A Call to Action from the Nation's Nurses in the Wake of Newtown

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Dec 22, 2012

This is the basis of the it's-a-slippery-slope argument, where Fear-Mongers afraid of the government taking all of your weapons away justifies ANY and all weapons being available to normal average citizens no matter how dangerous or how ridiculous!!! Fortunately, you guys (to include the NRA that is only in business to support the GUN MANUFACTURERS and not the Second Amendment, which does not protect the need for assault weapons in the hands of civilians) are not going to get away with pushing this garbage argument this time. Especially not after 20 babies were killed and everyone in this country and around the world was paying attention.

Assault weapons and high capacity clips are not necessary for CIVILIANS of any kind to own. There is not a single civilian that needs access to these things to hunt for sport because they are mass people killers and have no other use!
By the way, not everyone who kills people is mentally ill! So, keeping these weapons out of the hands of mentally ill will not solve the problem of preventing the next mass shooting... This argument just kicks-the-can-down-the-road and distracts from the need to remove access of high capacity clips and assault weapons out of the hands of ALL civilians, just like the NRA and Gun Manufacturers wants.

With all due respect---which is more than what my comments received---I'm still not getting how taking ANY sort of weapons away from law-abiding citizens will keep them out of the hands of murderous criminals, who care nothing about gun laws or anything else. It simply does not add up, and until the anti-gun activists can come up with facts, many Americans will continue to object to the systematic dismantling of our rights by government fiat.

For what it's worth, I'm an NRA member myself and I have no idea why a civilian would want or need an assault weapon. For most of us, owning guns is about personal protection, hunting, or collecting. And no one but the families and friends of those killed in Newtown could be more upset and saddened about this colossal waste of young lives than I am. But I also remember the 168 lives, including those of babies and children, that came to a sudden and violent end in Oklahoma City without a single shot being fired. And I remember the nearly 3,000 souls who were lost on a beautiful September morning by mass murderers who used airplanes and box cutters as weapons.

'Nuff said..... by me, anyway. :sneaky:

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Dec 22, 2012

Sorry VivaLasViejas strongly disagree: there is no need for rapid fire automatic firepower in the hands of everyday citizens,

Strongly believe the gun lobby has lost its mind:

NRA breaks silence: We need guns in every school in America
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," said NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre at a news conference.

Nurses choosing to belong to professional nursing associations have the voting power to elect officers and board of directors who are then empowered to issue proclomations/action briefs when health issues affect nuring practice. Thus these organizations have issued a "Call to action" to decide future legislative action to improve mental health services in US and stop senseless rapid fire killings of innocent US citiizens.

Mike A. Fungin RN · Dec 22, 2012

Sorry VivaLasViejas strongly disagree: there is no need for rapid fire automatic firepower in the hands of everyday citizens

Well, don't sweat it, because civilian ownership of automatic weapons has been effectively illegal since 1934.

Don't look now, but your ignorance is showing.

shermrn · Dec 22, 2012

Most people don't realize the real problem is the culture in which we live, and that we are the problem. Our society thrives on violence, popular culture is full of it. The only way to stop it is to start demanding that our society live up to a higher standard. Don't purchase music, movies, video games etc that condone or glorify violence. The same goes with television, stop watching, don't let your kids watch. Demand more quality from the entertainment industry, start boycots and letter writing campaigns. With popular culture it is the consumer who rules, and we are fed what we demand, if we demand something different then we will get something different. It's not a simple solution and will take a generation or more but the time to start changing our culture is now. Laws will not stop the violence, it starts at home, with you. What kind of TV shows do you watch, what do your kids watch and what kind of video games do they play? Anyone of you who watch violent movies, tv shows, video games , music etc. and let your kids do the same are responsible for the violent state of affairs in this country. Americans are mass consumers of violence and perversity and we have reaped what we have sewn. We blame everybody but oursleves. The same goes with our corrupt political system and failing economy, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Take a good look at your actions then ask what you can do to change things.

No I am not some religious nut, I'm not some right or left wing nut either. I am just a nurse with a wife and four kids who is fed up with America. Our founding fathers must be turning in their graves at the thought of what America has become. We must demand more from ourselves, our fellow citizens, and our leaders.

I think I've rambled enough and hope you all get the point.

Thanks.

