Due October 27, 2015 | hussibhoa

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“Hunter Huss IB Readings”

October 20, 2015 Due October 27, 2015

Gun violence is a very real problem in our society. I asked my American history One students how many of them could get a gun by midnight if they wanted one and all but two raised their hands. One said they were “easier to get than alcohol.” Is there a solution to this violence? What is YOUR opinion about guns? Read the following articles, answer those questions, give your opinion, and cite all of the articles.

1001 Mass Shootings

What to make of this violence?

13 Questions about Gun Control

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Permalink # Karla Manriquez said

Is there a solution to this violence?
No. That’s simply my answer. Having a gun or getting a gun isn’t really the issue. It’s the owner who buys the guns. It’s the ones who think it’s “cool” to have a gun and the ones who are truly sick in the mind to think it’s cool to be one of the ones that caused one of the 1000th mass shootings since 2013 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/).

What is MY opinion about guns?
Reading the three articles and that one sentence, “It’s easier to get than alcohol.”, made me come to realize how idiotic, as a country, it is to have such low rules on owning a gun. More Americans have died by guns in shootings or by suicide than those who go into war. More PRESCHOOLERS have died than police officers. (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). Since 1973, only three grants have been given to firearms safety. Out of 12,644 homicides, 8,000+ where with guns. We are one of the countries that have the largest rstes in deaths invooved by guns: 4.7 murders per 100,000 people (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). As a country, more laws, safety hazards, and warnings should be given to those who own guns so that we don’t have as much as an issue as we do now.

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Permalink # noblittisaselfawarerobot said

Here are amazing videos about gun control. Must watch or your argument will be completely invalid. Whoop-de-doo

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Permalink # basic1mack said

I would prefer nothing more than a nation, even a world, without the deadly tool that man has invented and innovated over time. With that being said, guns will continue to be apart of our society, whether they are acquired lawfully or not. “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.”( http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/ ).Therefore, our best option is to continue to modify guns to be of a safer model and standard. Whether limiting the number of rounds a gun can possibly hold at once, or just making the trigger harder to pull. “cars exemplify the public health approach we need to apply to guns. We don’t ban cars, but we do require driver’s licenses, seatbelts, airbags, padded dashboards, safety glass and collapsible steering columns. And we’ve reduced the auto fatality rate by 95 percent.”( http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1&referer= ). Taking our approach to cars and applying it to firearms, we can save countless lives. Rather reiterating the same campaign message of “Be Cool – Don’t Be a Smoking Fool.”( http://smokeforwhat.com/no-smoking-slogans.php ),we should advertise the dangers of a bigger killer, misuse of guns in civilian settings. In conclusion, the positives of stricter gun restrictions are irrefutable. Prevention of “more than two-thirds of homicides” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/#howmuchviolence) and a decrease in the suicide rate is definitely worth defining the reach of the 2nd amendment.

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Permalink # ndaquioag98 said

In my opinion, there are different methods of controlling violence, but not completely removing it. There are different things that affect people to make them want to kill other people. Music and movies usually include some form of violence. America is trying its hardest to create higher standards to get guns PERIOD. “2015 is shaping up to be a perfectly normal year as far as mass shootings are concerned.”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/)

“And frankly, liberal efforts, such as the assault weapons ban, were poorly designed and saved few lives, while brazen talk about banning guns just sparked a backlash that empowered the National Rifle Association.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1) The scale of the issue needs to be addressed. How are these people getting unauthorized weapons? It should be guidelines that citizens must follow.

“There are two major federal laws that regulate firearm ownership and sales. The National Firearms Act of 1934 restricts civilians from owning automatic weapons, short-barreled shotguns, hand grenades, and other powerful arms. ” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/#laws) There are laws that prohibit certain weapons, but kids are still getting small pistols and walk around town FEARLESS. Holding weapons can escalate to violence easily. When I grow up, I don’t want to have to tell my kids that they should feel unsafe at schools or public places. Now a days I become fearful to go out like that. I just want policies to be a little more tight.

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Permalink # bigmike1999 said

” Is there a solution to this violence?”
No, there is no way to completely get rid of gun violence

“What is YOUR opinion about guns?”
My opinion on guns are mixed. Guns are a good thing to have if you have guns for things like defending yourself, hunting and things like that. Its bad when for example, someone goes psycho and shoots up a school, or shoots a spouse, etc. Sure, the United States can make laws to make it harder for a person to purchase a gun, but its not going to completely remove gun violence. We can’t help it in a situation when a completely good person goes on a complete rampage shooting people all of a sudden. We can’t control when something like that happens. Sometimes things like that just happen and its out of people’s control. The United States could try to prohibit the purchase of guns by a person with a criminal record though.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # liza10297 said

I don’t approve of gun violence. But I mean some people are always going to have guns. This have been a problem in America for the past few years. I like I think that gun use should be used by law Force meant, I feel like those are the ones that are more responsible for it. And my own personal opinion I don’t like guns at all.
“Since 2013, there have been 1,266 people killed in mass shooting incidents and 3,619 wounded. It’s important to remember, though, that these numbers are just a fraction of the 11,000 people killed in run-of-the-mill gun homicides each year.”
It’s crazy to think that these many people have been kill because of gun use. And not just that, that they get hurt also and have life threatening injuries.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

“Daniel Webster, a public health expert at Johns Hopkins University, notes that in 1999, the government listed the gun stores that had sold the most weapons later linked to crimes. The gun store at the top of the list was so embarrassed that it voluntarily took measures to reduce its use by criminals — and the rate at which new guns from the store were diverted to crime dropped 77 percent.”
These things shouldn’t be slide by, by anyone. This is what leads people to go crazy and go around killing people. These criminals now a days think it’s okay to just go get guns for there own use.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # DeVante The Runner said

This a solution to this violence? In my opinion there is no real answer to this question. Some how and some way people will get a weapon. Doesn’t matter if its a gun or a knife, if there intent is to harm someone they will or will try. Places like Australia where guns are banned are having more crimes the they did before.
It all depends who the owner of the weapon is and how they use it. There should a very close analysis of the person so things like mass shootings don’t happen.

My opinion of guns is that is just another tool. Like a hammer it helps put a nail in place. But can also hurt or kill someone. With a gun it makes it easier to hunt or defend yourself. But like a hammer it also has the potential to hurt or kill. Like I said before it all depends of the person behind the gun.

http://louderwithcrowder.com/obama-praises-australias-gun-ban-the-actual-results/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # shatonia4398 said

Is there a solution to this violence?
I don’t think that there is a solution to this violence. There may be a solution to decrease the violence, but not end it. Violence is everywhere we look. My opinion about guns is that they are causing too much violence. Some may keep them for protection and some may keep them for hunting, but at the end of the day, it’s still a form of violence. I don’t like guns and knowing how much damage they can do should be enough for anyone not to want one.

“Somebody pulled the trigger on what would be America’s 1,000th mass shooting incident since January 2013.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

This is another reason why guns cause too much violence. What kind of person decides to go shooting up people? There is no purpose to it.

“A continuous deluge of gun deaths, an average of 92 everyday in America.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/#laws

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Permalink # Erynn Floyd said

In 2015 so far, mass shootings are up slightly from their 2014 rate, but roughly on pace with 2013. In other words, 2015 is shaping up to be a perfectly normal year as far as mass shootings are concerned. ( 1001 mass shootings )

We’ve mourned too often, seen too many schools and colleges devastated by shootings, watched too many students get an education in grief. It’s time for a new approach to gun violence. ( what to make of this violence? )

People may own more guns in dangerous places because they want to protect themselves. It’s also possible that gun ownership is a deterrent to crime, because criminals must consider the possibility that their intended victim is armed. ( 13 questions about gun control )

In my opionion there are other things that can cause death other than just guns . Yes , there are some crazy people out here who do things that shouldn’t be done and yes guns are the common weapon but if you take that weapon away they will just find another weapon to use for the bad . The people who have guns to protect themselves will be at a loss . Not everyone has guns to commit a horrible crime , some people just want to be safe .

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Permalink # cressworthy said

Is there a solution to this violence? No! Their is no way you could get rid of gun violence COMPLETELY!

