Reply #88: You didn't read my post fully. I never said ALL firearm owners were [View All]

[Erose999]

criminals and killers. Just the ones who do snap and kill people. Fact: Jared Lee Loughner was within his rights to both own a firearm and bring said weapon to the Gabby Giffords event.

Furthermore, gun violence and criminal records are not mutually inclusive. It can't be said that ALL individuals with a criminal record will be guilty of gun violence. They may be more likely according to the statistics, but, as in your argument most individuals in that group will NOT commit gun crimes.

Nor can it be said that every criminal convicted of gun crimes had a criminal record PRIOR to committing their crime. A criminal record is not something bestowed upon a person from birth, after all.

And I've been on the wrong end of a gun held by a previously convicted felon before. Its a scary experience but it didn't change my position. That incident was partially my own fault and happened in an environment about as far-removed from a college campus or a political rally as you can get.