>>>>>>>Make it simple; you are given a magical choice between removing guns from society or removing poverty (social, economic, educational) from society. Which one do you choose? I choose removing poverty because that would automatically make the existence of guns a non-issue. Choosing the first option will not solve the poverty issue and thus only modify or shift the crime problem; it will become knife crime or bomb crime or something else.
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>>>>>>Sadly such a magical choice doesn't exist. Obviously we need a lot of work on removing poverty...I couldn't agree more. None the less, while these issues are being addressed we can still have background checks and registration.
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>>>>>You can have background checks and registration. The law-abiding will apply, pass and be registered. The criminals will get their guns without bothering to apply or be registered. We need to solve the right problems, which imo is poverty:
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>>>>>In November 2012 the U.S. Census Bureau said more than 16% of the population lived in poverty in the United States, including almost 20% of American children,[1] up from 14.3% (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and to its highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2% (39.8 million) Americans lived in poverty. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States
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>>>>> .
>>>>Which is the point we keep trying to make. My husband, the self proclaimed yellow dog Democrat, keeps asking me why I can't see 'their' side of the gun control issue. I keep telling him I do see that point, but it's the wrong point to be picking at. We need to solve the issues that made whomever decide that a spree shooting was the most reasonable solution to the situation they found themselves in. Poverty, certainly. Mental health? Oh youbetcha. Let's take care of these issues first - then let's come back and review gun laws.
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>>>You can have gun laws (background checks and registration) implemented in just a few months and start seeing results quickly. The idea that it would be better to change the whole moral fiber of our society and fix poverty - while good ideas - is not really a practical solution for the immediate problem at hand. Why not address the guns laws..(in just a few months) ...THEN take care of the other issues - which will take an entire generation's time. I think this is far more realistic.
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>>Which part of WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE LAWS ON THE BOOKS aren't you understanding? G'sO'pete and you call US thick.
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>OMG the law was just rejected a couple of weeks ago that caused this topic to begin? THOSE LAWS DO NOT EXIST because the bill did not become a law.
>The part where there are no background checks or registrations for guns bought off the internet, many gun shows, between individuals and no database of gun registration to enable police to track ownership of these guns.
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>>And you would treat the symptoms rather than treat the root cause...."The Cuyahoga River is on FIRE! We need to put out the FIRE!!" "ummmm....why don't we take care of the upstream pollution that's feeding the fire?"
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>A good idea but you still might want to put out the fire too while you're at it.
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>Reducing the number of guns, making them harder for criminals to get, and having a way to track guns will help solve the gun problem. If the cure takes 20 years then perhaps over that 20 year time period it might be wise to address those symptoms too eh?

It's a good thing I have shut up about this issue because I would really vent. 90% of Americans are in favor of tighter gun registration laws and a watered down law was still defeated.

This country is nuts. Now that my daughters are grown I am thinking seriously of moving to Canada. I would say New Zealand but Canada has hockey.