TopazLover, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2012

I continue to be shocked at the either or approach I read from many.

One thing I think is being shoved under the rug is RESPONSIBLE gun ownership. I do not want responsible gun owners to lose their ability to have guns. I don't think there is anything on the table like that. i do want them to be held accoutable for their own guns. Too many are stolen and used by criminals. Too many are left unsecured and children die from this. A mass murderer was there in Newton. Everyday children are killed by guns. Many of these guns were legit guns for the owner. They just do not care for the gun properly. I find very few excuses, try none, that a child would have access to a loaded gun. The first rule of gun ownership is to always act as if every gun is loaded until proven otherwise. A true responsible gun owner will always check a firearm. Fools think a gun would be empty. Responsible gun handlers always check even if they know it is clear. it is part of the routine of handling a gun.

Mandatory classes are needed. NRA has fantastic gun classes. I wish they actually represented their membership. I cannot see many members disagreeing with responsible gun handling. We have to start someplace.

Common ground seems like a good place to start. No one wants children killed by guns. Now find realistic solutions and stop throwing smokescreens of "pry my cold dead hands from my gun" attitude. No one that I know wants all guns gone.

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Dec 22, 2012

I learned how to shoot a gun when I was 6 years old and my uncle thought it would be a nice activity. We shot tin cans and bottles off a fence in the middle of the woods. I was bored with it after a while, but it instilled in me a healthy respect for what a gun can do.

My daughter has 2 pistols and a license to carry. She can shoot the wings off a fly at 100 paces. Does she go around shooting flys or anything else that has a heart beat? No...she is a responsible gun owner.

Please don't tell me I can't own a gun. I don't want an assault rifle but I am going to buy a pistol. Will my gun kill people...no.

Simplistic thinking isn't it? All the rhetoric won't stop another incident like this from happening. Evil people need to be put in jail forever. Mentally ill people need to be hospitalized whether they agree or not.

TopazLover, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2012

I so agree. We don't try to take cars away from everyone when 100 car pile ups occur due to poor driving choices in fog. However we do demand that people be able to pass at least a minimun test written and performance in order to get a license. Repsonsible gun owners can pass a similar type of test easily. For those who cannot, why do they have guns? Testing will not eliminate all accidents but there would be accountability the same way that accidents with cars have accountability. You can lose your license to drive if you act very stupid with a car. You should also lose the ability to have a gun if you are shown to have acted stupidly.

i know there is fear on the part of some who do not want the government to know how many guns they have, etc. I understand they believe this is a firtst step to removal. It would take another Constitutional amendment to do that, I believe. I doubt that would pass no matter how many people say they want "gun control".

Personally I choose to use the words "gun responsibility". I don't want to remove all guns. I want gun owners to do what they claim to do. Keep guns out of the hands of children. Keep them locked up so as not to be stolen.

How about we look at signing for purchase of bullets the same way you sign for sudaphed. Others have suggested extreme cost per bullet. There have to be answers out there. At least most of us can discuss it without becoming so angry as to lose the opposing view holders.

PMFB-RN, RN · Dec 22, 2012

This is the basis of the it's-a-slippery-slope argument, where Fear-Mongers afraid of the government taking all of your weapons away justifies ANY and all weapons being available to normal average citizens no matter how dangerous or how ridiculous!!!

*** Inaccurate hype. In fact a wide variety of firearms are not available tot he average citizen.

not the Second Amendment, which does not protect the need for assault weapons in the hands of civilians

*** First the term "assault weapon" is only made up by the media. It has a flexable definition that changes to suit the situation. I have no idea what it means as I have seen everything from a baseball bat to a tactical nuke described as an "assault weapon".

The 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with hunting. The very purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to protect the cilivian possession of military style firearms. Firearms "Of a current type".

a

re not going to get away with pushing this garbage argument this time.

*** Yes I fear the result will be meaningless knee jerk reaction that will do absolutly nothing to prevent further atrocities.

Assault weapons and high capacity clips are not necessary for CIVILIANS of any kind to own. There is not a single civilian that needs access to these things to hunt for sport because they are mass people killers and have no other use!

*** Given your strongly stated opinions your ignorance of firearms and their uses is striking. Please tell me what an "assault weapon" is. "Clips"? Yes yes please by all means ban high capacity clips. (sorry couldn't help making fun of your firearms ignorance for a second).

