Serious question, how can you implement any kind of gun control with the way things are? This kinda topic is like healthcare for me and my fellow kangaroo/tea and crumpet comrades in that the situation you're arguing for is simply the reality of things (and personally I wouldn't have it any other way), but it seems like you guys are so awash with guns that the genie left the bottle a while ago and it's almost a supply-side issue these days as opposed to a regulation one.
Certain gun-free zones seem to work (stadiums) while others don't (wasn't that part of Vegas one such example?), and enforceability is obviously the main predictor. If you try to take a gun into a stadium, security can (and should) take it off your hands, but gun-free zones are a well-meaning system that can't be enforced at the border with regularity (and for all the right likes to talk about Chicago as an example of them not working, a lot of guns come in from less stringent Indiana). If I were made emperor, I'd probably make the gun purchase/access rules consistent throughout the country (and tell the states to go fuck themselves), and try to tighten the tap on the supply of new guns - but either change like that would probably take nearly a generation to actually do anything. I'm honestly not sure what can realistically be done.
And before someone on the right jumps on you about the UK's knife problems, I'd rather get stabbed than shot. Every time someone over here tries to bring up the idea of loosening the gun laws, I just say that I don't want us to end up with the situation you guys have over there. Someone tried to mug me a few months ago (guy told me to empty my pockets, I told him to get bent, he ran at me and I yelled out so he pulled up and I got the hell out of dodge) and there's no way in the world I'd wish I had a gun for that experience. 1) There's no way in hell I'd be composed enough to shoot straight (it took me a week to even think about the whole thing without getting an adrenaline kick); 2) If I have one he sure as shit has one, and even if he doesn't; 3) There's no way I'd be able to get it out and use it in time - he was close enough that I'd be easy to disarm and then he has a gun and I don't. These John Wayne fantasies come from people who I suspect spend more time watching movies than having much actual experience for the situations they're advocating. When it comes to mass shootings, I still wouldn't want a gun on hand because 4) I don't want to make the police's job any more difficult and; 5) If someone else starts shooting there's no way to know if they're a self-identified hero or another gunman (and no end of clusterfucks can emerge from that). But then I've never had to worry about being caught up in a mass shooting or held at gunpoint because I live in one of said advanced countries with established gun laws.
TL;DR: I don't disagree with your stance on gun control, though in reality I wouldn't know where to begin fixing the problem you guys have.
Yeah seriously. I do think gun regulations are necessary to a certain extent. Again, I'm a pro gun guy but I wouldn't trust half of the people I know with a firearm, or even basic hand to hand combat training. Given the fact that people have owned guns in this country since it's inception, abolishing the second amendment is an impossibility at this point. Not only would abolishing it take forever, but so many people would be against it. Even if they did get rid of the second amendment and managed to take a away a lot of the population's guns, you'd have yourself a black market scenario. I.e Herion is illegal, but if I really wanted to, I could still buy it.
I do agree with the notion that it should be harder to get guns. But a massive problem in my opinion is that the states control gun policy. Example: Nevada's gun laws are some of the laxest while California's are some of the harshest. In some instances in Nevada, you don't need to even have a permit to buy a gun. Which is absurd and insanely idiotic. Given that we can't get rid of the guns, regulating how easy it is for people to get them should be in order. That said, regulations shouldn't be too harsh either. Then you push the black market stuff indirectly anyway, and we still have the same damn problems we do now.
I'm of the notion that stricter background checks are necessary, and even mental screenings should be necessary to buy a gun. You have to undergo these things to enter the military, and they use assault rifles so why not here? A gun is a weapon. A car in a sense could be used as a weapon and we as teenagers in this country are forced to go through drivers education, why don't prospective and potential gun owners have to take gun safety courses by law in some states after they pass the background checks/extensive mental screenings? It's a potential small step, but one in the right direction. And I don't think this would deter the potential buyers. Most gun people I've met would be more than willing to go through a program like this to ensure this. Several gun deaths in the country are accidents.
I'm a republican, and sure I'm pro gun but let's be realistic. There are 350 million people in this country. More than the populations of the UK, Australia, and Japan combined. You're not only going to be incapable of disarming most Americans, but you're also bound to have a few psychopaths. Even if you'd take the guns away, they'll find a way to kill people. If I REALLY wanted to, I could go into downtown Denver in an SUV and run over 100+ people in ten minutes(what are you gonna do, run away? I'm in a car.. I win). I could also light a gas trail from my car next to a building an throw down the lighter essentially turning my car into a bomb. Now, I'm a (somewhat) sane individual so I wouldn't do that obviously, but people have started turning to cars to run people over. Psyhopaths will find a way to kill people. Getting rid of the guns is an impossibility and the far left people who suggest it need to get their head out of their asses and realize that. Guns have been in the system for too damn long. That said, the morons on the far right also need to ge their head out of their asses and realize: "Hey, if we continue to do nothing and are stubborn and won't compromise with anyone, this problem is not only going to persist, but get worse". Honestly, a good gun control policy that's fair is actually very achieveable. Both sides(and yes it's both of them even if the right is the dumber of the two on this subject) are just unwilling to do shit and compromise.
So is anything going to get done? Not likely. Which is stupid. But that's this country for you.
) While spelling out our rights and freedoms.