Are gun laws U?

[Backwoodsgirl]

In light of recent attacks in NZ, the increase in knife and gun crime in the UK, shootings in the US and France. What do people think are reasonable options for weapons related laws?

It's clear that none on the current system around the world are perfect.

I am a Brit in the USA, and a gun owner, I also have a concealed carry permit. and I am interested to see what people see as reasonable.

I think the UK’s weapons laws are fine. I think the US’s gun laws are ridiculous

I know this is back a while

But its just soooooo perfect

@agnurse

We reload also

@WarpedGalaxy morally I wouldn't do it. I spend six months of the year in the us. I don't have a firearm, neither do I want one.

I’m British, my husband is a gun owning American. Culturally it’s very different to the UK. British gun laws are as alien to Americans as American laws are to ours. Of course it varies from state to state, but love of guns runs deep (and yes it does in part stem from the fact that the USA is a relatively new country born from revolution). There’s no way British style laws would be accepted over there.

I'm a Kiwi in the UK. From Christchurch in fact.

I'm also from a family that has always had guns - we've had people represent the nation in rifleshooting in our family, we've done the hunting, and the shooting.

I'm glad that this is a call to (dis)arm. To tighten up our laws. To start registering the owner of a firearm, as well as the firearm, to ban semi-automatics. I remember after Aramoana, some twit coming on talkback, saying 'but I only use my automatic to shoot seagulls.' And a politician that I would only ever classify as a complete pillock but for this exchange, saying 'if you're using your automatic to shoot seagulls, you're exactly why they should be banned!'

I'm proud we have a Prime Minister that will make these calls, and make these calls hard and fast, because she isn't bought and bloody owned by a right wing interest group.

I'm in NZ. I thought our gun laws were good because we hadn't had any mass killings.

I don't think that way now. There is no reason why people should have access to these multi firing weapons and I don't think you should be able to have access to more than one.

Our state only keeps records of firearms purchased in shops. So the government know of 3 of ours. As for the rest one was inherited, one gift, one private sale, and the last 2 were traded for a car and a lawnmower

Its very impressive that the USA is practically crime free due to its gun laws. Sounds like its one of the safest places in the world to live

My thoughts exactly. I hope I don't get into a row with anyone today, because I won't be able to stop it escalating...

You've made it very obvious in previous threads that you are pro-gun ownership @Backwoodsgirl.

Given what has just happened in Christchurch, this is a spectacularly bad taste post. Do you have no empathy or sensitivity?

Anyone who carries a gun is a fucking moron.

I don't agree with joe public carrying a gun, concealed or on their head. It's ridiculous and there's no bloody wonder why so many people in the U.S. die each year. There is simply no reason whatsoever IMO that ordinary people need guns.

Guns should be reserved for police etc etc. It's bloody crazy and has genuinely made me not want to even visit the states, under any circumstances.

I agree with @boomchicawowow

It’s pretty much the unanimous school of thought in the UK that American gun laws are idiotic. It’s not healthy the way some US citizens are obsessed with shooting things.

Even putting the regular mass shootings aside, I can’t stand the glamourisation of trophy hunting and other types of hunting for sport connected to guns.

It’s so unfair how many people and animals have suffered because of humans and their ‘right’ to shoot things.

I think the reality is that the US gun regulations are unlikely to be tightened nationwide. Assault weapons are still available to buy even after Sandy Hook, and if 6 year olds getting gunned down by weapons which fire 45 bullets a minute wasn’t enough to change things, nothing will.
And yes I do also think it’s bad taste to post this in the aftermath of Christchurch and the misery guns have inflicted for those grieving families.

If Americans love their guns more than their kids, that's their choice.

That is not the choice we make in New Zealand.

We traded a old motorcycle for a handgun also, but subsequently traded that for a chainsaw and some baby clothes

the last 2 were traded for a car and a lawnmower

Jesus wept

If Americans love their guns more than their kids, that's their choice.

Sad but they plainly do. If what happened in Sandy Hook wasn’t enough for things to change, nothing will be.

*And it also means that if you get into a row with someone it won't escalate ridiculously.

Firearms also de escalate situations*

I agree. In the US, anyone with mental health issues causing problems in public gets shot. Situation de escalated.

I read a very interesting article post las vegas shootings. Being a country show it had a disproportionate amount of gun owners in the crowd. The man who wrote the article had been a NRA member prior to the shooting, after calling for gun restriction. Why? Because he realised just how fucking useless guns were in a mass shooting situation. They didn’t know where or who the shooter was, neither did the police. He said it was lucky most weren’t carrying at the time or a) there would have been many more deaths and b) chances are the police would have shot anyone with a gun dead on sight.

I am currently laughing at twitter a) poking fun at americans not rolling out the usual shite such as arm the imams and the mosque could have defended itself, and b) thinking NZ has super strict gun laws for some reason and getting very smug - see, super strict gun laws don't stop mass shootings.

NZ is realising that our gun laws are outdated and need serious tightening. Learning from the situation, and reacting appropriately.

Incidentally, seems to me that Trump and his followers wouldn't normally be real right keen on 'arming Imams'. Given their prejudices. . .

I am British, in the UK and have a shotgun for competition use.
To have a licence, I have a criminal record check, I have to be vouched for by someone professional - doctor lawyer etc, who has known me for at least 3 years and my GP has to provide details of my mental health to the police. The police firearms officer has to check my storage facility - which meant huge policeman tried to tear shot gun cabinet off the wall. I am required to keep gun and cartridges separate & secure.
My licence must be renewed every 5 years.
Each time, all checks are repeated.
I am comfortable around guns, but I would not live in the US because their lack of sensible controls scares me.

Gun laws are very much necessary. Australia’s gun laws are tight but fair in my view. You can have a gun if you need or want one, for vermin control and euthanising stock, hunting, target shooting etc. you just have to demonstrate a use for one, demonstrate that you do in fact use the gun for that purpose and demonstrate that you can store and use it safely. Gun law reform in Oz was contentious when it occurred for a few reasons. My Dad had to hand in the shotgun his Dad had given him as a 16th birthday present. That hurt, and Dad was by no means the only person this happened to. Also, gun owners got nothing like the true value of their gun when they handed it in. Ouch again.Our PM at the time staged a couple of goody stunts which did not help the ill feeling. Also, the fact that the massacre occurred using a weapon that was in fact illegal in civilian hands at the time under existing gun laws also was an issue. All this said, many moons later, I think gun laws have worked well in that gun related deaths in Oz are way down. Yes, you can kill, even large numbers of people without using a gun. However, guns are pretty well the only implement that I know of whose only purpose is killing. And no, people don’t need to be armed whilst wandering around. My two bob worth.

tinkerbell, do you think that might be why this Australian came over to NZ to murder our people, rather than doing it in yours and his country, to yours and his people?

Actually mbosnz, I believe he said he did choose NZ because he couldn’t get e gun here. Just sorry that this means he decided to commit this atrocity inNZ. Sorry he committed this atrocity anywhere actually.

You sound like you just want to tell everyone you own guns and how you got them. Not looking for an actual intellectual discussion on laws and legalities.