What is my opinion about guns? My opinion on guns is good and bad. It’s good to have a gun for self reason. You may have a gun to do hunting activities with family, or for defending yourself from cruel people out in society. Bad example is crazy people have guns and go out and shoot people for no reason or just because they want to. United states can make gun laws to where you can’t buy a gun unless you’re a certain age or you have a license for it. I would keep a record of people who purchase a gun and keep check on those people to make sure they’re not using it for the wrong reason. We as a country could prohibit people from buying guns but you have these people out here that know how to make and create different guns. So we just need to start putting limits on who purchases guns in the United states.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1&referer=

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # ameliataylor33 said

I agree completely with Nicholas Kristof’s, from the New York Times, opinion. He states that since guns are never going to be eliminated in the U.S. and we need to learn how to coexist with them. There has been about 1,266 Americans that have died from shootings since 2013. I see the issue and the debate on gun control, however we will never be able to live in a world without violence. Be that as it may, many see our only options are to disarm everyone, or arm everyone with the mere item that most are worried about. However, we have to take into perspective that the guns themselves are not shooting the multitude of people, it’s the people behind the trigger.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

Going on to read Nicholas Kristof’s post from the NY Times he talks about how there are more deaths from guns than there were from all U.S. wars, which includes suicide and murders. However, without guns is violence going to stop? No. There are many ways someone can harm another and they will find it, whether it be pills, bombs, knives etc. Taking away guns doesn’t take away the rage or anger or insanity someone feels. We take a look about how 60% of suicides are committed by guns. Take that away and what will change? They aren’t going to just give up because guns are no longer an option. What’s next? “Many deaths are caused by an overdose in medication”, so what are we going to do? Ban the medicine? We have to look at this from a logical standpoint. Nicholas Kristof addresses this exact point. He claims that by making guns safer, the suicide rate will drop, but how does he intend on doing this? He suggests background checks. With as many people who own a gun, and as many people who want a gun these background checks could be falsified or even not thoroughly checked. I believe as of now guns require some kind of certificate and license and how many people who own a gun can actually prove they have one? More options include a gun that only fire with a pin, but would take too long in case of emergency and requiring a fingerprint might, which not always work, as we’ve seen the the iphone technology. Despite all this, I do believe we should take steps to get the situation under control. All the same, we have had ideas that haven’t been put into any type of trial and continuing to let the “gun death numbers” increase.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # ramseybrooke said

I watched the videos and while they were humorous, it was educational and made some good points. I think America could use Australia as an example and learn from them. If we do decide to do something about guns, I think we should ease into it slowly since some people are so passionate about guns. From the alantic.com website it discusses how Project Exile is being enforced in Richmond Virginia. This is very effective because all cases get sent directly to the federal court instead of the state court. “For example, Project Exile moved all gun possession offenses in Richmond, Virginia, to federal courts instead of state courts, where minimum sentences are longer”(http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/.
“Since 2013, there have been 1,266 people killed in mass shooting incidents and 3,619 wounded”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013). Obviously this is a growing issue in America and something needs to be done. I’m not sure what can be done except to enforce gun control laws and maybe have Project Exile in all fifty states. “We should also be investing in “smart gun” technology, such as weapons that fire only with a PIN or fingerprint. We should adopt microstamping that allows a bullet casing to be traced back to a particular gun. We can require liability insurance for guns, as we do for cars”(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). I think those are great ideas and should definitely take it into consideration.

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Permalink # loghanhilton said

Just as stated in the article “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.” I completely agree. We will never get rid of guns so with that being said people need to know how to maintain with them. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/ “The British didn’t ban ovens, but they made them safer. We need to do the same with guns”. The solution to this violence of guns would be just as being stated in the quote, we need to make guns safer.My opinion on guns is very two sided. I like to know that we’re able to have guns to protect ourselves from somebody or something when NEEDED. It is also very scary to know that anyone is able to have one on them whenever if licensed. “ People may own more guns in dangerous places because they want to protect themselves. It’s also possible that gun ownership is a deterrent to crime, because criminals must consider the possibility that their intended victim is armed.” http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # ardinesv said

Victoria Ardines
period: 6

There is not much of a solution in gun violence since this rate of shooting has increased. In the Washington post it says ” Since Jan.1 2012, there have been at least 1,001 mass shootings in the U.S. These shootings have claimed 1,266 American lives.” There is a great possibility there will be no decrease until years from now if there is no type of action taken.
There are some ways to resolve this problem, not just by coexisting but the policies due to ownership of these guns, the NY Times article states ” A poll this year found that majorities even of gun-owners favor universal background checks ; tighter regulation of gun dealers; safe storage requirements in homes; and a 10 year prohibition…” This explains that even gun owners also believe that taking this action step by step can decrease this amount of gun violence.
My opinion towards guns, they are supposed to be used only for safety but not the intentions used in the society today. In the Atlantic article it says ” This means guns are used to commit a crime about 10 times as often as they are used for self defense.” If this is the case, gun violence or gun ownership needs to change or be taken an action to create more safety within America.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # calliehatley said

I don’t believe there is a solution to gun violence. As long as there are guns, there will be gun violence. People are the ones creating the violence, and they use many different weapons to do so. Does this mean I think we should get rid of all guns? No! I agree with Nicholas Kristof and his statement that we need to learn to coexist with guns. Community based programs have been proven to be effective in reducing gun violence, but the government is not investing in research for gun safety. As stated, guns could be equipped with PINs or fingerprint ID (sounds like an iPhone). These articles proved to me that the issue is gun safety not gun control. There are more options than outlawing guns or arming everyone as most people seem to think.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # kameronsnyder said

Is there a solution to this violence? What is YOUR opinion about guns?
I believe this is a very iffy subject and has no one solution. In my opinion, gun violence is an issue and always will be if something isn’t done to stop it. “Since 2013, there have been 1,266 people killed in mass shooting incidents and 3,619 wounded”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/). Whatever laws we have put in place are not very effective if we are getting these type of results. I would have to agree “it’s time for a new approach to gun violence” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). The biggest issue that I saw was that “guns can be transferred between private citizens without any record” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). What kind of deal is this…? I believe it should be absolutely necessary to run background checks on ANY type of gun sale between ANYONE. “ All handgun transfers in North Carolina, whether through a dealer or via private sale, or presented as a gift, require that the intended recipient of the handgun obtain a Pistol Purchase Permit from his/her local Sheriff” according to (http://www.ncrpa.org/faq/ownership.shtml). But how many people actually follow this North Carolina law? Probably not very many. So we either need to better enforce our established laws, or revise it to better address the violent situations at hand caused by gun violence.

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Permalink # augustjones said

I personally do not think that there is a solution to guns. I do not think that there is a possible way to permit the use of guns. “There are about 310 million guns in the country. About 40% of households have them, a fraction that has been slowly declining over the last few decades, down from about 50% in the 1960s.” If there are about 310 million guns in the country, there is no way they will be able to permit the use of guns. i think guns should be the last thing we worry about. Police need guns and that’s the only people who should have the right to use them and that’s it. Guns should only be used when needed in certain situations. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

“More than 60 percent of gun deaths are suicides, and most of the rest are homicides.” With this quote said, I think that only certain people should be allowed to have guns, thus we know that’s not going to happen. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1

No matter how hard they try, ALL guns in the country will never be prohibited. “people dismayed by the toll of gun deaths might be better off framing the question differently: “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.” I think the people who shoot schools and people are just plain out crazy and psycho. Those are the people who should get banned from guns.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

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Permalink # samanthaperez2699 said

“It’s easy to come away from discussions about guns in America thinking that the only two policy solutions are confiscating all firearms or arming everyone from pastors to kindergarten teachers.” It’s crazy that there’s so much violence that we have to refer to guns as a solution. I think they should loosen up the gun laws because all the people who actually want protection from those who buy guys on the street have to wait so long.
Banning guns is like saying you’re going to ban knifes just because people have committed homicde with a knife. The weapon doesn’t decide to kill someone, the person does.

“In America, more preschoolers are shot dead each year (82 in 2013) than police officers are in the line of duty (27 in 2013), according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FBI.”
I believe preschool teachers that go through the required process should be allowed to keep a gun for safety purpose but well out of reach of the toddlers.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0&referer=

“…This means that gun ownership has gotten much more concentrated among fewer households: if you own one gun, you probably own several. America has the highest rate of gun ownership of any country in the world, by a wide margin (see: international comparison).”
Guns will always exist, might as well coexist with it.
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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Permalink # ShaniyaHollis said

I personally feel that there is not really a solution to gun violence. There may be ways to decrease the issue, but not actually get rid of it. People are pretty much going to do what they want either way it goes. No matter if we have laws pertaining to gun violence, people will still break the law. I also feel that there can be pros and cons of having a gun. Of course there actually are some people who own guns for protection.

“ Since 1970, more Americans have died from guns than died in all U.S. wars going back to the American Revolution” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1) . It blows my mind that more people have actually died because of guns than in the American Revolution war. This should automatically tell you that gun violence is way out of control. Nowadays, people are so insane. Knowing that a young teen can go get a gun easier than alcohol is one of the main reasons things like this have happened.

