Barter
8/14/2019 08:07:43 am
First to post gets 5 bonus points! =)
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Kallie Boring
8/16/2019 11:08:51 am
According to the article, it seems as though gun policies will be implemented with the red flag laws. Or at the very least, it is being seriously considered by every party, both Democratic and Republican, and the presidency. Peer pressure also seems to be a major source of influence, especially with the upcoming elections. How strict the gun policies will be is difficult to tell as of right now when it's still being debated whether or not those laws should be formed and enforced. I do believe that (no matter how major the policy is) stricter gun laws will be created. The pressure from the people is overpowering as the amount of shootings are increasing at alarming, panicking rates. Fear can be the cause of a lot of change within our system of government.
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Emma Vaterlaus
8/16/2019 12:51:31 pm
I like that you mentioned the upcoming election.According to the article, the upcoming election will have a major influence on the regulations, laws, and/or acts that are passed or considered involving gun control. I do believe that these measures will be postponed until after the 2020 Election because neither party wants to lose public favor. As the article says, "'...leading up to an election, sometimes you'd rather have the issue than the solution.'" This suggests that politicians will postpone any legislature for at least another 12 months.
Veronique Pomerleau
8/14/2019 03:42:29 pm
The American People are capable of pushing for change within gun regulation. As it would appear, based solely on Mr. Donald Trumps words and past actions, some change may soon be implimented. However, how would these preventative measures make much difference at all when people are still able to obtain guns illegally? Those who commit atrocities like mass shootings, clearly are not law abiding citizens. Therefore, it is unlikley that gun reform would discourage mass shootings in any way at all. Perhaps, as Mr. Trump has stated, refraining from the glorification of violence in society and learning how to recognize the warning signs of someone who may require professional help, will be more effective in discouraging gun violence.
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Tristan Lewis
8/14/2019 04:30:28 pm
I like your mention of the fact that the legal sale of guns is not the problem, and how laws to prevent the wrong people from owning guns are more important than general restrictions.
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Sarah Cornaby
8/14/2019 07:03:12 pm
I also agree that the legal sale of guns is not the issue, and it almost seems as if guns are not the issue at all. People who intend to harm others can do it with any manner of weapons, or even unarmed with just their bare hands. Like you said, helping people seek professional help and decrease violence glorification would likely be far more efficient than simply restricting gun use.
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Maddie Peters
8/15/2019 09:49:15 pm
I also agree that the glorification of violence and learning learning how to recognize the warnings of an unstable person will help, and although it definitely won’t solve gun violence, it can be a way to deter it.
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Kambria
8/15/2019 11:31:14 pm
I agree. We as people need to stop glorifying violence to the extreme we have been. I also agree that restricting the use of guns would not deter those who want to cause harm. I like to think of it this way... if you hide the toy a child wants, and they are aware of where the toy was hidden, if they really want it they will find it/ get it back, well aware of consequences that may follow. The same applies to guns. If gun use is restricted or prohibited, but a person really wants it... chances are they will find it.
Tristan Lewis
8/14/2019 04:27:35 pm
I do believe that certain changes to gun laws will come, albeit very slowly. The idea of Red Flag laws is one change that I believe will gain tremendous support from both supporters of the 2nd amendment and those who seek to impose stricter restrictions on gun sales. The proposed programs that allow for the removal of weapons from those who clearly show signs of violence will greatly reduce the chance of an event like El Paso from happening again. However, I do not think that laws aimed strictly at reducing weapon sales will do anything to reduce the amount of mass shootings that occur. Those who intend to do harm on others will find a means to do so, regardless of how difficult it is to obtain a weapon. Although it is idealistic for the government to pass Red Flag laws, there will be strong resistance from groups like the NRA that seek to protect the fundamental qualities of the right to bear arms.
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Veronique Pomerleau
8/14/2019 05:54:38 pm
The implementation of gun laws will come very slowly and will recieve immense opposition, I agree. Additionally, more stringent firearm policies may be beneficial to society. I think it's great that you mentioned support as well as opposition in your comment, well said.
