Last Friday's shooting rampage through the streets of Santa Monica has us thinking about gun laws. California has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, yet a tragedy like this can still take place.
So, this week's Q-Line question asked:
Do you think more needs to be done to control guns in the state and why?
Here are your responses:
"This past week's shooting rampage by a severely troubled individual with a huge arsenal provides the perfect argument for universal background checks in California and every state for anyone trying to buy guns and ammo."
"Automatic weapons like this are not needed by civilians. Anyone who claims to need them for hunting should take up knitting instead; they should not be out hunting. We need politicians who have the guts to tell the National Rifle Association (NRA) to stuff it, and ban these weapons."
"Controlling guns in the state is worthless while neighboring states have less control. Anti-gun laws must be national and must be severe. When a man who was formally found to own illegal weapons only a few years later had an arsenal enabling him to go on a murderous rampage, that should prove our present laws are worthless."
"What California needs to do is get with other states like New York and Connecticut and other states that have sensible gun control laws and sue the NRA. The NRA is responsible for this because they keep fighting the federal government, who is trying to enact sensible gun control laws, and they can't do it. So we need to sue the NRA for all it's worth. The senators and congressmen won't be afraid of it and maybe we can get some sensible gun control laws. If not, too many innocent people are going to be killed."
"The guns have no brain. The government, teachers and parents do. We took out the 10 Commandments, the Bible and the American Pledge of Allegiance in our schools. Children are not learning social skills. They don't have respect for life. Last Friday was the saddest day. Dear God, please give comfort to all those who are hurting from that tragic day. Please stand up for our children. Amen."
"Actually, no one can control people. Where there is a will, there is a way. Even in today's L.A. Times it says that the gun used in the massacre last week at Santa Monica College, that gun was pieced together. So, as to repeat myself once again, where there's a will, there's a way. There is no controlling anyone anymore."
"Right after the shootings on Michigan Avenue, the TV news interviewed some neighbors and they blamed gangs and our city's so called affordable housing that has brought crime, murder and robbery to our once quiet town. We taxpayers are paying for this affordable housing that brings criminals from other cities to our once quiet little town and our schools. The commies from Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights claim the affordable housing projects are to keep diversity in our population when actually it is their dirty scheme to create more renters to continue to vote them in office."
"In this day of bio terror and nuclear arms, the right to bear arms is archaic. We should make most guns illegal. While I disapprove of hunting, I could concede to people having shotguns. Our society has no room for handguns or assault rifles."
"I believe the average citizen — meaning not law enforcement or military — should only be allowed to own one handgun and one shotgun. Both are ideal for home defense. High-capacity ammo magazines should be banned for the average person as well. Let's face it, if you can't kill or injure an intruder with a handgun or shotgun, then you probably shouldn't have either in the first place."