A mass shooting is when there have been several victims of gun violence. This is commonly referred to when four or more people have been murdered during the gun violence .“Since 2013, there have been 1,266 people killed in mass shooting incidents and 3,619 wounded” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/).
“In principle, it’s not necessary to keep guns away from everyone, just those who would misuse them” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). Even if the government tried to keep guns away from everyone, it would be hard to tell a person with good intentions of owning a gun, than a person with bad ones. As I mentioned before, there’s not really a solution to gun violence. The best thing we can do is to keep enforcing laws pertaining to gun users/owners.

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Permalink # monicaaauribe10 said

I honestly don’t think there is a solution to all the violence going on all around the world including guns.I don’t have a problem with people being allowed to have guns but it’s when they don’t have the proper knowledge to handle it or are not capable of keeping a gun when the problem comes into play. If you don’t k ow the right way to hold a gun or when to use it, you shouldn’t have a gun. A lot of adults have many guns around the house for “protection” but honestly in case of an emergency everything would happen so fast that you wouldn’t remember or even have time to pull out your gun from wherever you were hiding it. A gun is a very dangerous weapon that if not handled right could change someone’s life in 2 seconds. “America’s 1,000th mass shooting incident since January 2013” Ingraham, Christopher. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2015. The fact that Americas has had 1,000 MASS shootings since Jan. 2013 is ridiculous. The gun violence needs to be controlled & I think by making it harder to get one would help bring our numbers down. People have to be well informed and trained to get a gun. The only was to try to control it is to try many different things until you start seeing results.

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Permalink # amandamonge070 said

“Is there a solution to gun violence?” I personally believe that one day there could be a solution but I don’t think we’re going to come across that solution any time soon. I believe that the number of gun violence could/can be lowered by making some enforcements/limitations.

“What is YOUR opinion about guns?” Guns are very complex machinery when in the hands of a human being. Guns certainly have pros along with cons and just like anything else it’s hard to determine what weighs the other out. The article “What to make of this violence” says that more than 60% gun deaths are suicides so I believe that we should run test on people want to get guns making sure that they have no signs of depression or any problems at home or could have inherited any unstable emotions. Back ground checks should be made on everybody. I think we really just need to focus on making the process of handling a gun more difficult and making sure of who we’re giving guns to. I’m not going to say they’re bad because they aren’t. They’re very handy when in need of safety, and self defence. Although they can also be extremely dangerous when in the wrong hands. I honestly believe we can make a change if we actually try and do something about it instead of debating about it all the time.
(There have been 1,001 mass shootings in America since 2013 – The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/)
(A New Way to Tackle Gun Deaths – NYTimes.com
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0&referer=)

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Permalink # daltonkjenkins60 said

If we took everyone’s guns away then there would still be guns but less people could protect themselves. Drugs are illegal, people still do them. Rape is illegal, people still do it. Just because you make something illegal doesn’t mean that it will solve anything. People need to be educated, mainly children on being safe with guns and how to protect themselves when needed. Also, people should have a psychological check before legally purchasing a gun. “What we need is an evidence-based public health approach — the same model we use to reduce deaths from other potentially dangerous things around us, from swimming pools to cigarettes. We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1)
There are 310 million registered firearms in the United States, to remove all of these would take millions of dollars and could potentially start another civil war. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/) (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/)

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- Permalink # carriganwithers said
  
  Is there a solution to gun violence?
  
  No. The different ways people are able to obtain a gun in America today are so high it’s no surprise we have so much gun violence. As Nicholas Kristof wrote in N.Y.T “ were not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them”. Please tell me how the heck we coexist with a deadly weapon that could kill any desired target with one shot? I understand there is no possible way to get rid of guns completely but people also have to realise that their is no way to control who gets ahold of them. Gun trades are in the streets, in homes, heck even in schools. Unless America can figure out a way to search every human being and their personal properties and take away whatever guns they possess, then their is no possible way to stop this violence (in my view).
  
  http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/
  
  http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/
  
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Permalink # christianbcampbell said

There is really no way to possibly get rid of guns. No matter what gun control law our government could put into place there are still going to be guns scattered around america. You would think I am stating the obvious, but sadly there are still people out there who say we should ban them and then our problems would be solved. Though there are plenty of people who say that, Nicholas Kristof is not one of them. Instead he says “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/) which I could not agree with anymore than what I already do. I do not think we should go as far as arming everyone as stated in “There have been 1,001 mass shootings in America since 2013”, but a start would be putting more armed forces in place and upping security levels so that a shooting is much more difficult to preform. Why I say this is because I can easily go to school with a firearm tucked away in a jacket and get away with it. There are no metal detectors on most entrances nor are there many resource officers that could immediately stop me. Knowing these things makes it a scary thought if someone with such hatred did want to shoot up our school because there really is not much stopping them. Its not the gun control laws we do or do not have in place but more of the security of our own building. If America thought taking away everyone’s weapons, that alone could cause more violence rather than stopping it. Also, with there being 310 million guns in the country, it is near impossible to take them all away. (http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/)
(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0)

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Permalink # carsonrobinson16 said

Since 2013, there has been a thousand mass shootings in the United States. What the heck America? Get your shit together! (sorry) Though by definition the FBI says to be called a mass shooting, four fatalities must have happened. Even though only 1,266 Americans died instead of the minimum 4,000, for the sake of the argument we’re calling them mass shootings. Still, any number of lives lost, not just Americans, is a tragedy. The obvious solution would be to eliminate guns altogether, but that won’t happen. Instead, as Nicholas Kristof wrote we need to learn how to coexist with them. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

Since 1970 more Americans have died from gun violence than from all the U.S. wars combined. Another bone chilling fact: more toddlers are killed with guns each year than police officers in the line of duty. http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1&referer=

So what can be done? Plot twist, banning guns wouldn’t eliminate the number of them in the U.S. Like drugs, people could still obtain them illegally. Making one simple gun control law is a near impossible feat. Something that works in rural South Dakota may not work in New York City. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/#effective

Personally I don’t know where I stand on the average citizen owning a gun. My dad had one and seeing it around his house kind of makes me nervous. Especially when he’s drunk. So maybe a little more gun control would be nice as long as each area had a law tailored to their specific needs.

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Permalink # karigandanielle said

Is there a solution to violence?

I would argue that there could be, but there isn’t. What I mean by that is we as humans chose the way we live, even if your country is ran by Hitler. There are solutions to all problems, you just have to come up with them and actually put your intellectual abilities to the test.
If you know anything about me, you would know that I don’t like Obama except for one thing during his 4 years and that just so happened to be gun control. Obama has said in numerous press conferences “We’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.” (http://www.preventioninstitute.org/focus-areas/preventing-violence-and-reducing-injury/preventing-violence-advocacy.html) The first thing he talks about is just establishing a culture of gun safety, meaning trainng on how to use it, getting a lisence and a safe storage for it, not to take guns away from people (this argument pisses me off).
Back to the solution part, preventing shoots is totally possible, as long with violence in communities, however our communities do not have the willpower or the resources. Our health centers are prepared for a person who has been shot, they’re making sure there people are seen as soon as they come in and so forth. “What we need is an evidence-based public health approach — the same model we use to reduce deaths from other potentially dangerous things around us, from swimming pools to cigarettes.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0) The only thing we’re doing about it is starting background checks but just like all the other substances that teens and adults consume, there is always an illegal way of doing things.
What I’m saying is the solution to even start thinking about preventing these things from happening is to help define a healthy relationship, most kids these days have no idea what it’s like to have someone care for you all the hours of the day. We should be able to realize a kid or adult in trouble and at least try talking to them, you never know how far a compliment can take someone. We also need to recognize the responsibilities of bystanders and learn how to advocate for violence.
With that being said, now the big question, what is my opinions about guns. Well, my whole thing goes back to my previous paragraphs. The gun does not kill, the person who pulls the trigger is the one who kills. Most shootings happen in poorer neighborhoods, that’s a fact, it’s been researched, fight me if you don’t believe science. I say this because a shooting does NOT just affect the person being shot at, the person shooting, the families of the two, it affects where it is happened at/around. Violence causes things to go down in price, for example, we were looking at a house in the Ashbrook district and it was a very nice neighborhood, however, it had ran down neighborhood right beside it. This house could have been worth $275,000, but because of its surroundings, the house was just $215,000. “In areas where it is prevalent, just the threat of violence makes neighborhoods poorer.” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/)
I’m just going to repeat this once more to secure my thoughts about guns; the gun isn’t what kills, it’s the person who pulls the trigger, it is their self-conscious. Guns are not the problem, we are.

