5 people, including 4 children, killed in Alabama shooting

Why oh why do so many Americans have this bizarre gun fetish? Look at all the deaths caused by them, a gun even almost killed Mr Trump the other day, defies belief.

Tragic. Condolences to family, friends and community.

Obviously, the attempted assassination of Trump has dominated the news but, according to the Gun Violence Archive, there were two other mass shootings that day and there have been seven since. What a sad state of affairs.

Why oh why do so many Americans have this bizarre gun fetish? Look at all the deaths caused by them, a gun even almost killed Mr Trump the other day, defies belief.

It is a cultural difference, inscribed in the US Constitution for hundreds of years. It might seem strange to someone living in a dense city like Tokyo why anyone would need/want a firearm, but there are lots of places in the US where dangerous animals live near humans. If a mtn lion or adult bear decides to take your toddler playing in your back yard, wouldn't you want to be able to stop that?

I enjoy target shooting. It is an Olympic Sport, BTW. I grew up hunting different animals with my father. The entire family would go on these trips together for time in the wild, together. Some families like fishing. Hunting in the same and part of responsible wildlife management. Without hunting, lots of animals would overpopulate the area - as happens in Japan. Seeing animals starving is inhumane and feeding them isn't the answer. Population control is the accepted answer.

I have very little use for any handguns. They are the cheapest and most convenient for people claiming "home protection" as the reason to get. Remember, part of the reason that the Americans kicked the British out was because of mandated hoteling of British soldiers that was forced onto the colonists. That's one of the reasons the US Constitution allows people to own firearms. Soldiers cannot demand to be put up in our homes, which wasn't the situation under British rule.

Lots of the reasons for the 2nd Amendment are no longer valid, but it is still part of the Constitution. Additionally, a right not exercised will soon be lost. The right to ownership of firearms is just as important in the American Constitution as Freedom from Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom from unreasonable govt search and seizure and all the other "rights". At least as the Constitution is today. Abortion rights are not in the constitution, so lawmakers can tweak those at will. There is no right to own a car/vehicle or to have a drivers license. There is a "right" to own a firearm and because it is a right, and has been challenged many, many, times in the courts, we know it is very hard to prevent any sane, law-abiding adult resident of the US, from being able to own a firearm. If they are insane or have been convicted of a felony, (like Trump), they aren't allowed to own firearms. So, for example, Ex-President Trump CANNOT.

18 U.S.C. 922(g) is the federal law that prohibits anyone ever convicted of any felony to ever possess any firearm either inside or outside of his home. The federal punishment for firearm possession by a felon is up to 10 years in prison.

I hope the FBI and Secret Service have already searched Trump's homes and removed all firearms.

OTOH, any human that points a firearm at another outside of official police needs or in war, that's a mental disability. Something terrible was happening in this person's mind to make him do what he did.

This is atrocious. I can understand them having firearms in a rural area, wildlife can be problematic out there. But WHY did he murder his wife and children and his relatives children!?!?! Even his family members are going to be out for blood.

Why oh why do so many Americans have this bizarre gun fetish?

I own guns, I don't go shooting people for no reason, most Americans don't, the vast majority don't, millions of Americans don't own guns, I do and it is perfectly legal and my right to purchase, own, and use them.

Look at all the deaths caused by them,

I look at the lives that were saved by guns!

a gun even almost killed Mr Trump the other day, defies belief.

Thanks to a sniper, he killed the suspect, and to my original point, this is why I like guns, I am allowed to protect myself.

bass4funk

Why oh why do so many Americans have this bizarre gun fetish?

I own guns, I don't go shooting people for no reason, most Americans don't, the vast majority don't, millions of Americans don't own guns, I do and it is perfectly legal and my right to purchase, own, and use them.

Impossible to use them from Japan.

Tragic when innocent young children are slaughtered. Americans have a million reasons for guns. Billion reasons not to have them.

Impossible to use them from Japan.

Geez! We not talking about Japan! So that you even bring that up what I and everyone know about this country is just weird! If the article is about Japan then I would opine on that point, but it's about the US, so there is no need to bring up something we know, Japan doesn't allow guns, ok?

Now in the US, guns are allowed and when I go home to my country and house I can use them, I can go hunting and safeguard my livestock, so nothing wrong, immoral, or illegal about it. I love and respect them and I need them. My country gives me that LEGAL right.

Tragic when innocent young children are slaughtered. 

Always is, but there are so many reasons as to how they happened.

Americans have a million reasons for guns. Billion reasons not to have them.

I would say, the benefits outweigh the bad overall. Again, I am not concerned with how each country conducts itself that is up to them, but as an American, I am deeply proud that we have a second amendment.

The Fu's argument above reminds me of a Japanese persons support for whaling....whales could hit hydrofoiled ferries carrying commuters between islands.

Guns are designed to kill.

People who need guns in their lives are inadequate people.

Guns are designed to kill.

Not all guns are designed to kill. Not all are designed to kill humans.

Lots of things can kill. Water can kill. A firearm is a "tool" with many purposes. Just like acid or a knife.

There are different sorts of firearms. Differentiation is important. Just like with knives. The general tool is accepted for "good" uses. Killing humans is a fringe use. I don't have any fear that I need a firearm for "home protection". That isn't an issue where I live. If I lived in a dangerous part of a city, then I would likely feel different. I've "vacationed" in parts of cities where I didn't feel safe just a few blocks away - both in the US and around the world. There are parts of the metro area where I live today where I don't feel safe. We only visit those places accidentally.

People who need guns in their lives are inadequate people.

Replace "guns" with any other dangerous object. Bowling ball, cars, trucks, knives, paper cutters, scissors ... machetes, swords, People who practice fencing - are they foil nutters?

I've posted in these pages a few times about the firearm safety laws I could easily support, that won't be struck down by SCOTUS.

Safes, trigger locks, slower firing rates, smaller stocks, required safety training every 5 yrs, etc. The difficulty is the US Constitution and 45% of US residents who own a firearm for whatever reason they feel they need it.

I live about a mile away from a prior NRA President and about 5 miles away from a city that requires, by law, for every head of household to have a firearm with ammunition.

In 1982 the city passed an ordinance Sec 34-21]:[24

In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further in order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition therefore.

Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennesaw,_Georgia

That's what the law says, but it isn't enforced and there are clauses for conscientiously objection or being a felon (felons aren't allowed to own or use firearms).

There is a Glock factory and Glock training courses in my county. Police from all over the world come here to take that training, but some of the course are open to regular people too. On the other side of the metro area, there's a new police training center for law enforcement organizations around the world to come and learn tactics. It has been in the international news.

Nobody is forcing anyone to own or use a firearm, but it is still a "right".

Guns are designed to kill.

Is that bad? What about if you’re a hunter or cop?

People who need guns in their lives are inadequate people.

We have a ranch in Texas and own a lot of livestock. We also have a lot of coyotes, feral pigs and foxes, you’re basically saying that if I kill these pests that harm, kill and eat my livestock I’m an inadequate person? So I should just lose them, right? Maybe ask them kindly to leave or chase them off in the middle of the night? I swear some people…