General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrystan Andrew Terrell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Terrells father, Craig, wrote in a blog post in May 2016 that his son was diagnosed as being autistic at three years old. Craig Terrell said that when a nurse in a neurological doctors office asked him, Has anyone ever mentioned the word autism to you? Our lives got more complicated. He went on to discuss the difficulty of researching autism online as the family was living in a rural part of Texas with only dial-up AOL internet access. Craig Terrell added that the nurse told him that there would be no follow-up appointment but that family just needed to research autism on the internet.
Little other information about Terrell has been made public or uncovered by reporters so far. Terrell does not appear to have a criminal record in North Carolina or elsewhere. It is not clear where Terrell went to high school or how long he had been studying at UCCC before dropping out.
https://heavy.com/news/2019/04/trystan-andrew-terrell/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People Control, Not Gun Control
This is my generic response to gun threads where people are shot and killed by the dumb or criminal possession of guns. For the record, I grew up in the South and on military bases. I was taught about firearms as a child, and I grew up hunting, was a member of the NRA, and I still own guns. In the 70s, I dropped out of the NRA because they become more radical and less interested in safety and training. Some personal experiences where people I know were involved in shootings caused me to realize that anyone could obtain and posses a gun no matter how illogical it was for them to have a gun. Also, easy access to more powerful guns, guns in the hands of children, and guns that werent secured are out of control in our society. As such, heres what I now think ought to be the requirements to possess a gun. Im not debating the legal language, I just think its the reasonable way to stop the shootings. Notice, none of this restricts the type of guns sold. This is aimed at the people who shoot others, because its clear that they should never have had a gun.
1.) Anyone in possession of a gun (whether they own it or not) should have a regularly renewed license. If you want to call it a permit, certificate, or something else that's fine.
2.) To get a license, you should have a background check, and be examined by a professional for emotional and mental stability appropriate for gun possession. It might be appropriate to require that examination to be accompanied by references from family, friends, employers, etc. This check is not to subject you to a mental health diagnosis, just check on your superficial and apparent gun-worthyness.
3.) To get the license, you should be required to take a safety course and pass a test appropriate to the type of gun you want to use.
4.) To get a license, you should be over 21. Under 21, you could only use a gun under direct supervision of a licensed person and after obtaining a learners license. Your license might be restricted if you have children or criminals or other unsafe people living in your home. (If you want to argue 18 or 25 or some other age, fine. 21 makes sense to me.)
5.) If you possess a gun, you would have to carry a liability insurance policy specifically for gun ownership - and likely you would have to provide proof of appropriate storage, security, and whatever statistical reasons that emerge that would drive the costs and ability to get insurance.
6.) You could not purchase a gun or ammunition without a license, and purchases would have a waiting period.
7.) If you possess a gun without a license, you go to jail, the gun is impounded, and a judge will have to let you go (just like a DUI).
8.) No one should carry an unsecured gun (except in a locked case, unloaded) when outside of home. Guns should be secure when transporting to a shooting event without demonstrating a special need. Their license should indicate training and special carry circumstances beyond recreational shooting (security guard, etc.). If you are carrying your gun while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you lose your gun and license.
9.) If you buy, sell, give away, or inherit a gun, your license information should be recorded.
10.) If you accidentally discharge your gun, commit a crime, get referred by a mental health professional, are served a restraining order, etc., you should lose your license and guns until reinstated by a serious relicensing process.
Most of you know that a license is no big deal. Besides a drivers license you need a license to fish, operate a boat, or many other activities. I realize these differ by state, but that is not a reason to let anyone without a bit of sense pack a semiautomatic weapon in public, on the roads, and in schools. I think we need to make it much harder for some people to have guns.
lark
(23,158 posts)AR-15's kill mass amounts of people, they are military style weapons, but all semi-automatic (fully automatics are already banned) guns or rifles should be banned and less people will die - automatically. Stop gun show purchases, but that may be included in your plan above but isn't specifically mentioned.
I think your plan, which has excellent points plus this would make a difference. It would not even get a vote in the Senate right now, but hopefully this country will return to its senses and stop PUtin's puppet from subverting us. Then we will be able to take positive steps forward, but that will never happen with McConnell as Majority Leader and drumpf in his stolen office.
Sancho
(9,070 posts)...and any sensible review or license should have prevent them from possession of any guns, much less an AR15.
Yes, more powerful weapons is an issue, but I think people should be throughly screened before they buy guns or ammunition, or possess guns in any fashion (clubs, shooting galleries, collecting, hunting, etc.). People who are dangerous to themselves and others have easy access to guns in the US.
To that end, a license should indicate exactly what guns were included for a given individual's use.
GusBob
(7,286 posts)What the NZ PM said, ignore these shooters and dont repeat their names