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Sarah Cornaby
8/14/2019 06:58:42 pm
I agree that the Red Flag law is a solid compromise between those for and against gun restriction, as it does restrict guns, but only when someone suspects imminent danger, so the only people who would be affected by this law are those who would use guns dangerously. This law seems as though it could have already been useful as the mother of the shooter in El Paso called the police, concerned that her son had purchased a gun. If a Red Flag law had been passed, the police might have had more authority to confiscate the gun, thus saving the lives of those he killed.
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Tristan Mercier
8/15/2019 07:50:27 pm
I think that we’ve already begun to see stances on gun reform soften, especially in the wake of El Paso and Dayton. There is evidently plenty of bipartisan support, as you said, and with both parties supporting it, new legislation will be passed. Despite this hypothetical passage of laws, I don’t think the issue of mass shootings will go away until the issue of people willing to commit these acts is solved, rather than restricting gun access.
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Sarah Cornaby
8/14/2019 06:51:26 pm
I believe that gun restriction policies will be implemented slowly but surely, as people are shocked into action by the hundreds of mass shootings across the country. Politicians will want to be seen as proactive and fighting for the best interest and safety of the people, so as the popular opinion leans towards gun restriction, those in positions of power will be forced to either acquiesce and introduce stricter gun laws, or risk the displeasure of those whose votes determine whether or not they retain their power, regardless of their personal beliefs. Although those who are strongly in favor of the 2nd amendment--supporting the right to bear arms--will strive to stand their ground and push back against any attempts to introduce more stringent gun laws, I believe that they will merely hinder the progress of these laws, rather than stop them altogether. As it stated in the article, the NRA was strongly against President Trump's ban on bump stocks, but the ban was eventually passed regardless of opposition. The article also pointed out that this ban was passed fairly soon after a massacre in Las Vegas, using the aforementioned bump stocks, which indicates that any death or destruction caused by guns will prompt action based off of the grief and anger of the public.
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Zachary Shastay
8/14/2019 09:33:05 pm
I agree with your statement that gun restriction policies will be implemented slowly but surely, but how many gun laws will it take to end shooting all together? Shootings will never end no matter if they make guns illegal or not. If someone wants to shoot up a place they will do it and find the means to obtain a gun in any way they can. We as a culture need to find ways to come together and solves issues peacefully rather than trying to find a solution where there is no solution to be found. Once we are able to come together we can be more empathetic and open to everyones beliefs and values.
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Tristan Mercier
8/15/2019 07:44:59 pm
I completely agree with your point that these nonsensical acts of violence will slowly begin to wear down resistance to gun reform and eventually cause changes. However, I would say that it would take an especially heinous or extreme incident to quickly move Congress to action. Like in Las Vegas, that was the most deadly shooting in our country’s history, and the shootings in Dayton and El Paso occurred so soon after one another that it brought about a larger reaction. Only in those situations do I see this legislation being readily discussed.
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Kallie Boring
8/16/2019 11:54:58 am
What you said about the slowly and surely of gun laws was a lot what I put. I agree that the process will be really slow but despite all efforts to stop the laws, eventually gun laws will be put in place. I also believe you're right about how the action of the people's anger will influence the political campaign towards gun laws.
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Barter
8/16/2019 12:15:25 pm
Bump stock was an executive order so it did not need to pass the House and Senate to become law.
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Zachary Shastay
8/14/2019 09:19:44 pm
With the shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas these monsters were on every cover of every news article in the US and that's what these monsters wanted to achieve. They wanted to become the highlight news and achieve this famous status. Thats is where the real issue lies, making these killers into famous people when they should not be. There will be laws passed and policies put into place that will try and stop these monsters but at the end of the day these massacres keep happening no matter what anyone tries to do. I truly believe this is a cultural issue, where more emphasis is placed on selfish individuality than on others. I believe if more effort was put in place to bring more empathy and compassion for others it will cause change in every single one of us to rethink our actions and to make change in our insensitive culture.
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Tristan Lewis
8/14/2019 10:19:35 pm
I like how you addressed the issue of the media. Although they seek, rightfully so, to demonize the actions of such individuals, at the same time they have made them household names. This is clearly the goal of shooters like the ones in El Paso, and is obvious due to the manifesto that he wrote prior to the shooting. However, I don't think that the topic should be censored, rather that they should be removed from the spotlight and perhaps their name redacted.
