We passed gun regulations in 1934, why can’t we do it again? The same reasoning that makes it illegal for a civilian to own a grenade launcher could apply to other weapons too.
The politics landscape has changed quite a lot. What changed is that gun companies lobbies lobbied the government and bought a bunch of politicians on both sides of the aisle and they continue to lobby to this day.
They also made a big push to convince the general population that guns are necessary for home defense, hunting, personal defense/security, and other recreation. And played up those factors to the part of the population that wants to gravy seal it up.
Further, there’s an increasing lack of bipartisan support for most legislation (not just gun law). A lot has changed.
In order to change an amendment you need to take a couple of steps.
One of these is getting either a 2/3 of states to call for a constitutional convention or for 2/3 of both house and Senate to agree to ratify the amendment. So I think if you look at the political landscape of today you can certainly understand why it hasn’t happened.
It’s not even the full story. Some of the other commenters are correct in that the gun problem in America isn’t just about the laws or ability to change amendments. It’s also about the American obsession with guns. We have the same obsession with guns recreationally that some war torn nations have with them who actually need them for defense.
The memes about like. Child soldiers in Sierra Leone or Iraq showing off gun stockpiles vs American family photos with 200 guns and 12 people in America isn’t a one off thing. Our society has kind of been poisoned by guns as some kind of weird ideology. This has a lot to do with fear mongering and the gun lobby. But also with all our other systemic problems like poverty, and racism, and class warfare, and lack of universal healthcare and significant failures in even implementing mental healthcare that’s accessible.
The idea that we can just throw some gun laws at the problem is crazy because all it’s ever been is a bandaid.
Damn straight, there are so many laws stating which weapons/accessories are legal AND it does not violate the 2nd amendment, nor does it require a constitutional change.
The 10-year ban was passed by the U.S. Congress on August 25, 1994, and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994.[1] The ban applied only to weapons manufactured after the date of the ban’s enactment. It expired on September 13, 2004, following its sunset provision. Several constitutional challenges were filed against provisions of the ban, but all were rejected by the courts. There have been multiple attempts to renew the ban, but none have succeeded.
I find myself arguing with my coworkers about this all the time, but I like to sum it up like this.
If there are arms you cannot bare, then the second amendment is not limitless.
So, long guns are responsible for ~4% of gun deaths (including suicides), and “assault weapons” are a subset of that 4%. And your solution is to ban them? Fine. Shave a percentage point off.
But there’s an elephant in the room. Why are we not talking about pistols? Going to need an answer on that one.
Funny note: Any European child can walk in the store and buy a suppressor. Had a German guy tell me on reddit that his gun range requires such devices. Not trying to change the subject, but maybe American gun laws are a bit out of whack? Or, more to the point, racist as fuck.
The assault weapon ban was an example of banning an ‘arm’ legally without it infringing on second amendment rights. Or the example the person I responded to posted, grenade launchers.
I’m not suggesting an ‘assault weapon ban’.
I’m pointing out that just about any ‘arm’ can be made illegal. Hell, check out your local knife laws.
Any discussion of racist gun laws is a whole other discussion, but that discussion should include Governor Ronald Reagan.
We passed gun regulations in 1934, why can’t we do it again? The same reasoning that makes it illegal for a civilian to own a grenade launcher could apply to other weapons too.
The politics landscape has changed quite a lot. What changed is that gun companies
lobbieslobbied the government and bought a bunch of politicians on both sides of the aisle and they continue to lobby to this day.They also made a big push to convince the general population that guns are necessary for home defense, hunting, personal defense/security, and other recreation. And played up those factors to the part of the population that wants to gravy seal it up.
Further, there’s an increasing lack of bipartisan support for most legislation (not just gun law). A lot has changed.
In order to change an amendment you need to take a couple of steps.
One of these is getting either a 2/3 of states to call for a constitutional convention or for 2/3 of both house and Senate to agree to ratify the amendment. So I think if you look at the political landscape of today you can certainly understand why it hasn’t happened.
https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution
This is one of the most factual, and sane, takes I’ve ever seen regarding America and guns. Bravo.
It’s not even the full story. Some of the other commenters are correct in that the gun problem in America isn’t just about the laws or ability to change amendments. It’s also about the American obsession with guns. We have the same obsession with guns recreationally that some war torn nations have with them who actually need them for defense.
The memes about like. Child soldiers in Sierra Leone or Iraq showing off gun stockpiles vs American family photos with 200 guns and 12 people in America isn’t a one off thing. Our society has kind of been poisoned by guns as some kind of weird ideology. This has a lot to do with fear mongering and the gun lobby. But also with all our other systemic problems like poverty, and racism, and class warfare, and lack of universal healthcare and significant failures in even implementing mental healthcare that’s accessible.
The idea that we can just throw some gun laws at the problem is crazy because all it’s ever been is a bandaid.
Thank you. Been saying for years America doesn’t have a gun problem, we have a culture problem.
Damn straight, there are so many laws stating which weapons/accessories are legal AND it does not violate the 2nd amendment, nor does it require a constitutional change.
Example: Federal Assault Weapons Ban https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban
I find myself arguing with my coworkers about this all the time, but I like to sum it up like this.
If there are arms you cannot bare, then the second amendment is not limitless.
So, long guns are responsible for ~4% of gun deaths (including suicides), and “assault weapons” are a subset of that 4%. And your solution is to ban them? Fine. Shave a percentage point off.
But there’s an elephant in the room. Why are we not talking about pistols? Going to need an answer on that one.
Funny note: Any European child can walk in the store and buy a suppressor. Had a German guy tell me on reddit that his gun range requires such devices. Not trying to change the subject, but maybe American gun laws are a bit out of whack? Or, more to the point, racist as fuck.
The assault weapon ban was an example of banning an ‘arm’ legally without it infringing on second amendment rights. Or the example the person I responded to posted, grenade launchers.
I’m not suggesting an ‘assault weapon ban’.
I’m pointing out that just about any ‘arm’ can be made illegal. Hell, check out your local knife laws.
Any discussion of racist gun laws is a whole other discussion, but that discussion should include Governor Ronald Reagan.