Guns in the U. S.

Interesting data about guns in the U. S. 

Data curated by FindTheData

Data curated by FindTheData

Data curated by FindTheData

Data curated by FindTheData

Data curated by FindTheData

AR-15. . .Second Amendment rights, market profits and community

Did you hear the news report about the effect of the Presidential election on the price and sales of AR-15 assault rifles?

It seems that people feel that Barack Obama will be the winner in next Tuesday's election and that he will extend the ban on automatic assault weapons that President George W. Bush allowed to expire.

The rush to buy is motivated by several factors. People who want such a weapon fear that they will not be able to purchase one after Obama takes office. Others evidently are in the market feeling that the expected new policy will drive up the price of the weapons, making them a good investment.

Automatic assault weapons, military grade, designed to kill human beings. This is no sport weapon. We can debate the original intention of the Constitution's second amendment another time (for my part, I know Jefferson would be appalled!).

But, I'm thinking of my community just now.

The presence of AR-15 assault weapons on our streets doesn't make sense and cannot be justified by any argument, at least not if your goal is to improve and sustain community health, public safety and human well-being.

Why does anyone need such a weapon? How does the availability of these weapons help anyone.

Whoever is elected Tuesday, I pray the ban is extended. . .permanently.

What do you think?

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AK-47s and civil society

So, it's happened again.

This time in Omaha, Nebraska.

An extremely disturbed young man with an AK-47 automatic assault rifle attacks an upscale store in a large shopping mall before taking his own life.

Unfortunately, events like this don't surprise us anymore, do they?

Maybe I just don't get it, but do we really need to be able to purchase and own AK-47s? Is this what the Second Amendment really had in mind? And, weapons like this have nothing to do with game hunting.

I can hear my boo birds already. "If you make guns like this illegal, you'll just create an underground market. You can't control guns by making them against the law," etc., etc., etc.

I don't buy it.

Assault weapons, designed for only one purpose--the taking of human life--should be against the law. The manufacture, sale and ownership of weapons like this should not be allowed in this country. Anyone caught making, selling, owning or using such a weapon, except the U. S. military or law enforcement officials, ought to be charged with a felony offense. Those who manufacture and sell such weapons for any non-military use should pay a price.

Gun violence continues to be a major problem in urban America. Here in Dallas it seems like we read a story a day about death by guns.

No one is arguing against hunting or the right to organize for national defense.

But, AK-47s? Come on.

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Since writing this, we have watched reports on two more shootings in Colorado. At this time it is uncertain if they are connected. Early reports indicate that they may be. Both involve people of faith as targets of the shooter(s). One report I heard interviewed a witness who mentioned seeing the shooter with "an automatic assault rifle." No relationship between this type of weapon and any rational reading of the Second Amendment. When will this madness end? When will we demand steps be taken that could at least make such insanity much more difficult and subject to tighter regulation and penalties?

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