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- Permalink # ogalecday said
  
  Is there a solution to this violence?
  It seems there is really one solution to end gun violence in America. Take away all guns… I personally have no desire to own a gun ever in my life. Yes they are good for protection but they are best at killing. There are very responsible law abiding citizens who own guns who will never kill anyone. On the other hand you have mentally ill people who will kill for fun or for their own moral and religious beliefs. I think it would be best to leave guns to the military and police to help enforce laws. I do not believe any citizens need to carry guns. Of course that won’t happen since we have the second commandment but, if you look at Britain for example, you can see how gun laws do for them. “58 Murders a year by Firearms in Britain, 8,775 in US” http://www.juancole.com/2012/07/58-murders-a-year-by-firearms-in-britain-8775-in-us.html
  Even though their population is smaller so that number is equivalent to 290 US murders, that is still a major decrease. “It’s easy to come away from discussions about guns in America thinking that the only two policy solutions are confiscating all firearms or arming everyone from pastors to kindergarten teachers.” I believe we should confiscate all guns in America. That is the only way to decrease gun violence. “while brazen talk about banning guns just sparked a backlash that empowered the National Rifle Association.” The only problem is people love their guns to much.
  
  My opinion on guns??
  “There are about 310 million guns in the country.” I think that is around 300 million more than we need. Some people still use guns for hunting because they live in the mountains or off the “grid”. They rely solely on hunting for themselves. Sure let them keep their guns. Then we have the police who only need a simple handgun and a taser to enforce the law. Other than that, those 300 millions guns ( and that are the only ones registered) that people have for who now what reason is idiotic. All those guns do nothing but pose threats. I think guns are bad and not a necessity in America. It would be best if they didn’t even exist. But they do and there should be stricter laws, better control, or all out ban on guns.
  
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Permalink # jada8864 said

Before reading these articles I thought that there would be no way gun violence could be stopped but this this opened my eyes to what could actually be taken into effect and resort in a good outcome.
We all know that it is fairly easy to get a gun now-a-days because you just have to know the right person or people. With that being said, it amazes me how people can go out and do this but we have these laws on guns. If you ask me these aren’t very good laws because 13 year old should not be flaunting around with guns thinking they are hot stuff! It was stated in the New York Times article that we should invest in “smart gun” technology which offers weapons that only fire with a PIN or fingerprint and micro stamping that allows a bullet casing to be traced back to a particular gun. I feel like that would decrease the issuing of guns tremendously because if someone kills a person or number of people they are going to be locked in prison due to the government knowing who owns the guns.
In The Washington Post, the author said that “we’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them”, which i find that to be true and what I stated before is a prime example of how we could still have guns but put a ceiling on the use of them. According to The Atlantic the U.S has one of the highest rates of violent crime and homicide, per capita, of any developed country. This goes to show that we need more restrictions because the ones we have aren’t cutting it anymore and as a nation these guns might be one of our biggest downfalls.
I feel that guns should not be used to seek revenge or to show that you are superior then others because the effect of that is what is happening now. It’s not the gun’s fault of what is being done, it’s the person’s fault for pulling the trigger, its just that simple! Having guns with intentions to only use for self defense should be main reason for the use of one unless you’re t war. People misuse the right to have guns and those people are the reasons for the most of the deaths in the nation.

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Permalink # zantrum17 said

I don’t think there is a definite answer for gun violence. Sure you can ban the sale and trade of guns but just like drugs and organs there would still be some way for people to get them. When people learn to settle their differences without pulling out a gun a shooting someone the world will be a much better place.

“In 2015 so far, mass shootings are up slightly from their 2014 rate, but roughly on pace with 2013. In other words, 2015 is shaping up to be a perfectly normal year as far as mass shootings are concerned.”
I think it’s sad that mass shootings are beginning to seem almost normal now. Guns are a huge responsibility and unfortunately people can’t seem to handle said responsibility. There’s no valid reason why anyone should kill innocent people who haven’t done anything to them. Gun violence is a major issue in low income neighborhoods as well. People are busy shooting and killing each other over things that are so simple. I think the only way to reduce gun related injuries and deaths (without completely eliminating guns) is to increase requirements to own a gun legally. It is also important to have things like buyback events in these neighborhoods to get illegal guns out of the hands of people.

I myself am not a huge gun person but I don’t see a problem with gun ownership. If people have legally registered guns and can handle them in a responsible way then by all means own a gun. I do think that certain guns and other weapons should be banned for all use. Having a gun for protection and hunting is one thing, but nobody needs an assault rifle.
“We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.”

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

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Permalink # mikaylapeavy said

Is there a solution to this violence?
No, there is no solution. People can buy guns whenever they want, but it’s not the gun shooting people, it’s people shooting people. You can’t just eliminate guns all together. “We have to learn how to coexist with them.”
A New Way to Tackle Gun Deaths – NYTimes.com
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?referer=
What is my opinion about guns?
I don’t see anything wrong with guns. If they were to ban guns, what would the police protect us with? How would we be able to defend ourselves when someone else has a deadly weapon? You can kill anyone with just about anything, even your hands. I mean if they ban guns they might as well ban everything else that someone can cause serious harm with. Guns don’t just tell people to shoot someone, it’s the person holding the gun.

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Permalink # maddiehaas said

To be honest I laughed more at those videos than I probably should’ve. I really enjoyed his sarcasm and accent. I mean I don’t blame Phillip, police ninjas do sound pretty scary.Phillip represents the majority of ignorant Americans. Australia is amazing. I think I need to move there when I turn 18. (Except big spiders ewwh) Basically, the videos disprove all the comments that say there is no solution. Gun control lowered the homicide rates, suicide rates, and mass shooting rates in Australia. The people of Australia were also extremely against gun control in 1996, but now they are happier than ever. They do not feel restricted at all. They know gun control is for the best. ” Bloody Earth, I’m free.” Meanwhile in America mass shootings just keep rising and happening over and over again. “There have been 1,001 mass shootings in America since 2013” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/) When will America learn that just simply coexisting with guns isn’t working? America needs to stop being little cry babies that don’t want to give up their toys. If people didn’t do dumb things then none of this would be happening anyways. The main argument is that ‘guns don’t kill people, people kill people.’ WHAT DO YOU THINK GUN CONTROL LAWS ARE FOR?!?!?! They’re there to make sure crazy people don’t get their hands on guns to kill innocent people. “But the numbers are unarguable: fewer than 1.4 million war deaths since 1775, more than half in the Civil War, versus about 1.45 million gun deaths since 1970 (including suicides, murders and accidents).”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1)
Another argument is that guns don’t even cause the most deaths. People believe that humans are some how murdered by other means. Even suicides are mostly committed by the use of a gun. ” This means that more than two-thirds of homicides involve a firearm. 6,220 of those homicides by firearm (72%) are known to have involved a handgun.”
(http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/)

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- Permalink # zhalenr said
  
  Same Maddie lol
  
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Permalink # fallonollaf said

Gun violence is a big thing and happens way too often. “Regardless, some time between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, somebody pulled the trigger on what would be America’s 1,000th mass shooting incident since January 2013.” (Washington post). Personally, I do not like guns, although, I think that sometimes guns make people feel safer to know that they have something to protect them if the time was to come, which I do understand.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

I think that their should be more strict laws against guns. I think that into be able to posses a gun, it should be law, that you must take gun safety classes, have a background check, and checks to see if you have had any past mental history. I also think that laws should be passed to where you HAVE to keep guns locked up out of reach from children, rather than just being “recommended”.

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Permalink # shannah97 said

I understand that many deaths have had guns involved in some ways, but the gun didn’t shoot itself. Yes, school shootings are a huge problem in our society, “It’s not just occasional mass shootings like the one at an Oregon college on Thursday, but a continuous deluge of gun deaths, an average of 92 every day in America.”, however what if those teachers had guns in there possession and were able to kill the shooter before he could kills anyone else? I agree that there should be restrictions on who is allowed to own a gun, but that doesn’t mean that I believe we should go the extremes of taking the right away from everyone, or believe that we should jest let anyone own them: “It’s easy to come away from discussions about guns in America thinking that the only two policy solutions are confiscating all firearms or arming everyone from pastors to kindergarten teachers.” I also don’t agree that that more guns cause more deaths, because if the good people had guns, then they could protect themselves from the bad guys: “Although countries that offer easier access to guns also have more gun violence, at least among developed nations, this doesn’t necessarily mean that more guns cause more deaths.”. Whether we make guns illegal or not, the criminals are going to be able to get them somehow, the only difference is that the non-criminals wouldn’t have anything to protect themselves with anymore, and the criminals would know this and therefor know that they could rob places or kill people easier. Gun violence isn’t all about the gun, its about the person shooting it. If a car hits a pedestrian in the road and kills them, is it the cars fought or the person driving its fault? Should ban everyone from driving cars then?

