I just started a gun violence petition on the White House petitions site, We the People. Will you sign it? http://wh.gov/Q2v3

Interesting article about dog attacks...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_attack

That is like wanting to cut off your foot because there is a stone in your shoe . Government tyranny 60 years ago loaded milions into cattle cars for extermination . No sir I agree with very little of your short sighted views .

Whatever, Larry. The government tyranny you speak of was in Germany and exterminated over six million Jews, Gays and Peoples of Color. You're entitled to your opinions, even if they're wrong and do not solve to make our society better.

Dude, the head of the NRA is a nutjob....did you not see his press conf?

David, I recently read that three fourth's of the violent gun crimes occur in the the poor inner city area's of our large metro area's. However, it's not politically acceptable to mention that so instead we dance around the issue. Until we are mature enough to discuss all the issues involved, including the unpleasant ones, I think it's a little disingenuous to only point at one side. Chicago has some of the countries most stringent gun control laws but still continues to be one of the most violent cities in the country when it comes to gun crimes (the bad guys always find a way). How and when do we address a part of our society in which gun violence and crimes are a normal accepted part of everyday life? Many gun owners fear that once you open the door to banning certain types of guns it will eventually lead to all guns being banned. I believe that the lady posted who the dog attack article was inferring that many believe we should ban certain dog breeds because they are too agressive rather than going after the people who train them to be that way. At the same time the NRA idiot was speaking (he doens't speak for all gun owners) the ACLU came out saying they would fight all legislation that would allow the dangerously mentally ill to be more easily institutionalized...

We need to close the loophole that allows individuals to sell and buy guns outside of any background check or record of serial numbers. Individuals can buy through newspapers, in and around gun shows from individuals, and on a street. There is far too much hype on why people need a gun. If you think you need a gun so much, check out Zimmerman in Sanford or the guy in Tampa recently convicted of shooting an unarmed man. Often those who carry a gun around, are more bold and may tend to seek out confrontation with deadly results. .

JR, I agree with you regarding inner city gun violence, as the issue needs to be addressed no matter where it is happening. I don't believe all guns should be banned either. However, I firmly believe that we need to look at why we need to have military style weapons with high capacity clips on the streets or in the homes of America. With 40% of all gun sales transactions being made with no background checks, where do you think most criminals get their guns? Wouldn't you agree that we need to close this loophole to ensure that only those legally allowed to purchase guns can do so? After working with client's diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness, I can assure you that only a very small percentage of those afflicted with the disease of mental illness are dangerous to others. The real problem is the stigma attached to mental illness that deters people with real problems from seeking treatment. Adam Lanza was diagnosed with Asbergers Syndrome which is not classified as a mental illness. We certainly can do a better job pertaining to mental health treatment in our communities. With Florida being ranked 48th in the country for mental health resource funding, our own state surely could do a better job. Unfortunately too, our largest mental health institutions are jails where those afflicted receive little or no treatment what so ever and upon release often become a danger to the community. We know maintaining the staus quo is unacceptible, to not try and change...

Very good comments...But dont let the Hollywood liberals off scott free. Maybe Adam Lanza spent half his life watching TV violence every night before going to his room and blowing away 100 people on a violent video game before bed...for his satisfaction and Hollywood and the medias profit. Then, after years of that it occurred to him to do it for real...Does this make any sense at all? I think we need Hollywood and video control just as much as gun control. And, if there were no guns some crazed person could do just as much damage running a car thru a group of children in a school yard...guns are only one part of the problem...

Solving this problem will certainly require a holistic approach, Peter, as there are a variety of factors at work here. Sure, one is the perpetuation of our culture of violence through the media. However, why are we as a society so prone to resolve conflict through violence. Look at how many unjustifed wars we have sent our youth to fight and die. And on and on it goes. When will we take a real hard look at ourselves and our violent behaviors and say this insanity has got to end?

There are a lot of metaphors, cliches and comparisons to other countries going on in this gun violence discussion. I just saw some dog excretement on the the street and my knees jerked. I thought damn those dogs and damn those dog owners. But not all dog owners are irresponsible and the majority do clean up after their dogs. Just like the majority of gun owners are responsible, or our death by gun rate would be even higher than the 20,000. But it is the minority that are killing our children, students, fellow workers, their families and themselves. They are leaving a mess but not all gun owners are to blame or are they? The pooper laws worked to improve our streets the same requirement for dog owners as for gun owners. Gun owners and manufacturers should be made liable for the damage caused by guns.
Gun lovers are very vocal and defensive when they think that the big bad government is going to take away their weapons. Besides a gun buy back program there needs to counselling offered. It could be part of an application for a permit to see what it is missing or lacking that requires a gun as a substitute.

Here's the rub, Euge, gun manufacturers have made record profits over the past five years, partly because of the NRA's ginned up claims that President Obama was going to take their guns away. Unfortunately, the minority of the population that go on killing sprees much too often have much too highly efficent and effective killing machines in their hands when they commence the slaughter of innocent others in our country. Gun owners are certainly part of the problem, as shown in the Newtown massacre where legally purchased guns were used to such deadly effect. I read an idea that all gun owners should be required to carry liability insurance in case their guns cause injury to another due to negligence or failing to safely secure their weapons. And yes guns should also be much harder to to purchase. Of course, a psyhcological screening would certainly be a good idea too!

I still predict all this will blow over and few if any changes will be made to gun laws, ownership of guns, or related items. We forget very quickly and gun owners love their guns.