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Veronique Pomerleau
8/15/2019 04:14:57 pm
Your comment
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Veronique Pomerleau
8/15/2019 04:19:56 pm
I apologize for the blank comment left previously. I am experiencing some technical difficulties. I was trying to say that your comment is outstanding because it brings about a whole new perspective. I didn't even consider the idea that all these murderers want is attention. But what, other than treatng people with kindness, can we do to contribute to this compassion and empathy that you mentioned? It sometimes seem that we, being so young, can do so little.
Calista Radovich
8/15/2019 07:59:30 pm
I completely agree with your statement about how these shooters are becoming the highlight of news which is probably what they want to be. I believe instead of implementing gun law after gun law, we really need to focus out time and effort into mental health. You can force gun law after gun law, but the truth is, people will still have guns. It's the person that decided to attack people, and they become famous in a way for it, which should not be the case.
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Barter
8/21/2019 01:04:04 pm
They don't use the name anymore. Now mostly "the gunman."
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Tristan Mercier
8/15/2019 07:39:59 pm
If any gun legislation were to be passed, I think it would be under President Trump. He’s previously shown that he can get certain legislation passed and retain the support of his base, mainly seen in the bump stock ban. However, for this to happen, I believe he would need to be re-elected because of the fallout among right wing voters that would be caused by the passage of any legislation that could be interpreted as an attack on the Second Amendment. If his Democrat challenger gets elected, I don’t see any changes happening under that president.
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Calista Radovich
8/15/2019 08:03:45 pm
I agree with your statement about a democratic president not changing how gun laws are. i believe President Trump is on a steady pace, slowly introducing new laws to prevent multiple shooting happening back to back. A democratic candidate may think that they will be able to change the laws faster and be more productive, possibly by banning guns altogether, but they will quickly realize that that will cause riot and was no the nest choice, Trump is at a steady pace. Give him more time and he may surprise you.
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Emma Vaterlaus
8/16/2019 01:49:55 pm
I disagree with your statement about a Democratic Candidate banning guns altogether. Democrats are the main push for stricter gun legislature whereas the Republican base is the main push for the retention of our Second Amendment Rights. Therefore, it would follow that under a Democratic President change would happen, although it might have an accelerated timeline, as you mentioned. Yet, whatever legislature is passed, it will not ban guns altogether. That is a direct violation of our Constitutional Rights and would likely not even make it to the Oval Office to be signed before it was violently shot down. However, under a Democratic President, it is highly likely that any changes made will be more extreme than if they were to remain under the direction of a Republican President, such as President Trump.
Zachary Shastay
8/15/2019 08:52:55 pm
I agree with your statement that if any gun laws were to be passed it would be under President Trump but with these recent shootings and society encouraging the removal of guns all together, will the voters actually support Trumps support of only laws that will limit certain things about guns? There is so much hate brought towards Donald Trump on numerous things I think this issue on guns increases the hate and the l less likelihood he will get elected.
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Ernest Drake
8/16/2019 06:03:14 pm
I agree that if Donald Trump decides to enforce gun regulations he will lose support and the hate and divide that’s already in the country will continue to grow. Instead of trump doing regulating I think he should focus on the ones pulling the trigger not the gun, which will lower divide and hopefully shootings as well
Kallie Boring
8/16/2019 11:59:45 am
You have an interesting point about President Trump needs to be elected again in order to create the gun laws, however I disagree with your last sentence about a Democratic not implementing gun laws. It has always been mostly the Democrats who have cried out for stricter gun laws so I believe if a Democrat was elected, they would be the ones to issue much stricter gun laws than President Trump is currently suggesting.
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Calista Radovich
8/15/2019 08:10:46 pm
In this article, the author suggests that maybe President Trump is only saying he is implementing stronger gun laws to please the democratic party, and will not actually follow through. I personally believe this is false because pretty much everything Trump has said he was going to do, he's done it. I don't believe he is just trying to please the opposite view for re-election. Also, I believe if a democratic president was elected, and they decided that their first move was to ban guns, or place very strict laws on them, that would be chaos. You can not take away the peoples rights to the 2nd amendment. That's why I believe we need to look at mental health rather than guns. It's not like everyone who owns a gun uses it to shoot up concerts and schools, Only the people who are not okay in the head and yes you can run background checks, but not everyone buys their own guns. They can take it from a parent, a loved one, anyone. That is why we need to focus on mental health rather than stricter gun laws.
