I think you hit the nail on the head there. It doesn't help that many portrayals of guns in media are both unrealistic and irresponsible. It also doesn't help that in some places in my area, a handgun can be had for a fairly cheap price if you know the right people. Granted, it's going to be a really stuffty weapon, but the problem is that the kids who are irresponsible and stuffty and fantasize about shooting each other actually CAN for about the price of a nice backpack.
I'm not one to dream of denying an 18 year old the right to possess a handgun, i was one at one time who very much enjoyed owning and firing my own handguns. Most people under 21 cannot purchase a handgun from a store owner who possesses an FFL and its been like that for a while. There is however the private sales loophole however that afforded me to even possess the guns i do, people looking to do private trade is protected under law. It's not
illegal for people under 21 to possess a handgun, it is however illegal to sell them to people who are under the age requirement over the counter at a licensed store. I'm really torn on this issue as that i'm glad we have some freedom to possess what we want but i'm also a bit bugged by the fact that youth seem to get dumber after each generation, along with that the misuse of firearms goes up with younger people generally at the helm of those increases.
Depending on your state law it may vary, but its more than likely that what they are doing to acquire those handguns actually are not illegal. Trading a backpack for a revolver would fall into this category of private sale. Whether or not that i'd totally be an advocate for making it HARDER for people under 21 to possess handguns remains to be seen. I remember being 18 and very frustrated that i couldn't purchase a handgun (becoming 21 takes a long-ass time dude) but i was able to get my guns legally through family or people that i knew. Doing away with the legality of private sales makes me think of all the responsible teens who wouldn't abuse the privilege being given a harder time and i'd hate to do that. It's the classroom effect with a stuffty ass teacher. One kid won't stop being an asshat and then the whole class gets punished and we all know how much bullstuff that can be.
I feel that a ban of private firearm sales in more populated communities that are prone to gangs might help in a minor way. But i only say minor because they will simply resort to illegal distribution. There are millions upon millions of guns in the US and it wouldn't hurt the underground market one bit to pass a law as simple as that.
Now for my overall thoughts for the thread here. Firearm bans of any kind is at the discretion of the state and shouldn't be left to Federal to decide in the long run. Nation wide bans can only lead to a ferocious resistance and asking Americans of all people to simple give up something that they own, especially a gun is going to be no easy or bloodless feat. Like i said before, the US is built and was founded upon guns and they won't leave anytime soon. A gigantic percentage of the US population are armed, and the demographics alone are too intimidating for many politicians and state governments to tackle head-on without suffering a serious backlash. Thats why we get so many gun control "talks" but hardly any action. Gun control here doesn't work as simple as it might in any smaller country. Any active action i have seen take place about instigating more gun control
was swatted out of the sky very quickly. Even without the republican bias in the senate, the fact that there are just simply too many out there who are not going to ever be willing to give up any rights to further restrictions would give continual resistance.
This won't be the last highly publicized shooting that we'll hear about (yes being captain obvious here). There were many shootings in the past that haven't gained nearly as much coverage as some of the most recent ones. In light of all of whats happening it won't be a surprise to me that news outlets will start covering more and more on shootings and start telling us that "there is an epidemic" in the states and put the entire weight of the issue on gun ownership and NOT mental health issues and criminal intent. A CrCIA is your best tool to sway peoples voting habits. So in the eyes of the media, all tragedies are welcome.
