another sniper attack

I have really no idea how the weapon laws in america are, can someone explain it. Can you just go in a store and buy a gun? Any gun?
In Belgium you need a permit for any gun, and you need to have a licence of a shooting club I think. Anyway it's pretty hard to get a gun here, except one of those bibi guns that shoot rubber bullets. And I'm glad about that. In my whole life I never heard about a shooting in a Belgian school, or I must have forgotten the one time it happened.

it's not that easy, CG. But, it's pretty easy. There are restrictions, like age and a waiting period where the gun vendor supposedly checks your criminal record and such. The problem is, people don't buy them legally. It's like drugs or alcohol. Kids & Criminals still get them. They steal them, or they pay people to buy them for them.

I don't know how you can identify between a gun for hunting game from a gun for killing people - if someone can, they should keep the hunting guns and ditch the rest. I'm all for hunting. I just don't like the NRA's lobbying (paying politicians to vote one way or another) for semi-automatic assault rifles and pistols. Makes themselves sound totally ignorant. Perhaps it should be a state law, not a national one.

The main catch is this: In our country's constitution, the 3rd (?) Amendement gives us the right to bear arms. This was prudent in 1776, but not so much now, in my opinion. Our government does have the right to change our constitution through additional Amendments. Perhaps they'll consider something soon. Just depends on who has the cash, and how the senators vote with it while it's in their fat ass pockets.

In Ireland our Police (Garda) can't hold arms, just a boton. The only people who can go around with a gun are detectives. Makes the world a safer place, nobody get shot...well, rarely. You might get the odd murdered guy with a gun used for shooting game.

[Cowboy Logic]Gun laws do not keep the guns out of the hands of criminals. They just keep law abiding citizens from being able to readily purchase them.

Check your stats out peoples... in parts of the country where new gun laws are put into place, violent crimes with guns do NOT go down. On the other hand, there are some areas of the country that encourage (one even requires) citizens to carry sidearms--in parts of Texas and Montana. These places have almost ZERO violent crimes committed with guns. Think about it... who's going to pull a gun out in a Quicky-Mart when he knows that everyone in the store is carrying a weapon? [/Cowboy Logic]

Charm: you can come hang with us 'til some cop gut-shoots the bastard

they don't keep the guns out of the hand of criminals, but there will sure happen less accidents with guns.

I don't think criminals walk into a store right now and say:'well, i'll take three of those and... well... uhm throw in another one of that...' They get their guns illegal anyway.

Why would it be better if everyone had a gun instead of a few bad guys? Why is there a need to cary a gun? Isn't it silly that there is a need to have a gun in the first place!??? Safety has to be improved, not precautions to be safer...

malibu was referring to the way cowboys think. the wild wild west and all. not the way it should actually be. i don't really see how more gun control will stop anything though. criminals buy illegal guns anyway. why would you want your name associated with a serial number on a gun that you used to kill someone? not very smart... and putting more controls on guns will not keep morons from leaving their loaded shotguns in their closets for their kids to play with without having any trigger locks on them or anything. and if i was a hunter, i would hunt with a bow. because that would seem a lot more interesting to me... anyone could kill something with a gun... a bow and arrow takes at least a little skill. and you could also pretend you were that elf from the lord of the rings. tights included!

...yeah, I mean sure, a mob f00 can get his hands on guns none the less, but it'd sure minimize the "baby shoots father in the eye with the mother's beretta" - news out of the headlines, right?

Hey malibu - I agree with you on one thing, we don't need to make more laws. Never said anything like that - nor will I! I hate laws. (I hate laws so much I moved to Vegas!!! :D)

I am more opposed to NRA lobbying and mass weapons production. I think this world would be lots better without both.

bottom line is this: On a personal level, aside from the sniper, I am sick of gangsta thug dropout a$$holes rolling around town with their bling bling shooting at innocent people because their favorite thug rapper hero claims he did time. I could give a crap if Billy Bob likes to shoot ducks, provided they're not on some endangered list.

I think maybe we are giving a taste of what American politics are like to our foreign friends, eh?

BTW - are there cowboys in Michigan?

"and putting more controls on guns will not keep morons from leaving their loaded shotguns in their closets for their kids to play with without having any trigger locks on them or anything"

Well it would, if the controls would have an IQ test.
The point is, if a moron can buy a weapon, something's wrong. :D

well... if there are less guns around, there will happen less accidents, right?

Or perhaps people who buy a gun should be forced to do some kind of test, where they will be teached how to use the guns. But only people who NEED guns, like hunters... well, hunters don't need guns either... but you get the point. People that do it for their job, because otherwise there would be too much of one certain animal.

It shouldn't be allowed to buy a gun just to have a gun!

and graphicsguy, nobody likes laws I think... but they are kind of necessary. lol.

criminals buy illegal guns anyway. why would you want your name associated with a serial number on a gun that you used to kill someone? not very smart...

Those guys can't be stopped. But if you forbid guns, you will stop people that are sicko's and get fed up with their teacher and decide to shoot up their school. They do because they can.

What is necessary is a change of attitude towards guns. When guys overthere get into a fight with their neighbour or something, they shouldn't think of the shotgun that is in their closet...