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Maddie Peters
8/15/2019 09:42:38 pm
I completely agree that we need to look at peoples mental health rather than guns. And I didn’t think about the fact that a gun can be taken from a relative or anyone a person knows, I actually completely understand that argument as well.
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Grace Dixon
8/15/2019 11:55:36 pm
While it is true that laws are needed to address the mental illness issue, mental illness in regards to gun violence is a complicated issue. For starters, the term "mental illness" encompasses a wide variety of different diseases including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disease. By blaming mental ill people for gun violence it creates a stigma against mental illness and makes people less likely to seek help. It is true that people with a mental illness are somewhat more likely to commit acts of violence, the vast majority of mental ill people are not violent towards others.In addition people with mental illness are much more likely to be the victims of a violent crime then the perpetrators. More public funding is needed to help those who are mental ill but making them a scapegoat for gun violence is not the correct way to go about it. Mental illness does contribute to gun violence, but it is not the main cause, or sole cause and there is no simple solution to this increasingly complicated issue. In addition while politicians often talk about mental heath laws not a lot of legislation has has been passed to address it
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Emma Vaterlaus
8/16/2019 01:59:15 pm
I disagree with your statement about mental health and guns. You are absolutely right that people who take innocent lives by committing mass murder are people who are not right in the head. But it is a very dangerous assumption and accusation to lump all those with mental health issues in with those who commit mass shootings. Sometimes, people are just terrible people and accurately identified as mentally ill, but if we, or the media, begin to associate mental health issues with shooters, we may unintentionally target, isolate, or discriminate against individuals who are innocent simply because of something they have no control over.
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Maddie Peters
8/15/2019 09:37:50 pm
While I do believe a change will happen in gun policy, it will come at a slow pace. The red flag laws are a step in the right direction to potentially stop horrific events such as the ones seen in El Paso and Dayton, however they pose a possible danger. Say an unstable person was approached by the police and told that his guns were being seized. There is a chance that this person could become severely angered by this action and find a way to get “justice” for himself, in a violent way comparable to the recent mass shootings. If a person as monstrous as the ones in El Paso and Dayton truly wants to seek hurt on others they will find a way to obtain a violent weapon illegally. And while this is all hypothetical, it is still something that should be taken into consideration. For those who think that Red Flag laws aren’t efficient enough, another solution is to end the gun show loophole. The gun show loophole allows people to a acquire firearms with a high chance of not having to go through a background check. A purchase of any gun should have a required background check, even at a gun show.
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Kambria
8/15/2019 11:47:43 pm
This is a perspective not often thought about. Though it is hypothetical, it has potential to be true. Red Flag Laws may pose a risk like the one you mentioned, however I believe the pros outweigh the cons. I also agree that a background check should always be required, no matter the circumstances. New policies will likely not deter a mass shooter, but it may lower gun violence in general. Change needs to happen.
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Grace Dixon
8/16/2019 12:04:07 am
I agree with your argument. A large number of guns are exchanged outside of stores and therefore without background checks. In order to more completely enforce gun laws background check need to be done whenever a gun is purchased. However legislation cannot regulate illegal gun trade, but they are try to take steps in the right direction.
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Keely Brandt
8/16/2019 08:15:40 am
While I agree that an unstable person might get angry if his weapons were being seized I think that danger is smaller than allowing that person to be in possession of that weapon. I also agree that there should be background checks on all weapons even at a gun show because if someone doesn’t have anything to hide they wouldn’t get upset by the fact that they had a background check.
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Maddie Elias
8/16/2019 11:58:35 am
This is a great point that more people should be aware of. The Red Flag Law is not a perfect solution and won’t end all the shootings in the future. Although it prevents some possible shooting it’s not going to solve the main issue.
