Brian Lehrer said that guns should be 'safe, legal, and rare', like abortion. Not to be off topic, but abortion is not safe, not rare, and should be illegal.

The idea that crime has decreased as a result of abortion is only partly true. Crime has decreased mainly because laws now keep career criminals in jail. But there are fewer criminals as a result of abortion: there are fewer everything, fewer doctors, lawyers, teachers.

Brian Lehrer's idea is that unwanted children lead to crime. But many women realize how much their child is wanted once the child is born. And this unwanted idea doesn't determine that the child will be a criminal at all. A thin rationalization for abortion.

"Make sure that none of your children are unwanted." Mother Teresa.

Studies show that neither those for or against gun control have compelling data to support their positions meaning that the issue is one of emotion and personal values. I am interviewing the President of Women Against Gun Violence tomorrow in which I will be delving into this in greater detail. I have to admit that I was surprised by what I found as a result of preparing for this discussion (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jon-hansen/2013/01/18/guns-in-america-are-our-children-safe).

Listeners may be interested in a two-part interview with Mr. Barrett in which he discusses his book, "Glock: The Rise of America's Gun," gun culture, regulation, and violence:

http://lareviewofbooks.org/article.php?id=1318

To all these people obsessed with registration, insurance, etc... what planet are you people on? Do you believe that someone with the intent to break the law and kill people is going to say to themselves wow, I better follow this particular legislation. Do you believe that even if all guns stores and shows were stopped guns wouldn't be pouring over our borders like drugs, people, counterfeit goods, etc. The fact that people clamor for something that does close to nothing but continues down the road of wiping out their own liberties is quite sad. Even this idea that people should lose their rights just because they may do something? Sounds very gestapo or KGB to me.

To hjs

We've seen what "just" elections did in Weimer Germany with the Nazi party, and in Gaza with Hamas, and many other examples of "democratic" elections bring totalitarians to power via the ballot box.

Another flaw in the Federalist system. The NRA membership accounts for <2 percent of the US adult population. These people should be powerless given that fact, but since they bankroll the election of (mostly) Republican congress members in sparcely populated parts of this country, we will forever be battling a group which should be marginalized based strictly on the numbers. Pres. Obama is correct in calling on all of us - the many Republicans who have no interest in guns - to open our mouths so the mealy mouthed, insincere, and compromising politicians will stop pandering to a bunch of paranoid gun nuts. We remain an embarrassment in the eyes of the rest of the world; obsessed with our guns. An outrage.

TP
you wrote "Gun owners are people who fear tyranny of the govt. period. That's what the 2nd Amendment is for... to prevent Govt Tyranny. "
we have elections "to prevent Govt Tyranny." the people who think the government is coming to take them away are either guilty or crazy...
we have to convince the majority that a few people’s TOYS don't trump my right to life.
As I said other than the military & law enforcement, and other than hand guns and hunting rifles

Wow, Gallup polls tells us how the popular the NRA is. Have we forgotten that Gallup tip's it’s polling to the right. So when they poll people on the political right they simply love the NRA.

Ban guns all you want, but keep your MITTS OFF MY HALO 4 and MAX PAYNE 3!

I think just about everyone would agree with a background check for purchase at a gun show or from any retail establishment. Let's fix this and get it done. It won't WORK however if states to not upload critical information like felony records. Not sure you'll ever get mental health professionals to cooperate.

And how about we fix those ATF laws that keep the ATF from doing a reasonable job of managing? You can blame the NRA but who put those lame laws on the books? Our legislators.

Last but not least let's actually enforce the laws on the books. What a concept.

Wayne LaPierre is more of a danger than most guns.

Gun-control advocacy does not presuppose anti-2nd Amendment advocacy; it merely means that those who own and use guns should be responsible. Vehicles are registered and limited to safe drivers of a certain minimum age; why should guns not also be registered and limited to sane and responsible individuals of a certain minimum age? And why should the CDC not continue studies on the use of guns? Is Mr. LaPierre (and the NRA) afraid that they might find that gun ownership and use does not fall within sensible guidelines? And, if that is the case, should there not be more restrictions?

Let's add background checks to all gun sales and even better COLLECT SALES TAX! Hard to avoid if
background checks are required.

12,000 gun deaths is tragic, but so is 43,000 auto deaths, and 1.5 million abortions most of all. But we don't ban autos or abortions. Maybe we should too, but we don't.

We should allow a Psychiatrist to have access to Backgrond checks without the patient knowing. Then let him make a judgement.

hjs, if you think this way, TOYS, we're never going to win this issue. You may disagree with gun owners, but they are not stupid people. Treat your enemy that way, and you are sure to lose the war. Gun owners are people who fear tyranny of the govt. period. That's what the 2nd Amendment is for... to prevent Govt Tyranny. Until we address guns in a way that preserves the 2nd A, we're never going to stop gun violence. One idea: allow any type of gun, but outlaw conceal-n-carry.

Jon Stewart last night (Jan. 16) revealed how the ATF is restricted from checking gun sales and inventories, and just about anything connected with gun sales. A number of laws have been passed by Congress (often written by the NRA) to limit ATF funding and keeping of data as well as CDC funding for researching gun accidents and deaths. Obama did NOT address these issues, I don't think. This causes me despair.

Treat guns like we treat cars: if you want to sell your car to a friend, you still need transfer the registration legally. Background checks should be executed in the same manner.

Other then the military & law enforcement, and other than hand guns and hunting rifles, these other weapons in the hands of the general public are just TOYS for boys who think they are men.

Type "Why I Carry" into YouTube. Paranoia is definitely the overarching theme for these folks. The NRA fuels and exploits this unfounded fear.

The NRA also takes HUGE amounts of $$ from the gun industry. They have collected up to $38 million from gun manufacturers since 2005. They collect more from the gun industry than they do from members' dues!!! They are the de facto LOBBY arm of the gun industry.

The NRA has a vested interest in SELLING more GUNS!! SURPRISE?!

The gun industry NEEDS illegal straw purchases to survive. Yes, they will say their opposition to universal registration is about "freedom" - but like everything in America, it's about money.