Do We Have A Right To Know Who Owns A Gun License?
By Beth_Ansell | Friday, June 04, 2010, 12:59
Amongst
-
Shotgun (picture from Wikipedia Commons)
the hundreds of questions that have been raised in light of the recent Cumbria
shootings, the debate as to whether we have the right to know which of our
neighbours own gun licenses has come to the fore.
Taxi
driver Derek Bird recently embarked on a shooting spree murdering 12 people
before taking his own life. The killer owned guns legally, although many of his
neighbours were unaware of the fact.
It
is still not understood what the motives were of the ‘mild mannered’ father of
two but many debates about gun ownership have arisen as a result of the tragic
event, with some arguing that all gun owners should be forced to undergo
regular psychological tests.
Some
suggest that if Bird’s neighbours were aware of the fact that he owned guns,
they might have been able to notify police when he began to act strangely. Some
also believe that we all have a right to know who owns a gun for our own
safety.
However
others argue that if this were the case, police would get hundreds of duff calls
from hysterical neighbours on a daily basis. Also gun owners might say that if neighbours
are informed about their gun ownership then they are likely to break in and
steal them, which would do more damage than good.
In
the Dorchester area, some residents own guns for clay shooting and game
shooting as well as many farmers who own guns for pest control. Should we all
be aware that these people own guns and should they all have to undergo regular
psychological tests?
It
has been argued that perhaps gun owners should not keep their guns at home.
Instead they should lock them away in their local clubs. Whilst this may work
for those who use guns for clay shooting, what about the famers and game
shooters?
Comments
I totally disagree with guns but I dont think banning anything is the answer. If people want to get their hands on something then they will find a way and so you would only be fuelling an illeagal black-market which is much more dangerous then licensing. People are the problem, not the tools they use. Eductaion, councilling, and early detection would be the answer but sadly it is not always possible to see the signs. I really feel for all the poor people affected by this mans erratic and inexplicable actions.
By zoebow09 at 12:12 on 15/06/10
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Ron Roberts
What can we do when we know. People don't only get killed by nutters with guns there's bombs, fire,cars, knives and loads of other things that can and is used as weapons of death that we all have access to.
Friday at 13:15 ·
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Simon Bennett
Legislation, legislation, leglislation, where will it end!!!! Can't do this, can't do that, it's supposed to be a "Free Country", if someone is gonna loose it, whether they own a gun or not, if they're intent on a killing spree, they'll do it, whether with a kitchen knife, machette,axe, baseball bat etc etc, even a pen can be used as a weapon, so ... See morewe need to educate, not eradicate and legislate all the bloody time!!!! The human race are pretty horrible when it boils down to it, look how some act when drunk, how the animal pack instinct kicks in at bloody football matches, should we ban all and everything!!!!????
Friday at 14:51 ·
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James Young
Easiest way to enable easy access to weapons : publish a list of who owns them. and a gun licence is a pretty strong indication of what you keep in your shed.
Friday at 15:55 ·
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Simon Bennett
Well said!!
Friday at 16:53 ·
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Ty Xanders
if it helps i do.
Saturday at 12:17 ·
By Beth_Ansell at 11:37 on 07/06/10
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