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Grace Dixon
8/15/2019 11:10:31 pm
Close to election time it is difficult for a law to be passed on any controversial issue. Mr. Trump has a very loyal voter base and by supporting gun control laws he may be able sing some more democratic voters to his side but it also has the possibility of alienating second amendment advocates. Conversely, most people already have very strong opinions on Mr. Trump and it is unlikely that action on the gun violence issue will change their positions. However it is important to remember that is it Congress that makes laws and the president who enforces them. So while Trumps position on gun control may or may not effect his voter base, it is more likley have a significant impact on the support congressmen receive. Also unless the party leaders and the president are able to come together and agree on a compromise, nothing is likely to be accomplished. Legislation on preventing gun violence will eventually happen but at a very slow pace and with a lot of road blocks along the way.
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Emma Vaterlaus
8/16/2019 01:37:00 pm
I agree that it is highly unlikely that any change on gun laws will be made in the immediate future, especially considering that the 2020 Election is right around the corner. President Trump's position on gun control regulations will absolutely alienate the second amendment advocates in his voter base, as he has already alienated a segment of that pro-gun base-- hunters. With that in mind, I disagree that President Trump's position will affect his voter base and his chances of winning in the upcoming election and it will affect Congressmen and Senators who speak out in favor or not in favor of this particular issue. Right now, the article predicts that "If ... [Trump] ... gets a mainstream Democratic opponent, that won't bode well for him [in the election." Right now, President Trump has the support of his political party, the Republicans, but if he were to sign a law into effect that restricts American's Second Amendment Rights, he is potentially jeopardizing voters who would otherwise vote for President Trump. Due to this line of thinking, it is very rare that any immediate change will be made, if at all, during the remainder of Trump's presidential term.
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Kambria
8/15/2019 11:40:55 pm
I believe that gun policies will be reformed, but it will come at a slower pace then the people would like. Gun violence, and how to solve it and reduce the number of mass shootings, is a topic of hot debate within America. Both sides have advantages, and both sides have opinions that are heavily supported. However, the people of America do agree on one thing... something has to be done. And though progress may be slow, it is surely coming. With the number of tragic incidents that have occured, change is coming. Red Flag laws would a good start. We would hold ourselves more accountable for others, and make us generally more aware.
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Grace Dineen
8/16/2019 01:46:25 am
Stricter gun laws are sure to come eventually. It may be at a pace that irritates some more than others but that is bound to happen with such a controversial and divided topic. Mental health is a big problem and mass murders are those who suffer with it. With all the shootings lately and with in the past years, citizens want to see even more progress and laws that show it is harder for those with the mental illness to purchase a gun. But even if stricter laws surrounding the purchase of guns are implemented it won’t stop mass murders completely. There are many ways one can become in possession of a gun such as a family member, friend, or buying one illegally. Baseball bats, knives, clubs, machetes or really anything sharp and pointy can be used as a weapon to kill. One wall that is supposed to help protect people from mass killers is the red flag law which has been enacted in six state and is gaining support from both Democrats and Republicans. I personally do not like the red flag laws. I believe they are stripping away citizens constitutional rights and they have failed before which is proven by the Parkland shooting. Overall, I do believe change will slowly happen surrounding gun policy in the future it that will never be enough to stop the mass killings altogether .
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Keely Brandt
8/16/2019 08:11:27 am
I agree with you that the red law is taking away someone’s rights but I also think that the people who’s guns are being taken away are thought of to be a danger to people around them and even themselves. I also think you’re right that there are other weapons that can kill people but those weapons are less likely to hurt as many people as a gun. That being said I don’t think guns should be banned because like you said it’s our right to own a gun and that right shouldn’t be taken away from people who don’t go out and shoot others.
