Seriously? That's going to be your defense?

[theweaselking]

“I am a gun owner. It happens” says Kentucky congresscritter after negligent discharge in state Capitol.

No charges will be filed against this incompetent for her utter failure to observe basic firearms safety.

Comments

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

"It happens" among ignorant redneck fuckheads.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Basically.

There are a great many ways to handle a firearm safely.

*One* negligent discharge takes away all your firearm privileges. FOREVER. You're too goddamn dangerous to be allowed a fucking gun.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Forever seems harsh. One year seems fair. Second strike, we take your guns and all sharp objects away.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

All your "I am carrying this without direct active supervision from someone else" privileges, then, with your gun privileges not restored for at least a year and then only on the ruling of a board of more responsible users.

[cleodhna.livejournal.com]

I'm rather with The Weasel King on this one, actually. The key point is negligence. If the (admittedly very short) report is correct, that she 'thought the gun was "totally clear"' but wasn't all that bothered when it turned out not to be the case is rather worrying. Gun nuts are always banging on about how they're all about safety, so if this lady, who clearly didn't bother to check the status of her weapon (or she did, and the fact that it was loaded and in a firing way just kinda slipped her mind, I don't know) before she carried into a public space, doesn't observe basic safety precautions, resulting in an accidental discharge that could easily have killed someone, she doesn't have the basic skill set to be carrying.

Also, what in tarnation was she doing mucking around with a semi-automatic in public? Why isn't there an inquiry into that? Isn't one not supposed to do that?

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

what in tarnation was she doing mucking around with a semi-automatic in public?

It wasn't exactly "in public" - reports appear to agree she was in a private room with only one other person, and missed him when she fired.

And IIRC, Kentucky is either one of the states with no laws on concealed carry into government buildings, or where all lawmakers automatically get the right to concealed carry into government buildings.

(I could look it up, of course, but that might be cheating.)

[cleodhna.livejournal.com]

Fair enough, even without looking it up, but I still wonder what she was doing futzing around with a semi-automatic in an office. It wasn't her own property; other people could easily have been there (one was); that's dangerous. There are rules about when armed police can get their weapons out, are there not? Surely some such should apply to the common legally able to carry semi-automatics about everywhere people?

But yes, we are on the same page here.

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

Some RULES about GUNS?

rrrrrRRRRRRAAAARARRRGGGGH SECCCONNNNDDDD AAAAMMMMEENNNNDMEEEENNNNNNTTT

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

But yes. "Your gun privileges are suspended FOREVER, you IDIOT" is my first reaction, although I would be okay with "after a >1yr delay you can apply to have them reinstated, and, if you pass a (real) competence test you might get 'em back probationarily".

[torrain.livejournal.com]

Given that she only didn't inflict a GSW on the other guy in the room by luck, I am thinking one year seems overgenerous. I mean, I like to think gun privileges are taken away for longer than a year if you accidentally shoot someone. If you do something stupidly dangerous and don't kill someone due to luck, you still did something stupidly dangerous and that is the problem.

Three years?

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Sure, that sounds fair.

[cleodhna.livejournal.com]

At least, and the completion of a comprehensive gun safety course, independently evaluated, and a permanent mark on your record that you've done this incredibly stupid thing and should you do it again then NO MORE GUNS, SWEETHEART.

[cleodhna.livejournal.com]

Oh, not to worry. She's planning to switch to a revolver rather than the semi-automatic she was carrying into public spaces without checking it correctly. That'll make her much safer to be anywhere near.

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

No. No, it doesn't fucking "happen". It happens when you're careless and irresponsible, because you, the gun owner, are solely responsible for everything that comes out of the muzzle of your gun, and what happens after it leaves the gun.