be hunting."

In an interview with the syndicated radio program "The Steve Harvey Morning Show" Obama said gun laws have to change to prevent the type of killings seen this week at Virginia Tech and on a daily basis in urban areas. The senator says "some common sense" changes are needed, among them, he wants gun laws changed for those who are mentally ill.

Watch what he had to say on the day of the shootings.

6 comments:

STR said...

Making it harder for people to get a hold of semi-automatic pistols would be a good step in the right direction. Does anyone really need a gun like that for hunting or protection? I don't think so.
We also need to reintroduce the ban on assault weapons that President Bush let expire.
Outlawing handguns all together does not make much sense if you look at the crime rate in Washington D.C. Handguns have been outlawed for several years and the crime rate has not decreased at all.

We need to reopen the debate on gun control by looking for a way to balance the right to bear arms for protection with the need for the government to restrict who can get their hands on guns.

Anonymous said...

He can move to North Korea, there the guns and banned.

If he ban the guns, then the people can't buy guns, but sure, the criminals can! Because they buy the guns illegally - like now.

If Obama hates the rights in the US, he should move to another country.

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Anonymous said...

I believe guns of all kinds should be outlawed ... We really must take a good look at the amount of killings in this country with guns and if there are any guns being used to protect family or self I would say its probably very low or not at all. Even hunters with thier guns are killing animals either for the right to brag or to hang a head on the wall or to stuff those that can be stuffed and displayed. I realize some like to eat the taste of wild poultry and meat ... Once a year to kill the meat or fowl and enjoy it at a dinner or freeze it for another time of the year ... limited to a reasonable kill... After hunting season guns should be held in a special place away from the home ...in a lawful storage. A hunter does not need to keep guns on his or her property during the none hunting season. We are losing to many people of all ages being shot to death or injured and its not about protecting self or family. We need to change the laws so no one can have guns in thier home or around the home ...I hope the government will do something to change the guns laws no matter what. All guns!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, and I guess the No guns idea helped the millions who were killed in Africa's wars with machetes... IF A TRAINED GUNMAN had been there the day the guy showed up at the school, (if open carry was more widespread) many fewer children would have been killed.

If a nut (and it takes a real nut to harm children) wants to harm kids, he would have just as quickly have used some other weapon. I feel terrible for theffamilies who lost loved children, I only wish I could have been there, or another responsible carrying officer had been there before he had the chance to hurt those kids & others. I say, it's time to do something, but criminals & crazy people will do crazy and illegal things...

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