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Ernest Drake
8/16/2019 05:59:31 pm
I think red flag laws will help as well but instead of constitutional violations which I also agree with I believe that people will misuse red flag laws and might use them incorrectly. An example could be if somebody just broke up with their boy/girlfriend and knows they own guns and chooses to mess with them. So I think that they will provide some solution but they could potentially also cause conflict
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Maddie Elias
8/16/2019 06:52:08 am
Due to recent events, President Trump will definitely implement some sort of gun law to help try and prevent this issue from happening again. It seems President Trump is leaning towards the Red Flag law mentioning it in Monday’s address. The Red Flag Law seems to be in many people favor, both republicans and democrats, because of the amount of support, President Trump will try to enforce the law and bring it up with congress. With all President Trumps supporters, including the Republicans and Democrats wanting a change, the Red Flag law seems to be the popular idea, if someone is showing signs of inflicting violence then individuals close the the person could take it in court and suggest a removal of firearms. An example of President Trump following through with his ideas, Is during the October 2017 shooting in Las Vegas, the Trump Administration announced that a ban will be put in place of semi-automatic weapons in 2018. With the NRA, his supporters, Democrats and Republicans supporting Trumps recent ideas I don’t see why the red flag law would not be put into place.
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Grace Dineen
8/16/2019 11:53:12 am
Trump is very good a keeping his word and doing what he promises and I definitely feel like he will implement laws surrounding gun. The red flag laws do seem to be very popular among both Republicans and Democrats but there are some cons to it. A number of republicans disagree with the Red flag laws including Iowa state Senator Jake Chaplin. Personally I see the red flag laws as unhelpful as they did not stop the Parkland shooting and I think they take away constitutional rights. If someone sees you as a threat the authorities have the right to take away your property for 72 hours with violates your 4th and 6th amendment rights. That is not the only problem I have with them. How will the authorities be able to tell a real threat from a false accusation and how does someone prove they are not a threat if someone reported them? These laws are one thing I do not think help or should be implemented.
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Keely Brandt
8/16/2019 08:07:14 am
While I do believe that guns should have regulations and I do support trump on his ideas that there should be more gun regulations I don’t necessarily believe that he will implement anything. I think that even though he may dislike hunting and not necessarily be the biggest gun fan he still has supporters who are and who he needs. Gun violence is a huge issue In America but politicians move slowly and I don’t this problem will be solved anytime soon.
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Grace Dineen
8/16/2019 12:12:06 pm
President Trump is very good at keeping his promises and following through what he says he is going to do. Therefore, I disagree with you on the topic that no laws will be implemented by our president. But I agree that the problem will take a long time to be fixed. Although he isn't a big gun fan I think he understands that a lot of his supports like him for the reason that he still supports the 2nd amendment because it shall not be infringed upon. He does not want to take that right away because many of his voters are 2nd amendment advocates and are more likely to carry a concealed weapon which in turn makes them feel more safe in public especially in states that have enacted the red flag laws because they are proven to not work.
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Ernest Drake
8/16/2019 09:31:43 am
I don’t believe that trump will implement gun regulations because a lot of his supporters are gun owners. While he has said that he will implement more gun regulations or checks, I think he won’t act on it because of the upcoming election that he is going to run in. If he does I believe that he will lose support because a big part of his running Campaign was based on the 2nd amendment.
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Maddie Elias
8/16/2019 12:21:19 pm
This is an interesting point to bring up. Since the elections are coming close it is unpredictable whether President Trump will follow through. But I believe he will pass the law because he seems to be passionate for the safety of our country and he will attempt to do anything to prevent another tragedy.
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Emma Vaterlaus
8/16/2019 01:17:17 pm
The first well documented shooting in the US happened in 1949, leaving thirteen dead. In the past 70 years, the public has become increasingly aware of shooters and the threat they pose to the general public. Yet very few laws have been passed to change that. Less than 20 days ago, the US experienced two more back to back shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas. According to the article, there have been "multiple bipartisan alliances in the Senate" regarding the issue of gun control, "the polls show overwhelming public support-- including among Republicans for certain gun measures", talk of "expanded background checks and so-called red flag provisions" has come from the White House, but despite all of this talk for change, very little change has been made-- and it probably won't change until the election of 2020. I believe that all of these potential solutions have a great chance for success in decreasing the amount of shooters and subsequent deaths that occur each year, but that relies solely on the ability of our government, on the Trump Administration, on Congress, and the Senate, to act, instead of just talk.It is important that we, as Americans. have out Constitutional rights, including the right to bear arms, but if no change is made soon to limit the ability for shooters to obtain guns then we may be limited in that right, for the safety of all. If that is a sacrifice we are asked to make, then I would gladly make it, if it meant saving some lives.
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