Red Flag Keeps Spreading......South Dakota

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gerhard1

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Yes, the idea will continue to gain attention. Virtually every major shooting event in recent years has been conducted by an individual that should not have had access to firearms. And in each of those cases, there are always friends, family members, etc. that say, " we knew something was wrong" or a similar statement. The concept of red flag laws is an attempt to address that reality. The problem is in how these laws are written and implemented.

We have to get involved in these discussions before these laws get too far into the process. We can help make these things work properly, but not if we stand on the sidelines and complain.
I have stated that the idea itself has merit, but the problem is how to implement it in such a way that gun-owners' rights are protected.
 

RugersGR8

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Yes, the idea will continue to gain attention. Virtually every major shooting event in recent years has been conducted by an individual that should not have had access to firearms. And in each of those cases, there are always friends, family members, etc. that say, " we knew something was wrong" or a similar statement. The concept of red flag laws is an attempt to address that reality. The problem is in how these laws are written and implemented.

We have to get involved in these discussions before these laws get too far into the process. We can help make these things work properly, but not if we stand on the sidelines and complain.

While how these laws are written and implemented is important, IMHO it is more important how they can be misused, abused, convoluted, etc. to fit the anti 2nd Amendment agendas of the leftists gun grabbers/haters.
 

chuter

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I think the concept of red flag laws is flawed at the core.

If your neighbor is showing signs of being "not right" and you fear he could be a danger to himself or others, just taking away his access to one of the myriad things he can use to hurt people, and then feeling like the danger is gone, is very limited thinking.

We've just seen the damage that can be done with a vehicle in Moore, and a few years ago in Stillwater, and in other countries. And of course there's poison, sharps, blunt objects, etc.

The focus needs to be on the root cause, which is the person's mental state.

We need so many changes in the area of mental health that it looks overwhelming, so we just focus on the tool that the gun haters want us to focus on. That's the easy way for us to feel better.

Of course we need more mental facilities, research, removing the stigma, easier pathways to get help, etc.

It's much easier to take away the gun that the media and gun haters wants us to focus on, and violate the person's right to due process, than to do anything that would really help.
 

chuter

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A six year old does not have the maturity to do many things, one of them is to own a firearm. Not a good comparison.

A felon has already demonstrated he does not follow the rules of reasonable society; no voting, and no firearms for him.

The husband should be brought up on charges. And if you take his guns out of the house then the wife has no means of self defense.

Who gets to decide who would be put in a mental facility? Perhaps the same person you're advocating would be allowed to decide if a person's guns should be taken away.

Mass shootings are one small, VERY small, result of poor mental health. The media and gun grabbers want you to believe otherwise.

The solution is to fix the underlying problem. Putting a bandaid on a person with cancer doesn't help.
 

chuter

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I'd say mental illness is the problem. But that's a pretty big basket. More specifically I'd say it's the desire to hurt others.
My personal pop-psychology explanation is that they want to communicate the pain they're in and the only way they know to do it is to hurt others, so they will feel the pain too. And this doesn't account for the psychopath types.

Poor parenting , genetics, bullying, medications, so many things that could be causing it.
It's a big gray, fuzzy, mess of a thing, with no easy fix.
What would even be the first step? I think acknowledging the problem, saying it outloud, from our leaders, would be a good first step.
Look at climate change; how much energy, money, etc. is being thrown at that to change the public mindset, even to the point of exploiting that autistic child Greta. And now the meat-is-bad message is being rolled in the climate change messaging.

I get where you're coming from; they're going to make these laws so we should participate to minimize the damage to our rights as much as possible. I think that gives credence to a flawed message, that guns are the problem.
 

OKNewshawk

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Disclaimer: IANAL

So, are we saying that a convicted felon has the right to continue to own firearms?

Convicted felons do not have the right to own or possess firearms or ammunition as the law stands today.

How about a six year old child?

I have to assume that here, you are referring to a child (a person under the age of majority in their locality) having sole, autonomous possession and control of a firearm. AFAIK, they do not have such a right at this time. If a child "owns" a firearm, it has to be under the supervision and control of an adult who has the right to own or possess the same firesrm.

How about the husband who continues to beat his wife?

If the abuser has had any convictions for domestic abuse or has a current restraining/protective order then they are barred from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

The concept is valid, but like everything else we do, it has the potential to be used in a way other than the intended usage.

Mental facilities are indeed part of the solution, but who gets to decide when a person should be placed in one?

Depending on the situation, either a medical professional or a judge. However, in those cases where a judge decides, the defendant is represented by counsel--which is missing in virtually all Red Flag laws.

We must have some faith in the workings of our established society. There is nothing unconstitutional in the concept of these laws, only in the way we fear they could be used.

While you may be technically correct that "there is nothing unconstitutional in the concept of these laws," are you honestly willing to accept the lack of representation for the defendant in the Red Flag hearings? Colorado's law has already been perverted by a vindictive woman to attempt to disarm the police officer who had to stop the threat the woman's son presented to him as he charged the officer with a drawn bayonet. Thankfully, the judge rejected this bogus lawsuit. (1)(2)

So, If we will not work to make new laws function properly, what is the solution to the issue of "mass shootings"?

"The solution"? I fear that there is no "silver bullet" (pardon the pun) for solving mass shootings, no matter what the civilian disarmament industry claims otherwise. However, Red Flag laws will do little to reduce the numbers of mass shootings. They are not designed to do that. They are designed to deny rights to people for no other reason that the unreasoned fear of firearms.
 

chuter

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I agree with you, but addressing the mental health issue involves many actions that are "infringing" on a persons rights. It would seem that, with all the intelligence available, and all the good intentions of ALL of us, there must be steps that can be created to assist in solving these problems.

I do agree with the pundits that say "even one of these incidents is unacceptable" when there are things that can be done.

As a society; marijuana, alcohol, fast cars, fast women, and weapons, we have problems with self-control.

Yes! Self control. Impulse control.
Living honorably is not held up as something to aspire to anymore. Quick and easy, tit for tat, put others down to make me look good; our values are all askew.
 

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