I believe, at this point in our country's history, that they do more harm than good. Making me register a rifle with the Federal Government just because it has a barrel length less than 16 inches (and it's a Federal Felony if you don't)? Reducing pistol magazine capacity to 10 rounds (or less, if you live in New York)? That's just fucking stupid, and they do nothing to keep people safe.
As long as I live I will never understand the raw sexual passion people have in this country for guns. It can't possibly be that they actually BELIEVE that more guns = fewer deaths, because that's crazy (see numbers of Americans killed by actual toddlers). So I guess the argument is: 1. We need our guns to fight the gub'mint. Remember, the NAZIS TOOK AWAY GUNS FIRST! Response: I don't think guns will slow down the gub'mint much. But I'm sure the NRA is working to expand the right to include shoulder-fired missiles and small nuclear devices. 2. There are already so many (beautiful, sexy) guns in this country that you can't disarm people, so the only way for the rest of us to be safe is if we arm EVERYBODY. Response: Every household in Switzerland has a rifle but somehow they manage it. Maybe look into it? How did Japan do it? 3. No really, we're actually safer because of our guns! Response: 4. But suicides don't count! Response: why the fuck not? What if people kill themselves because it's so fucking easy, whereas they might be more likely to work through it without guns? Otherwise are you saying that life is so miserable in the US that so many more people want to kill themselves? And anyway, the US still wins handily with homicides. 5. It's in the CONSTITUTION, snowflake! Response: sure, so what? God didn't write the constitution. There are a few embarrassing things in that thing that got changed. And besides, the reason for the second amendment is pretty shady.
Okay, so you fine with some of the regulations and laws we have now or you don't think there shouldn't be any laws or regulations? No asking if there should be new laws or regulations.
I applaud the Repubs for removing this "mental health" restriction on gun ownership. It shows they've thought things through. Because really, insatiable love of guns is obviously SOME kind of mental disorder and blocking "mentally unsound" people from buying guns is really a slippery slope to banning everybody who subscribes to "Guns and Ammo" somewhere down the line. It's good to see the Republicans as champions of the rights that count. Next time when I see the clearly mentally ill homeless people pacing around the streets of my city I'll feel a little better. "No, the Repubs will always work to slash your social services, so there's nowhere for you to live and noone will give you mental health services, BUT! If you panhandle enough money YOU CAN BUY A GUN NOW! AND nobody will be allowed to stop you taking it into schools, too! Oh, but don't try taking it to Donald Trump's inauguration, because that's just not safe."
It depends on the law or regulation. Requiring a background check when I go to an FFL to buy a new gun, that's fine. Requiring me to get a background check for a box of ammo when I go to Walmart (California)....that's asinine and stupid. The same applies when it comes to FOID cards (Illinois), which you MUST have before you can purchase a gun OR ammunition. No criminal is going to obey those. They only affect the law-abiding.
Now we're getting somewhere. So there are some laws and regulations that make sense to you. There are some on here that believe felons and illegals should be allowed to own guns.
Regulations and laws such as prohibiting felons, domestic violence offenders from possessing firearms are the 1st that come to mind. If they would actually enforce them. Feel good legislation such as Oregons background check law that many of the legislators that backed it actually agreed that it would do absolutely nothing to curb "gun violence" but WE HAVE To DO SOMETHING! Quotation marks because if someone is stabbed or bludgeoned to death, it's not called knife or baseball bat violence. A deranged criminal did this not the gun, knife or bat. Another one that comes to mind is Diane Feinstein's last attempt at an "assault" weapon ban. Her and her comrades simply paged through a gun catalog and added all the scary looking ones to the list of proposed banned guns. Chicago one of the most violent cities in the country and also has some of the most stringent gun control laws in the country. The gun control lobby says its because the firearms are being brought in from neighboring states that don't have those laws. Hmm. Why don't those neighboring states have the same problems? Because it's a people problem. It's a no-brainer, enact laws such as the background check law and law abiding citizens abide by it, criminals don't. That's why they're criminals. We have 26000-28000 gun laws on the books, do we need more or maybe just start enforcing the ones we have?
More asinine bullshit from you. If you are so much of a threat to yourself or those around you that you need to be involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, you cannot buy a firearm. The 4473 form that you fill out at your FFL is very clear on this. If the court knows about it (which most cases of involuntary commitment to a mental health facility are orders from), then it shows up in your background check. Period.
Gun laws are enforced. If a felon is caught with a gun whether or not he or she has done anything else illegal in Oregon they go to prison for 5 years. Saying that gun laws don't prevent criminals from getting a gun is a false argument. That's like saying rape laws don't work because people still rape so we should get rid of rape laws. Many laws were never designed to prevent crime, but to punish the person after the crime is committed.
I have a CHL I've taken firearm safety courses, been checked out by everyone from county Pds to the FBI. In the majority of states the background check is waived if you have a valid carry permit. Oregon wants my $10 though.