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Rob Freda

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Solving gun violence in the US in today's insane political climate requires a solution that makes it painless for everyone.

First that this idea even needs to be broached in the first place is ridiculous especially given the lack of clarity in the second amendment (eg it does not specify types of arms so that should be handled by laws not as a "do what you will free for all").

That said it seems there are some major elements that would be necessary to reduce gun deaths in the US and there are some obfuscating interests embodied in the NRA that must be sidestepped or accommodated in the solution.

Four main areas of focus jump out to reduce gun deaths:

1) "mass killings" (included in this would be the 2 or 3 person shootings as well as as Newtown or Aurora types)
2) Accidental shootings
3) Non-owner shootings (eg the shooter is not the owner of the gun)
4) "black market" trading

Added to these I would say the parameter that makes gun control legislation difficult is gun manufacturer revenue stream protection using the second amendment as a shill.

So what are the necessary parameters to make something happen vs. the absurdity of what is going to happen over the next few months in Washington:

1) Figure out a way that shifting policy creates more revenue for gun manufacturers so they get the NRA on board
2) Make sure that guns cannot be used in public places or by someone other than their owner

The Idea - Mandatory gun locks and universal kill switches.

On locks, all responsible gun owners have gun safes. Why not move the lock to the gun's trigger mechanism either with a combination code or biometric locks. That would prevent unauthorized use of the gun by anyone but the owner.

On kill switches, in the same locking mechanism put a chip and actuator that freezes the locking mechanism mentioned above when it receives a certain modulated radio signal.

If mandatory then all existing guns will have to be refitted with the new bolt mechanism creating revenue streams for the gun manufacturers and on all new guns they can charge more creating more revenue.

Thoughts?

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  • Spenser Long-Jordan

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    Jan 20 2013: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO AND NOOOOOOOOO!
    almost all of these shootings are done by unlicensed shooters, so what we should do is make it so that the only way to buy a gun is to show a license that says that the person has undergone rigorous gun, melee and safety training, same goes for buying knives.plus only sell such things in establishments so that people have to get off they're fat rear ends and go buy them. my point is there.and even if i get shot by someone who read this and somehow found were i live we should all know, under EVERY mask there is more that just flesh, there is an idea and, my friends, ideas are bulletproof.

    • Rob Freda

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      Jan 20 2013: Newtown shooter's mother was the owner of the guns. A number of these shooter do not own the guns. And by the way how does that address office shooters. Per the rat comment below population density causes stressors which in some people make them snap. Not everyone that does something crazy is systemically mentally ill. Many can have breaks before which they are sane We have ascribed behavior to any ever growing cornucopia of disorders but the simple fact is that there is no background check or licensing that is going to prevent a certain percentage of the population snapping and already having or stealing someone else's gun. Please address the subject of the idea specifically
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        Daryl Roche

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        Jan 20 2013: uhh, YES everyone who commits the kind of crimes using firearms mentioned here ARE mentally ill...
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      John Moonstroller 20+

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      Jan 20 2013: Less don't stop there, Anyone found guilty of drunk driving not only looses the right to drive they loose the right to own a gun. Anyone who uses drugs should have their rights to own a weapon taken away. Anyone who strikes their neighbor in anger should loose the right to own a weapon before they shoot their neighbor.

      Any person who looses their right to gun ownership cannot be a police officer or Federal employee. Parents with a history of children with correction problems should not be allowed to own weapons. Police officers who have gun accidents in their home should loose the right to own a weapon along with their job.

      This is the only way to reduce irresponsible gun ownership.

      Piecemeal applications only achieve piecemeal solutions.

      Let's make gun ownership a right of the privileged few who can exert responsible gun ownership in their lives, but let's not stop there. Let's move out into the world and take guns away from terrorist nations and those nations that exhibit a pattern of irresponsible gun ownership. We could start with Pakistan. Let's not pitter-patter with them, lets do it in-mass and do it right the first time.

      Oh yes...... if you can't read or write, you cannot own a gun. Make the test for gun ownership very reading and writing intensive. If they fail the test, they have to keep trying. Perhaps they might even get educated.

      If we are going to weed out the irresponsible gun owners, let's do a good job the first time.

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