>>>>>>>Its a given fact that the cultural, social and economic circumstances of the US citizen is way different than the much compared swiss, but are still are determined that its ok to leave your kids alone in the candy store.
>>>>>>>
>>>...
>>>>>>If we were starting from scratch and there were not currently any guns floating around in the US I would be all for extremely limited availability. But that isn't what we have and we have to deal with what is there. Addressing mental health, social conditions that beget a culture of violence and removing those who are violent predators is, to my mind, a more workable solution. All else is political theater.
>>>>>
>>>>>In software development, you often have to deal with crappy code that will break as soon as you touch it. If you reach that point, it is time for a rewrite. The longer you wait the worse things get.
>>>>
>>>>Do you really think Federal confiscation of at least 700 million guns is feasible? Are you seriously proposing this is a solution for the situation as it exists?
>>>
>>>I think the swiss idea to force nearly everybody into service is the better idea -
>>>it gives a lot of stability over there by mixing different income groups and
>>>might steer your ethnic/gang/church/cult loyality into better areas.
>>>
>>>And a multi-pronged attack will succeed, but only in the long run -
>>>the politician preference for easy to be seen targets will not work.
>>>
>>>But consider: Start with a law that guns have to be registered and practiced.
>>>Disallow - at least partially - self defense as legal when done with a gun not registered,
>>>but brought along or kept at residence. Check for guns -
>>>and confiscate those not registered after half a year and keep looking for them.
>>>(The confiscation angle will more pacify the NRA then hinder criminals, but politics is compromize)
>>>
>>>In the 70's we had some acts of terror over here: some killings, some banks robbed.
>>>There was a crack down you would not believe -
>>>and as a side effect it got rid of some guns concealed on persons or in cars.
>>
>>The idea of the police going door to door to seach for unregistered guns sounds more like a fantasy to drum up NRA membership than a practical solution at any level. Use of an unregistered gun for any purpose (including self defense) being a felony is feasable. The problem is that scarcity or perceived scarcity raises value. Outlaw the millions of semi-automatic weapons currently out there and they become like gold as the paranoia this fuels drives up demand and there is an increased incentive to hoard them and trade them illegally.
>>
>>Strict laws against behavior work. Strict laws against substances or weapons don't.
>
>Whats your favoured solution Charles. Update (is there a problem ?)
>
>Maybe you should start a new gun owners organisation.

See my message to Tamar. I think people need to be responsible for their choices. That means if you have guns, be responsible for them. Registering guns is certainly at least as reasonable as registering automobiles.

The technology is there for ammunition tracing. That might be worth a go.

I just want to see something that really moves in the right direction and isn't just political posturing that drives up demand and value for guns and accomplishes nothing to solve the problem.