What should we do about guns in the US?

As an outsider:

Firstly, fix your fucking gun culture. Holy shit is some of what we see/hear come out of the USA retarded. Sure, don't ban all guns, but the average citizen doesn't need a high powered semi-automatic rifle that holds 30 rounds for sport, let alone an automatic firearm. Not to mention the safety and exposure issues existing within the culture.

Look at Australia. There's six classes of firearms license entitling you to various options (A, B, C, D, E, H = Non semi-auto Rimfire & black powder rifle, Non semi-atuo Centerfire & non semi-auro/pump action shotgun, semi-auto rimfire & pump action shotgun, semi-auto centerfire, collectors, handguns). You provide a valid reason for needing each class of license (e.g. hunting, target shooting, primary production if you want class C or D) and do a day long firearms safety course before getting your license. All firearms must be stored in an appropriate safe (standard depends on license class) of which only the owner has access to so as to avoid plausible deniability if used in a crime. Four week waiting period for your first firearm, two weeks for each one after, and the need to provide a valid reason for owning each one at purchase. If you have a known mental health issue or are considered "unfit to own a firearm" (e.g. criminal history, known links to bikies) you'll usually be rejected a license, but can appeal. I have had depression for ten years but an still allowed to own firearms because I'm assessed as not being a suicide risk.

Despite what some would have you believe, all that is not detrimental to the ability to own a firearm here - it just stops dipshits too stupid to handle one safely and people with bad intentions getting their hands on one legally, and it also significantly reduces someone with bad intentions getting their hands on one illegally (most illegal firearms were initially stolen from a legal owner). I'm a good example of this, I own:

1 x .177/.22 competition Air Rifle 1 x .22 Bolt Action Model 12 Lithgow 1 x .22 Pump Action Model 121 Remington 1 x Lever action 12 gauge shotgun

My brother has similar, adding on a .243 and a (I think) .303. My father has a .22, an 1880's muzzle loading black powder rifle, a double barrel .410 shotgun, a black powder shotgun, and a 12 gauge double barrel.

And before you say "those laws don't work", I call bullshit. We haven't had any mass shootings since these laws were bought in in 1996, gun crime has significantly reduced, as has suicide rates (mainly by firearm, for obvious reasons).

/r/AskReddit Thread