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Permalink # melainabree said

Gun violence is going to exist as long as they’re accessible. It’s too easy for someone to acquire a gun. inhave a co flicked view be used I do not believe that guns should become illegal entirely but I also do not think they should be allowed to have in certain public places. To prevent mass school shootings I could suggest tighter security but having that all day everyday can make students uncomfortable and create a hostile environment. Making guns harder to access and a more in depth look at those purchasing them could assist in preventing gun violence. But for those that are acquired illegally, what can one really do to prevent it. On the lines of suicide more than 60% of suicides were done with a handgun. http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0&referer=
Gun violence is evidently a problem that is always going to exist as long as their are people who want to kill and guns go do it with. You can’t blame an object for all these mass killings and suicides. It’s the people who obtain access to this weaponry. They choose what it is used for. Weapon education starting at a relatively early age could help shape people’s views on guns. Showing the dangers of being irresponsible with a gun is a way to educate and prevent future violence.

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Permalink # michaeldarden said

There are many solutions to gun violence. We can take all the guns away in the united states of america. Mass shootings have to stop. More than 60 percent of gun deaths are suicides, and most of the rest are homicides. Gun enthusiasts scoff at including suicides, saying that without guns people would kill themselves by other means. In many cases, though, that’s not true.
Regardless, some time between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, somebody pulled the trigger on what would be America’s 1,000th mass shooting incident since January 2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/
What we need is an evidence-based public health approach — the same model we use to reduce deaths from other potentially dangerous things around us, from swimming pools to cigarettes. We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1 Guns are also involved in suicides and accidents. 19,392 of 38,264 suicides in 2010 involved a gun (50%), according to the CDC. There were 606 firearm-related accidents in the same year — about 5% of the number of intentional gun deaths.

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Permalink # itaylor068 said

Gun control has been a very controversial topic in America. Many people today have had protests, rallies, and petitions for gun control. To me, the topic is more complicated than just passing a law, and saying “no more guns.” The second amendments states “the right to bear arms” so I agree that you should be allow to obtain a gun with a permit. The way I see it no matter what the laws are people will still try to find a way to get around the law. “This means that gun ownership has gotten much more concentrated among fewer households: if you own one gun, you probably own several.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

“It’s time for a new approach to gun violence.”

I think they’re should be more educational programs about gun use to help protect Americans and lessen shootings. With educational programs, American citizens would become more aware of the pros and cons of the responsibilities of owning a gun. Gun control is a serious topic and should not be messed around with.

“It’s easy to come away from discussions about guns in America thinking that the only two policy solutions are confiscating all firearms or arming everyone from pastors to kindergarten teachers.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/
These are two different extremes so I think that if we could find a medium, then the violence would decrease. Whether or not we like it, people are going to get ahold of guns, so it is time to make SOME restrictions.

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Permalink # taylorwilson293 said

First, I will start by saying I don’t like the phrase “gun violence,” because guns do not cause the violence. People do. So, why do we blame crime on guns? Do we blame cars for the murder in which a drunk driver kills an innocent person? Or even better, should we ban alcohol because a driver is drunk when they hit the innocent person? So, I am gonna call this “gun violence” just violence. Is there a solution to violence? No, there will never be a solution to stop violence, because there are obviously evil people in the world. We are all ingrained with our flaws, and our unnecessary thoughts and actions. If there was a solution to violence, do you not think that someone would have already figured it out and stopped violence? Violence is ingrained in some people’s minds whether by heredity or by the experiences in which they go through.

My opinion on guns is a positive opinion even though they have been used as the most likely murder weapons. But, what hasn’t been used as a murder weapon? “From a dainty pair of stiletto shoes to an electric guitar and even an innocuous jar of picked cucumbers- these seemingly innocent objects are in fact the world’s weirdest murder weapons” (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2796983/world-s-weirdest-murder-weapons-pair-stilettos-jar-gherkins-photographer-captures-bizarre-objects-used-kill.html). I am a hunter and I see nothing wrong with guns. It is the people who use the guns for violence. Does a gun have an active mind of its own and says to itself “shoot now”? No, it is the person who pulls the trigger that created the crime.

“It’s easy to come away from discussions about guns in America thinking that the only two policy solutions are confiscating all firearms or arming everyone from pastors to kindergarten teachers” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/). Why do people think that taking guns away from people will solve the violence that people participate in using guns? The criminals who have the mindset of murdering others by using guns, will NOT turn in their guns when the time comes to take them away. Only those who are law abiding citizens will actually consider turning in their guns. However, I believe that taking guns away will only anger citizens to a point in which will cause a rebellion. Some may say that there is no possible way that their could be a rebellion in American; However, I have always heard the comment, “history will repeat itself”. How many rebellions have there been in history? A rebellion is bound to happen if Americans get angry enough, and taking away guns is one of the most perfect ways to anger many Americans.

Almost everyone’s blogs that I have looked at has had the same quote. “Since 2013, there have been 1,266 people killed in mass shooting incidents and 3,619 wounded” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/). I understand that this is a problem, and is very saddening to me that their have been this many killed by some cruel, evil people; However, has anyone read on to read the point that states, “But the overwhelming majority of these incidents barely make national news at all. In the current environment, “1 dead, 10 injured” or “3 killed, 4 injured” doesn’t rise to the level of national interest.” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/)? If guns are such a problem, and it’s the guns causing the problems, then why are the crimes only brought into the national news when it is committed in mass shootings? Does the 1 dead in a shooting not matter? Guns are not the problem. The person is the problem. The guns did not kill the person, the murderer did. If the gun killed the person, then the gun would be in jail, not the person.

I believe that research should be done on how to make guns safer. I love the point that the writer of the New York Times article states when he says, “One problem is that the gun lobby has largely blocked research on making guns safer. Between 1973 and 2012, the National Institutes of Health awarded 89 grants for the study of rabies and 212 for cholera — and only three for firearms injuries” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=3). If everyone is so big on making guns safer and wanting to stop the crime that is caused by guns, why are they more concerned about rabies in which “isn’t as big of a deal”? “There are about 310 million guns in the country” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). Does the government plan on taking away 310 million guns away from the citizens of America? Let me just laugh for a second. That is not going to happen. I guarantee that, because if they take any guns from the people in which I know, it will not be a good day for the government officials that attempt to enforce that.

My response to those who agree with Gun Control for the “solution” to gun violence is just “wow”. Gun control will do nothing for the human race. I completely agree with Ben Carson’s comment that was made while I was watching an interview by CNN, as he quoted from his book, A More Perfect Union. He quotes, “‘German citizens were disarmed by their government in the late 1930s,’ which allowed the Nazis to ‘carry out their evil intentions with relatively little resistance.’” He also states “The likelihood of Hitler being able to accomplish his goals would have been greatly diminished if the people had been armed…” (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34485358). As I watched the interview, what stood out the most to me was when he stated, “Basically, what I said is when tyranny occurs traditionally around the world, they try to disarm the people first…” (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34485358). After hearing all of this, sure, let’s enforce gun control and provoke history to repeat itself in creating another situation of tyranny.

My favorite quote of research in which I found was from my father. As I was discussing the topic with him, he simply said, “Roses are red. Violets are blue. Guns don’t kill. People do.”