Mr.Lapierre is definitely beating the drum for his organization. I cannot see why the NRA can't use some common sense in regards to gun control. Why would any normal citizen need an assault rifle? In the case of the Newtown murders, the one person who could have stopped it would have been Mrs. Lanza. Through her careless and cavalier attitude towards firearms, she unleashed a nightmare in the form of her troubled son using her guns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9ZvwPmjJu4&feature=player_embedded

Doug, as I've said before we need to look at solving the problem of gun violence using a holistic approach. Where was Adam Lanza's father and what did he do to prevent the violence his son perpetrated upon others so horrifically? Yes, we need to solve the social ills caused by the culture of poverty ands it's effects on social mobility. In regards to mentally illness, this disease is protected under privacy laws just like any other disease. Would you like your health records to be public knowlege, Doug? As one who has worked with those diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness, I can attest to the fact that the vast majority of those suffering from this disease are not prone to violence towards others. The mentally ill are far more prone to turn inwards and harm themselves than others, and they often carry out their suicidal plans with a gun. As I've also written before, yes, we need to examine our culture of violence and factors that contribute to it. Oh, and by the way, Great Britain had a total of 35 gun murders last year with the majority of these deaths happening in Wales. Australia's numbers are now steadily decreasing and are way far below the number of deaths caused by gun violence in America. I have never advocated banning or infringing on the rights of our citizens to legally own guns. Do we really need assualt weapons though? Should all citizens also be able to own grenades, mortars, predator drones etc.? Where does it all end? We're better than this, no?

There are many things to consider but this is nothing but a bash to the NRA. This is agenda pushing basically. There was a press conference where the NRA stated they wanted to work to find a template. They did not demonize but pointed out obvious short comings of this generation. It is not video games that cause it, be it creates dis-connectivity. Split home. Obama is president so you can't go there...people can come from split homes and be president.

There are more guns in the US than citizens. Gun violence is down over the last 6 years and gun sales UP in Cali-forn-eye-A. Biggest opposition to gun violence is a hypocrite. Violent crime is down also. However, mass shootings are on the rise. 44 dead in one year? Now at elementary schools. We need to protect the kids.

After that press conference, there was another. This one did not make the media.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/12/21/nra-announces-national-school-shield/

It explains the NSS or National School Shield which is a template for schools and DOES NOT have to include guns. The NRA is trying to provide a plan but the current administration did nothing to protect the children, just appoint VP Biden to constrict laws.

Also, the 2nd Amendment was created to allow us to bear arms to defend us against our government. They are now trying to take that away. Remove the NRA and do you think that is ok?

Roger Sherman, during House consideration of a militia bill (1790):

[C]onceived it to be the privilege of every citizen, and one of his most essential rights, to bear arms, and to resist every attack upon his liberty or property, by whomsoever made. The particular states, like private citizens, have a right to be armed, and to defend, by force of arms, their rights, when invaded.
14 Debates in the House of Representatives, ed. Linda Grand De Pauw. (Balt., Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 1972), 92-3.

Great post and fascinating responses. Many have left the NRA due to their extreme positions on gun rights. The tragedy at Newtown and those that occurred before it, relate to a combination of mentally deranged people and too many guns that are simply too available to the general pubic. To suggest more guns as a solution would be akin to putting out a fire by dousing it with gasoline. Canada, and the European countries came to terms with reasonable gun control decades ago. And it should be stated that many more are killed each year in unintentional gun accidents by people who legitimately have guns. As I mentioned in my most recent blog I would like gun control advocates and gun rights advocates to find a common ground and that would be to pressure congress for reestablishing a strong Mental health system. I would suggest gun that control bills will be forthcoming and successful. I am a gun owner but find the NRA a disgracefull organization totally insensitive to the carnage cused by gun accidents, crimes, and horrific tragedies. caused by the mentally unbalanced. I am afraid we have not seen the end of these tragedies.

I am also an NRA member but find the NRA totally lacking in their loudly touted support of the 2nd amendment. The NRA should always have been fighting to protect all gun ownership rights but historically they have been busy barganing them away (google it). GUNOWNERS OF AMERICA as is JEWS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FIREARMS OWNERSHIP! BUT the NRA does provide the best firearms safety and training with it's civilian firearms safety training programs, National competitions, law enforcement and personal protection training.
The anti-gun politicians are using these shootings to promote their disarm American adgenda when they know full well there is NO evidence to support that any anti-gun law made anyone safer. If "no one" actually needs 30 round magazines why not put taking them away from "everyone" on the table..Why does law enforcement need high capasity magazines to protect themselves while civilians don't, isn't it civilians that are most likely to be shot at? What exactly is an "assault" weapon; could it be any firearm, as defined by anti-gun politicians like Feinstein, Pulosi, Reed, etc, as a firearm equal in firepower to firearms being used by law enforcement, and WHY.....The American people are simply being told here that they can not be trusted with firearms except for very limited types and uses as defined by them, that is not acceptable to me and I will hope not to America.

These posting boards are just the same old, same old repeated over & over.
"... and the beat goes on, & the beat goes on" Sonny & Cher

Just think the irony that the NRA blamed media and video game specifically for making a violent culture. Then releases an IOS shooting game for ages 4+. Irony.

TransPlant, could you expound upon your comment. Who do you want to go away? I would certainly hope you're not saying that to me as one who diligently served his country and is a disabled veteran as a result of that service.