What is your name? (John/Jane Smith if you wish to remain anonymous)
Wes
Where were you born, how where you raised?
Born in Oklahoma City. Raised strict, mostly by my grandmother as both my parents worked. My first "gun" was a dart gun, you know the kind with the lick and stick darts. From day 1 I was taught not to point it at anyone.
What do you do for a living?
I.T. Administrator
Have guns played any significant part in your life? (hunting, shooting, ever get shot? friend get shot?)
Although I have only been hunting once (and didn't get anything), I have always liked to shoot. I think the first thing I shot was my uncle's 22 rifle. I think I was about 6. My parents owned guns but I never knew about them until I was 9 or 10. We were tought respect for them, but more importantly we were tought not to go into my parents room where they were kept...hidden away safely away from us. Later in life I also took rifle merit badge in the boy scouts and even later became a counselor for rifle merit badge. I am currently in the process of getting my FFL so I can start my own firearms and accessories store.
How has this experience affected your view of guns?
I am very comfortable around guns and have no problems with them. Every gun is loaded until you check and even then you still treat it as such.
In context of this experience, do you believe we should restrict access to guns?
Yes and No
Why or why not?
I believe guns should be restricted from some people, i.e. the mentally impared, for their own safety. I also believe guns should be restricted from people convicted of capital crimes such as murder and also those with a history of domestic violence. (If you are a cop with a history of domestic violence, time to find a new job). Aside from that, the current NICS check works for me. I do not like waiting periods, but I do like the limits on Class 3 stuff. I just wish those items weren't so expensive.
I also believe that safety and education should be
required before you are allowed to purchase a firearm. I also think a federal concealed carry law would be a good thing.
As far as restricting access of guns in the home, this is for parents to do. I do not think the gov't should be required to enforce this. Besides, one reason for having a gun is protection. You wouldn't want to have to run down to the gun save/cabinet to get your gun out when someone breaks in, would you?
Do you have any proof to reinforce your claims?
Proof for both sides....The store owner who shot the guys trying to rob his jewelry store.....The little old lady who whacked a guy breaking into her house.
And the other side....The guy in FL who left a loaded gun in the car with his 2 year old....The kid who is now a quadrapolegic in CA because someone wasn't following proper safety procedures and shot him in the head.
Final question, what's for dinner tonight?
Pizza buffet
In answer to your original question: "Are guns responsible for rising/falling crime rates?"
No, people are responsible for a rise and fall of crime rates. The trend in Oklahoma was that immediately after concealed carry was passed, violent crime dropped significantly. However in the years after that, crime started going back up. Probably due to the fact that only about 1% of people in the state that could have a CCP actually do. I think that if more people had guns and/or a CCP violent crime would go down because the suraty of being shot would go way up.
Thanks for the survey, I was thinking of doing something like this but probably couldn't have worded it as well as you did.
