Stephen King releases gun control essay

[jpak]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2013/01/25/stephen-king-releases-gun-control-essay/

Best-selling author Stephen King has just released a passionate call for greater gun control, titled “Guns.” In a coup for Amazon, the essay is available only through its Kindle Store for 99 cents.

King begins with a bitter recitation of the way school shootings are commonly reported in the news and the way politicians and lobbyists respond without, ultimately, disturbing the status quo. His list ends:

“21. Any bills to change existing gun laws, including those that make it possible for almost anyone in America to purchase a high-capacity assault weapon, quietly disappear into the legislative swamp.

“22. It happens again and the whole thing starts over.”

<more>

The Master of Horror is horrified by Gun Nuttery.

Life meets Art

yup

[Common Sense Party]

1. He also wanted to ban Dodge Caravans a while back.

[sylvi]

2. Mr. King himself admits to owning pistols

Mr. King himself admits to owning pistols, which are used in the vast majority of gun crime, while rifles of all types are used in about 4% of firearm murders. Yet he wants to concentrate on the rifles. I guess, at least in his case, it just depends on what one's personal choice in weapons is when deciding whose ox to gore.

[jpak]

3. He's fond of double-barreled shotguns too

They used to sell these in the U Maine bookstore.

My only regret in life was not buying them out - and selling them on EBay

[friendly_iconoclast]

4. I can't wait for Charlaine Harris' take on global warming...

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. so then -- there is money to be made ---

irony. am I the only that sees it?

[tortoise1956]

6. I don't have a problem with this essay

It's his 1A right to share his personal opinion with whomever he so wishes.

I don't agree with all of it. I don't see how banning a class of firearms, just because they "look" evil, will change much of anything. I'm afraid that if they do get this pushed through, the next time it will be done with a bolt- or lever-action rifle, and the call will go out for banning those implements of destruction.

I am good with reducing the size of magazines. Mu suggestion, that I've shared here before, is to limit the capacity to OEM specs. That would allow AR-15 rifles to have a 20 round magazine. In order to prevent manufacturers from producing a weapon with an "OEM" capacity of 100 rounds, put an overall maximum of 20, or some other reasonable number.

In the long run, it comes down to what is allowed under the 2A. In my opinion limiting magazine size is not an infringement of your right to keep and bear arms. The same can be said about banning "evil" weapons as long as they don't ban an entire type of weapon, such as all semi-auto pistols or all center-fire rifles. It's not going to fix things, but it probably falls within the scope of the amendment.

When is someone going to stand up and address the major issue here, which is preventing mentally unstable people from gaining easy access to firearms? I don't mean your garden-variety manic-depressive who goes from happy to sad on a dime. I'm talking about the dude who is over the edge on a daily basis, who can't interface peacefully with others without drugs but who refuses to take them. I'm pretty sure almost everybody knows someone who fits this description.

THIS is the type of person who has no business buying or owning guns.

THIS is the type of person who is responsible for most of the carnage wreaked on the public in these horrific killing sprees.

THIS is who we need to defend against.

When are we going to talk about this subject?

[GreenStormCloud]

7. You will always have someone who will slip through the cracks.

We are a nation of 310,000,000+ people. There is no way that any system can identify all the dangerous nuts. Sometimes the problem is physical, not mental. Charles Whitman appeared normal to those who knew him, until he went off. Autopsy showed that he had an agressive brain tumor in the part of the brain that controlled impulses.

People who have determined to commit mass murder take the time to plan their actions, which means they will be able to get weapons anyway, no matter what laws you pass.

All your anti-gun laws can do is to disarm law abiding people, and make many of them angry enough to vote against you.

[SailorMike]

8. Actually...

It's his 1A right to share his personal opinion with whomever wishes to listen.

He can't make anyone listen.

[iiibbb]

9. angry birds is free

[ileus]

10. Wonder if he knows the difference between clip and magazine...