The first thing you should realize is that there is no difference in function between firearms the media has labeled "assault weapons" and many, many old and traditional huting firearms. The main difference is purely cosmetic.

By the way, not everyone who kills people is mentally ill! So, keeping these weapons out of the hands of mentally ill will not solve the problem of preventing the next mass shooting..

*** I would submit that those who comit mass murder of strangers are mentaly ill. "Banning" firearms that happen to look a certain way won't change anything either. Keep in mind that CT already had an "assault weapons ban" in place.

. T

his argument just kicks-the-can-down-the-road and distracts from the need to remove access of high capacity clips and assault weapons out of the hands of ALL civilians,

*** First it is impossible to remove access. What you can do is make it illegal but remove access you can't do. It is physicaly impossible. In the past the federal ban grandfathered in all exsisting magazines and named firearms. AT no time were the "banned" firearms and magazines unavailable in local stores. We know that if you make a ban retroactive and attempt to steal citizens property as happend in California the compliance is VERY VERY low. In other words people simply will not hand over their property. This isn't my opionion it's what we know happend based on the recent past.

PMFB-RN, RN · Dec 22, 2012

My thought is- even if we had laws to ban all guns, there would still be smuggling and those that want, will get them. Just like illegal drugs.

*** Good point. Let's also not forget that making a firearm in a moderatly well stocked home workshop is very easy. Any of the tens of thousands of skilled machinists in the country can create machine guns.

PMFB-RN, RN · Dec 22, 2012

I

so agree. We don't try to take cars away from everyone when 100 car pile ups occur due to poor driving choices in fog.

*** Driving cars is a privlage, not a right. Unlike possession of firearms.

However we do demand that people be able to pass at least a minimun test written and performance in order to get a license. Repsonsible gun owners can pass a similar type of test easily.

*** That vast majority of firearms owns do pass tests. Every state requires a hunter safety course and the majority of states that have concealed carry laws also require a test. SO it's not required to pass a test to possess a firearm but most owners do.

For those who cannot, why do they have guns? Testing will not eliminate all accidents but there would be accountability the same way that accidents with cars have accountability. You can lose your license to drive if you act very stupid with a car. You should also lose the ability to have a gun if you are shown to have acted stupidly.

*** Yes we already do this. People convited of felony crimes are already banned from possessing firearms.

i know there is fear on the part of some who do not want the government to know how many guns they have, etc. I understand they believe this is a firtst step to removal.

*** That's cause there is significant historical precedent for exactly that. Even here in the USA it has happend in somes states.

It would take another Constitutional amendment to do that, I believe. I doubt that would pass no matter how many people say they want "gun control".

*** Yes I think you are 100% correct.

Personally I choose to use the words "gun responsibility". I don't want to remove all guns. I want gun owners to do what they claim to do. Keep guns out of the hands of children. Keep them locked up so as not to be stolen.

*** Guns should NOT be kept out of the hands of children. Children should not have unsupervised access to firearms. My farearms are locked up in a safe that is bolted to a concrete floor. Doesn't mean they can't be stolen.

How about we look at signing for purchase of bullets the same way you sign for sudaphed. Others have suggested extreme cost per bullet.

*** Such silly suggestions are not based on realiety. It's like people don't realize that millions of people in the USA can manufacture their own ammunition. Kits to do so are widely sold and I can name 40 or 50 people off the top of my head who can manufacture their own ammunition. It would be like banning cookies when any of us can simply bake them in our own ovens.

PMFB-RN, RN · Dec 22, 2012

I find very few excuses, try none, that a child would have access to a loaded gun.

*** It's UNSPERVISED access that is wrong. Children engaged in well supervised shooting sports under the direction of responsible adults is a great and benificial thing.

IndiCRNA · Dec 22, 2012

May I gently remind everyone that nurses are not a monolith, and that these professional organizations do not speak for all of us.
IMHO, if mental health services were available to every person who needs or wants help, regardless of income or social status, there'd be no need for so-called "gun control" (which is really law-abiding citizen control). Just saying.

Word!

These so-called nursing organizations certainly do NOT represent my point of view.

A Call to Action from the Nation's Nurses in the Wake of Newtown

Nurses: Do You Support a Call to Action in the Wake of Newtown + other shootings