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Permalink # Noah Rodriguez said

Mhmm.. I can personally vouch for this because I own more than 4 pistols and a shotgun. When this topic is brought up, I “shoot” for the real problem. People. From the very start (Noblitt, you’ll love this) the human race has been at war with itself. Always fighting for dominance and power. First it was bows and arrows then swords and guns. If anything, this is more of a psychological problem. Weapons, not just guns, do not think. They do not speak. They do not live. Or die. They are simply at the command of the master at its grip. Us humans have always found way to hurt or to kill, we just made it easier with weapons. From the revolutions of countries to World War 1 and 2. Guns have been used to display power. But it’s never been the gun that killed the people, it’s always been the human behind the trigger. The mass shootings in America is honestly something to be ashamed about. We fight day and night with our military to end the war and tyranny of vicious leaders and terrorist groups. But in all reality, we the people (see what I did there) are America’s #1 terrorist. It may not be the person behind the computer reading this but it’s the majority of the people around you in your state, town, region etc. I think that the whole idea of “Gun Control” is one of the silliest myths we Americans have created. We can’t control the buying and stealing of weapons. If there is one disadvantage from the knowledge and technology that we have gained is that we have created a new and more sophisticated style of crime. I agree with Nicholas Kristof when he stated in his article, “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.” Which is ultimately true. We humans not just Americans have made death the star of every magazine or movie. We advertise death in all the things we read, movies we watch, and things we learn. I can say that America is a little lazy when it comes to certification of legally buying a weapon. We can go buy rifles and shotguns at 18 but can’t buy a pistol until you are 21. The idea of “concealing” a weapon is just stupid. What’s stopping someone from putting a shotgun in a guitar case and bringing it to a local Walmart and opening fire? Nothing. ANYTHING can be concealed. If they want to start somewhere for gun “control” they should start by making it the same age for both types of weapons. But that’s just my opinion.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

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Permalink # Lauren Kiser said

“The British didn’t ban ovens, but they made them safer. We need to do the same with guns.”(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0) This statement alone I think could shut down anyone wanting to ban guns. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. ” Doesn’t necessarily mean that more guns cause more deaths.”(http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/) A knife is a tool used in the kitchen but when a demented person is holding it, it becomes a evidence sample on the scene. “Regardless, some time between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, somebody pulled the trigger on what would be America’s 1,000th mass shooting incident since January 2013.”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/) Mass shootings are an awful thing to see on news and social media but unless something is done then I do not believe that anything will change. What that solution is, I don’t know if there is a solution. I do think schools should have a tighter security control.

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Permalink # adamnesnow782 said

Is there a solution to this violence? What is YOUR opinion about guns?
I believe that there will never be a solution to gun violence, and even if there were a solution that wouldn’t every other piece of violence in the world. There is no way to get rid of violence of any kind because its human nature, but especially gun violence. “We can require liability insurance for guns, as we do for cars.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1

I don’t think this will solve anything because the minute the gov. starts complicating things with red tape, is the minute that people stop doing it legally. As noblitt said, a lot of people could get guns right now and since most of them aren’t old enough that means they get them illegally. Therefore if the gov. outlaws guns many people, who were following legally, will then turn to attaining them illegally. So the good people who follow laws are now limited to what they can get, and the bad people who don’t follow laws aren’t because they can get better things illegally. That doesn’t make much sense. And they can’t be gone all together because that is our second amendment. The amendment was originally put into place so that if the Gov. ever got to powerful and were doing things that were out of control, the people could step in and have something to say about it. I would argue that is you take that away, then we loose our only insurance we have against them.
“Since 2013, there have been 1,266 people killed in mass shooting incidents and 3,619 wounded.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/
Thats a lot, but its not like the guns shot themselves. People are the ones behind that, crazy people that is (for the mass shootings). So if they are crazy enough to shoot a whole bunch of people, for whatever reason, then they are surely crazy enough to acquire a gun illegally. So who would it be really hurting if there was in fact gun control?

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Permalink # matthewmerrington said

To me guns have their benefits, but also have many disadvantages. The benefit of guns being protection and also symbolizing freedom. The disadvantages are that they are very dangers and in the wrong hands led to violence. “The British didn’t ban ovens, but they made them safer. We need to do the same with guns.”(http://www.nytimes.com/) I agree with this statement to make guns safer, but not to ban them. “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/) I also agree with this as it provides a health solution to gun problems. I think that the best solution would be to have tighter gun control on who is allowed to get a gun because that ultimately lowers crime rate and makes the world a little safer. “No one is quite sure what is causing this decrease, though there are many theories, ranging from tighter gun control laws to more innovative policing and changes in the drug market.”(http://www.theatlantic.com/)

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Permalink # yeison0 said

I personally do not think there is a solution to gun violence. As your American History I class said, “it’s easier to get than alcohol”. With guns being so easily accessible the violence obviously will not stop. “There are about 310 million guns in the country” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). With so many guns available it’s obvious just about any one could get ahold of one. I feel that making laws won’t help either. “And frankly, liberal efforts, such as the assault weapons ban, were poorly designed and saved few lives” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). The way I see it is that we have laws banning marijuana, yet plenty of people smoke it. We have laws banning alcohol for minors, yet you can find it at just about any high school party. So how is banning guns going to change anything? People will just find a way to keep their guns. We do not have many options available to deal with guns. “It’s easy to come away from discussions about guns in America thinking that the only two policy solutions are confiscating all firearms or arming everyone from pastors to kindergarten teachers” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). There’s just no way to really solve gun violence completely.There’s no actual solution, however we can still try and make adjustments that will hopefully help.

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Permalink # JacobPacheco said

Is there a solution to this violence? Absolutely not! Even if we were to get rid of guns and ban people from having them it would not make a difference, there will still be guns. If we did then there would the complaint about how some would protect themselves because they keep a firearm in their household People would get them illegally and or some other way. As said in the article “ “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.”” I completely agree with this statement. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/

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Permalink # Lillian Myers said

I think gun control will always have controversy in America, but I think there are ways to help the situation. I slightly agree with gun control but yet I don’t. “‘We’re not going to eliminate guns in Americs, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them'” (washingtonpost.com), I think America can never eliminate guns completely, but I do think America could take some extra precaution. One precaution I would take is to do a extensive background check to see if the person has an mental illness or has a criminal record; “The evidence that weapon does matter goes back to decades. In 1968, Franklin Zimring examined cases of knife assaults versus gun assaults in Chicago. The gun assaults were five times more deadly” (theatlantic.com). Sometimes people could have a clean record and still do drastic things, but this would atleast clear up some of the mass shootings. It’s not the gun’s fault for a death, it’s the shooter who aimed either consciously or accidentally. I feel like most Americans use guns as a source of security or used for hunting (deer, birds, rabbits). As an average American girl, I feel like everyone should learn about guns and how to use it properly and what not to do. I feel like we should also take classes on gun safety and how to use one just in case we were ever in the situation where we’d have to use one. I think there should also be a limit to how many guns you are legally aloud to have in a house and cannot be preloaded because it’s unnecessary to me to have 5 different guns under one roof. I’m not a fan guns, but I do think people do know how to use them because there could be a situation one day that you might have to use them under short notice. America will always be a push over to mass media so I think the gun control issues will clear up anytime soon until there is a huge riot or, possibly, a war within ourselves.

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Permalink # Lauren Kiser said

“The British didn’t ban ovens, but they made them safer. We need to do the same with guns.”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/) This statement alone I think could shut down anyone wanting to ban guns. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. A knife is a tool used in the kitchen but when a demented killer is holding ti, it becomes a piece of evidence at a crime scene. “Regardless, some time between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, somebody pulled the trigger on what would be America’s 1,000th mass shooting incident since January 2013.” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/) Mass shootings are a terrible thing but yet we have became desensitized to them almost y how often they are occurring. Something needs to be done about this but I don’t believe that guns are the issue. I think it starts with the people and the society that influences them. Almost every shooter you hear about had a sketchy past or there were clues leading up to it but nothing was done to stop them. I think that if a person is showing signs like this or has a medical condition that could provoke them to do such a thing then I believe that they should have some type of checking or medical evaluation done to prevent them from harming anyone. A gun is used to protect ourselves and if we take them away then how are we going to stop someone robbing or anything of that nature if we don’t have a tool such as a gun to defend ourselves. Criminals are going to find ways to have a gun because they are criminals. I don’t believe that a innocent person should have to suffer the consequences of these demented murderers.

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Permalink # Sara Edwards said

Is there a solution to gun violence?
No there is not.
There is no way in the world to prevent all gun violence in the US. People are people and they will always do exactly what they want no matter what stands in their way. I do believe however that definite measures should be taken to help prevent the loss of lives through the use of guns. People should definitely take the classes, have the background checks and go through a complete process to obtain a gun legally. More effort should be taken to get guns out of the wrong hands.
1001 MASS SHOOTINGS
WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS VIOLENCE?
13 QUESTIONS ABOUT GUN CONTROL

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Permalink # dsantinelli said

I don’t really think there are that many ways to stop gun violence in America. I am against gun control, because history has showed us that dictators like to take away weapons from people before going all psycho. And yes, the mass shootings are sad. There have been 1,266 Americans killed since 2013 in mass shootings(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/). And that’s just the mass shootings, “Since 1970, more Americans have died from guns than died in all U.S. wars going back to the American Revolution.”(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). I myself am against gun control. I know it is said often, but people kill people, not weapons. You could argue that gun control is to stop these people from obtaining guns, but be honest with yourself; most people could easily find a gun without going to a store and buying one. Laws can’t control criminals(which is why they are criminals). My family in New York and Connecticut could tell you how easy it is to get a gun, especially if you have connections. Another arguement is that we should take all of the guns out of America, but that would be difficult. “There are about 310 million guns in the country. About 40% of households have them, a fraction that has been slowly declining over the last few decades, down from about 50% in the 1960s. Meanwhile, the overall number of guns has increased to about one gun per person, up from one gun for every two persons in the 1960s.”(http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). If the government were to enforce more gun laws, it would just make it harder for the normal, decent person to buy a gun for self-defense, while the criminals just keep getting more of them. One thing the government should do is require a mandatory gun safety class before purchasing a firearm. This would make people less nervous about owning one, because they would know how and when to use it.

