Sunday, April 14, 2013

A Sandy Hook Mother's Wisdom on Guns

"They haven't yet passed any bills to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people."
Francine Wheeler stood in for President Obama in his weekly YouTube address. Her six-year-old son Ben was murdered last December. I don't ordinarily expect a grieving family to be articulate or even rational, but Francine has cut to the heart of the problem facing legislators.

How to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people is the legitimate object of new legislation. Doing so without infringing on the right to keep and bear arms is the constitutional limitation. Background checks, getting dangerous people into the background check system earlier, and getting treatment for those people who can be helped is essential.

6 comments:

buddeshepherd said...

There is what the sensible and "right" think to do, and then there is the way it will be done.
I am opposed to any and all additional legislation regarding guns because I know it will be done in such a manner as to turn ordinary people into criminals, increase the power of the state, and NOT actually work.
There seems to be a lot of precedent to back me up...

Left Bank of the Charles said...

What about legislation regarding dangerous people?

buddeshepherd said...

What is the definition of dangerous?
1. I think that is a relative term.
2. I don't think Doctors should be forced to report people they think might be dangerous
3. I think the definition of mental illness will be very very broad.
4. There will always be a crazy random act and reacting with laws to every random act give us a lot of laws.
5. They will screw up the definition of dangerous
So, no legislation, we have all the laws we need already in place.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

I'm also interested in another Newton mother, the mother of the shooter. Could she have been prosecuted if her son hadn't murdered hadn't murdered her?

She wasn't an accomplice or a co-conspirator. But what she did do was buy guns for her son who was not legally of age to do so himself.

Now that's something a parent should be able to legally do. But what if the child isn't mentally fit?

I'm not saying she committed murder, but we send drunk drivers to jail if they accidentally kill someone. Now maybe her son's illness didn't rise to the level of fair notice, she should certainly be able to plead that as a defense.

You don't give a loaded gun to a 5-year-old because they don't have a firm enough grip on reality to know not to shoot you with it. A great many of these shooters have that same problem.

buddeshepherd said...

I am amazed at people's lack of respect for guns. I don't like the idea of shooting as therapy.
I don't think guns are toys.
I see a difference between hitting a punching bag and shooting it.
I really enjoy shooting but don't like to kill things. I feel sad when I shoot a starling or catch a fish.
I really avoid situations where I might be tempted to use a gun for self defense.
That is also one reason I don't own a 1911 Colt .45
My feelings are my own.
I don't want to put any of my fears into legislation.

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