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Permalink # bethanyashlyn said

I don’t think there is an answer to gun violence or gun laws. Even if gun laws are enforced, people will still find ways to get them. The guns are not the problem, the people who purchase and use them inappropriately are the problem. However, there are some responsible gun owners in America who only use their guns for protection. So where is the equilibrium? If we don’t put some sort of restriction on guns, people will be able to get a gun and use it for whatever purpose they find necessary. There are already a few restrictions on guns, but only specific ones.“There are two major federal laws that regulate firearm ownership and sales. The National Firearms Act of 1934 restricts civilians from owning automatic weapons, short-barreled shotguns, hand grenades, and other powerful arms” (http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/). I feel like this restriction is far too vague. But if we try to ban guns, gun owners and enthusiasts may retaliate and use guns regardless of any laws prohibiting them. “And frankly, liberal efforts, such as the assault weapons ban, were poorly designed and saved few lives, while brazen talk about banning guns just sparked a backlash that empowered the National Rifle Association” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). My personal opinion on guns is that if you don’t know how to use one, you shouldn’t have one. In a perfect world, people should only be able to get a gun after taking classes on using it, having a background check, and taking some sort of psychiatric evaluation to ensure that the individual will cause no harm with this gun. However, we are far from a perfect world and even if rules like this were put into place, people would still find loopholes in order to get a gun. Also, there have been far too many mass shootings in recent times. “Regardless, some time between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, somebody pulled the trigger on what would be America’s 1,000th mass shooting incident since January 2013” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/). This just shows how some people can be responsible with guns and others definitely should NOT be trusted with guns. However, there is no way to tell who will shoot up a school or a mall and who will just put their gun away somewhere for emergencies. I feel as if nothing can be done about gun violence.

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Permalink # zhalenr said

Is there a solution to this violence? What is YOUR opinion about guns? Read the following articles, answer those questions, give your opinion, and cite all of the articles.

In America Gun control has been a repetitive popular topic. Protests, rallies, and petitions for gun control have taken place. In my opinion like someone has already said, the topic is more complicated than just passing a law, and saying “no more guns.” The second amendments states “the right to bear arms” so I agree that you should be allow to obtain a gun with a permit. The way I see it no matter what the laws are people will still try to find a way to get around the law. “This means that gun ownership has gotten much more concentrated among fewer households: if you own one gun, you probably own several.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

“It’s time for a new approach to gun violence.”

I think they’re should be more educational programs about gun use to help protect Americans and lessen shootings. With educational programs, American citizens would become more aware of the pros and cons of the responsibilities of owning a gun. Gun control is a serious topic and should not be messed around with.

“It’s easy to come away from discussions about guns in America thinking that the only two policy solutions are confiscating all firearms or arming everyone from pastors to kindergarten teachers.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/
These are two different extremes so I think that if we could find a medium, then the violence would decrease. Whether or not we like it, people are going to get ahold of guns, so it is time to make SOME restrictions.

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Permalink # nicandel said

Is there a solution to this violence?

There is no direct solution to gun violence.I liked the reference that said, “The British didn’t ban ovens, but they made them safer. We need to do the same with guns.” http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1&referer=
Guns are not the problem it is the owners who choose to use them in a negative way. I also think that it is ridiculous how common mass shootings have become in the past few years.
“In America, more preschoolers are shot dead each year (82 in 2013) than police officers are in the line of duty (27 in 2013), according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FBI.”

“Since 1970, more Americans have died from guns than died in all U.S. wars going back to the American Revolution.”

What’s my opinion on guns?
Personally I am not the type that goes out to a shooting range or goes hunting but I do not have a problem with guns. If used properly guns can save people’s life’s but they are dangerous and don’t need to me taken for granted. Like I said before guns aren’t the problem, the problem is the people who choose to use them negatively.

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Permalink # carleybyrum25 said

Guns are becoming a major problem in America, and they are not going to disappear anytime soon, we need to learn how live in peace with them (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0). In my opinion I don’t believe guns should be banned, they’re part of our second amendment. I support the possession of guns, but I do believe there should be stricter rules and regulations when it comes to owning a gun. If there’s a solution to gun violence, then we as Americans are far off from it and need to find a way to make it a reality. It’s all about the prevention of gun violence and for that to happen we need stricter laws for that. “The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 requires licensed gun dealers to perform background checks. Background checks are not required for private gun sales” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). It’s not enough to only have laws for licensed dealers, because it allows for people to get around this law with the buying from unlicensed dealers. “…the problem isn’t firearms; it’s crazy people” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0).
In order to stop gun violence we, Americans, need to become more educated about them and discover ways to prevent it. In Great Britain when many suicides were being linked to their ovens, they didn’t ban them but simply made them safer and a less likely use for suicide (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=0). We need to make guns safer, so that the people are safer.

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Permalink # jedwebb said

The issue of gun control is not a new one, and has been argued over for quite some time. On one end of the specter you have people saying it’s their first amendment right, and are completely against regulation. On the other hand you have people who would like to ban guns completely. While we can imply by looking it similar countries like the UK where gun violence is down extremely as well as violent crimes as a whole. However I think the answer is something in between. While banning guns will never happen I do believe some regulation is in or order or how I like to call it, “smart regulation”. What we need is to use the technology available to us as a country and try to find ways to make it safer. Whether it be safe gun procedures like a pin or fingerprint as well as limiting the sale somewhat, something needs to be done.
1001 MASS SHOOTINGS

WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS VIOLENCE?

13 QUESTIONS ABOUT GUN CONTROL

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Permalink # carlisfair said

Guns have been part of United States history ever since the first people to walk on the land. Guns were never a huge deal until the Columbine High School Massacre. Ever since then many groups of people and government officials have aggressively taken the issue at hand. I understand the reasoning but I doubt anyone or any group can fully take away our freedom use of guns. According to Jonathan Stray 40% of household in America. (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/#howmuchviolence) Guns are a person’s tool for protection, having a gun near at hand incase of an emergency always makes you feel a little more secure. This is one of the biggest obstacle in being able to control guns. As Nicholas Kristof from NY Times says more children have died than police officials in 2013. (http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=2&referer=) This makes me ill to think about. The solution to his problem is to increase security in schools and let a principal or teacher hold a gun for special use. We should also provide teachers lessons for defensive acts against gun attacks in school. Banning guns will not do anything besides take away more freedom for U.S’ people. If we think about how drugs are, guns will be the same if they are illegalized. It might be harder to get than marijuana but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Lastly, the more the government gets involved into this situation the worst the situation is. Washington post states that since January of 2013, There have been one-thousand mass shootings in America. If you think about it, this is when Obama and Democratic officials started to heavily go on this issue. According to my seeing, since they have stepped in to try to ban guns, more and more people are buying and shooting. So should we ban guns or just leave it alone? Leave it alone.:)

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Permalink # marionwhitely said

I am sometimes on the fence about guns. Sometimes I feel with all crazy people in the world today, that it’s needed for protection. On the other hand I see all the harm that it can cause, I feel that no one should be able to have one. I think that gun violence is out of control with no real solution. “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/. “The U.S. has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in the world, by far”. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/
With all the shootings today both small and large, make me both angry and afraid sometimes for my own life. I feel that guns are needed for protection but the issue seems to be that people used them to take another’s life. They are often in the hands of the wrong people. “There were 8,583 homicides by firearms in 2011, out of 12,664 homicides total, according to the FBI. This means that more than two-thirds of homicides involve a firearm. 6,220 of those homicides by firearm (72%) are known to have involved a handgun”. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/,
I feel that government needs to find a way regulate the sale and purchase of guns as well putting stricter controls in place for users and owners. I believe that unfortunately for every law that is enforced there is always some criminal finding away around the system. It seems the ease of obtaining a gun is out of control. “A poll this year found that majorities even of gun-owners favor universal background checks; tighter regulation of gun dealers; safe storage requirements in homes; and a 10-year prohibition on possessing guns for anyone convicted of domestic violence, assault or similar offenses”. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1. “Federal laws set minimum standards, but many states have also passed various types of gun laws. These laws determine which weapons are legal to own, and also set requirements on sales, background checks, storage, open and concealed carrying permits, and sentencing of gun-related crimes. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/
“One problem is that the gun lobby has largely blocked research on making guns safer”. Cars exemplify the public health approach we need to apply to guns. We don’t ban cars, but we do require driver’s licenses, seatbelts, airbags, padded dashboards, safety glass and collapsible steering columns. And we’ve reduced the auto fatality rate by 95 percent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1 “The firearms debate usually revolves around “gun control” — that is, laws that would make guns harder to buy, carry, or own. But this is not the only way of reducing gun violence. It is possible to address gun use instead of availability. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/.“Similarly, while the idea of new laws gets most of the attention, some projects have focused on enforcing existing laws more effectively, or changing policing strategies. In fact, launching community-based programs has proven to be one of the most effective strategies for reducing gun violence”. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/
Although I have no interest in owning a gun, people should have the right to protect themselves. I see gun violence spiraling out of control and because so many people have free access to one, it will only continue to get worst. Like most crimes committed today, because people don’t value their own life, they don’t value another’s.

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Permalink # marionwhitely said

I am sometimes on the fence about guns. Sometimes I feel with all crazy people in the world today, that it’s needed for protection. On the other hand I see all the harm that it can cause, I feel that no one should be able to have one. I think that gun violence is out of control with no real solution. “We’re not going to eliminate guns in America, so we need to figure out how to coexist with them.” http://WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM/NEWS/WONKBLOG/WP/2015/10/12/THERE-HAVE-BEEN-1001-MASS-SHOOTINGS-IN-AMERICA-SINCE-2013/. “The U.S. has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in the world, by far”. http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/
With all the shootings today both small and large, make me both angry and afraid sometimes for my own life. I feel that guns are needed for protection but the issue seems to be that people used them to take another’s life. They are often in the hands of the wrong people. “There were 8,583 homicides by firearms in 2011, out of 12,664 homicides total, according to the FBI. This means that more than two-thirds of homicides involve a firearm. 6,220 of those homicides by firearm (72%) are known to have involved a handgun”. http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/,
I feel that government needs to find a way regulate the sale and purchase of guns as well putting stricter controls in place for users and owners. I believe that unfortunately for every law that is enforced there is always some criminal finding away around the system. It seems the ease of obtaining a gun is out of control. “A poll this year found that majorities even of gun-owners favor universal background checks; tighter regulation of gun dealers; safe storage requirements in homes; and a 10-year prohibition on possessing guns for anyone convicted of domestic violence, assault or similar offenses”. http://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2015/10/04/OPINION/SUNDAY/NICHOLAS-KRISTOF-A-NEW-WAY-TO-TACKLE-GUN-DEATHS.HTML?_R=1. “Federal laws set minimum standards, but many states have also passed various types of gun laws. These laws determine which weapons are legal to own, and also set requirements on sales, background checks, storage, open and concealed carrying permits, and sentencing of gun-related crimes. http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/
“One problem is that the gun lobby has largely blocked research on making guns safer”. Cars exemplify the public health approach we need to apply to guns. We don’t ban cars, but we do require driver’s licenses, seatbelts, airbags, padded dashboards, safety glass and collapsible steering columns. And we’ve reduced the auto fatality rate by 95 percent.
http://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2015/10/04/OPINION/SUNDAY/NICHOLAS-KRISTOF-A-NEW-WAY-TO-TACKLE-GUN-DEATHS.HTML?_R=1 “The firearms debate usually revolves around “gun control” — that is, laws that would make guns harder to buy, carry, or own. But this is not the only way of reducing gun violence. It is possible to address gun use instead of availability. http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/.“SIMILARLY, while the idea of new laws gets most of the attention, some projects have focused on enforcing existing laws more effectively, or changing policing strategies. In fact, launching community-based programs has proven to be one of the most effective strategies for reducing gun violence”. http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/
Although I have no interest in owning a gun, people should have the right to protect themselves. I see gun violence spiraling out of control and because so many people have free access to one, it will only continue to get worst. Like most crimes committed today, because people don’t value their own life, they don’t value another’s.

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Permalink # theravenalexis said

Is there a solution to this violence? What is YOUR opinion about guns?
I don’t think there is a solution to gun violence but it can be decreased by having restrictions.There are positives and negatives to owning a gun. A positive is knowing you having some to keep you protected and a negative is it’s very dangerous, especially when in the wrong hands. I think that there should be laws to owning a gun starting with a mental check, background check, and taking classes on how to use a gun for certain purposes. I also think there should be a law where you have to keep it put in some kind of safe to keep it out of sight, reach, and away from kids or anybody that in is your house. It should be hidden in a place where you know is the best to keep safe.

“There are about 310 million guns in the country” (http://WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM/NATIONAL/ARCHIVE/2013/02/GUN-VIOLENCE-IN-AMERICA-THE-13-KEY-QUESTIONS-WITH-13-CONCISE-ANSWERS/272727/)

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Permalink # flipyflipperston said

“In 2015 so far, mass shootings are up slightly from their 2014 rate, but roughly on pace with 2013. In other words, 2015 is shaping up to be a perfectly normal year as far as mass shootings are concerned.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/
I honestly find this quote in it’s self to be rather unsettling. The idea that we can make a base average for the amount of times we’ve shot each other up is just in short, messed up. Now is there a way to stop the violence? “You could outlaw guns!” YEAH! And while we’re at it we should outlaw Crack, and Meth!…. Wait a second. Outlawing fire-arms isn’t the answer sadly. No solution is that simple. “or example, Project Exile moved all gun possession offenses in Richmond, Virginia, to federal courts instead of state courts, where minimum sentences are longer.” http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/
Possibly creating stricter punishments and actually creating difficulty in purchasing firearms would be an adequate method for controlling the purchase of firearms.
“even of gun-owners favor universal background checks; tighter regulation of gun dealers; safe storage requirements in homes; and a 10-year prohibition on possessing guns for anyone convicted of domestic violence, assault or similar offenses.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1
It’s generally agreed this would be a decent solution, funny how it’s never passed however. Reminds me of the time people wanted cars outlawd for they were causing deaths of multiple people across the U.S, however large car companies advertised that “Jay-Walking” was wrong. At the time Jay was an offensive turn used to call people “Dumb-ass, Red-neck, Yokel” it’d be like throwing a racial slur to make a law today.
Now what do I think of guns. Honestly, my opinion hasn’t changed. I like the idea of owning a gun for self protection. I live outside city limits, and the nearest police station is a decent trip away. I’d also like to quote that our area is not heavily patrolled. So if some one starts kicking our door down, I’d like to think I can prevent any serious damage being done. Lastly, I know this probably makes me sound like a gun-wielding weirdo, but people own fire extinguishers. They don’t expect fires. ONCE AGAIN, THIS POST WAS BORING!
HERE’S A THING

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- Permalink # noblitt said
  
  Where’s the thing?
  
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Permalink # kameronsnyder said

Is there a solution to this violence? What is YOUR opinion about guns?
I believe this is a very iffy subject and has no one solution. In my opinion, gun violence is an issue and always will be if something isn’t done to stop it. “Since 2013, there have been 1,266 people killed in mass shooting incidents and 3,619 wounded”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/). Whatever laws we have put in place are not very effective if we are getting these type of results. I would have to agree “it’s time for a new approach to gun violence” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?_r=1). The biggest issue that I saw was that “guns can be transferred between private citizens without any record” (http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/). What kind of deal is this…? I believe it should be absolutely necessary to run background checks on ANY type of gun sale between ANYONE. “ All handgun transfers in North Carolina, whether through a dealer or via private sale, or presented as a gift, require that the intended recipient of the handgun obtain a Pistol Purchase Permit from his/her local Sheriff” according to (http://www.ncrpa.org/faq/ownership.shtml). But how many people actually follow this North Carolina law? Probably not very many. So we either need to better enforce our established laws, or revise it to better address the violent situations at hand caused by gun violence.

(And btw I did submit my comment on time I’m just now seeing that it didn’t go through so I can show you in my docs when I created this blog comment)

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Permalink # wunterhoods said

I do not think that there is a solution to violence. I think that guns are okay to have because they do not kill people it is the people that kill people with them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/10/12/there-have-been-1001-mass-shootings-in-america-since-2013/ http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/gun-violence-in-america-the-13-key-questions-with-13-concise-answers/272727/

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