Jake, I think very few would contest your opinion that the 8-year old's death is tragic.

Would a law prevent people from being irresponsible and instill common sense? Unlikely.

Do we NEED fully automatic weapons that are as poorly designed as the UZI and Mac-10? No way. My opinion is that these types of weapons are about the most useless firearm ever made (besides the original French machine gun of WWI):
- they cannot be effectively aimed due to high rate of fire, short barrel, and recoil
- They jam often
- they waste an inordinate amount of ammunition
So, I would consider them a very poor version of a scatter gun designed to inflict high % of collateral damage. What is the point of that? Who would need these characteristics other than someone intent on violence?

I don't agree that a complete firearm ban will prevent any of this irresponsibility.

Progressive levels of control seems to help keep inhernetly dangerous things (assault weapons, chemicals, commercial vehicles, etc) out of the hands of those least capable of safe operation. I think that's about as good as we can do on the legislative side.

Your previous posts about good parenting would cure society of about 99.999% of all our problems.

Not to further stir the pot, but an 8 year old CAN effectively handle an AK-47, and even 60mm mortars. This, to me, is the greater tragedy (that someone has trained them to do it).

I still firmly believe that knowledge is power. Teach people respect for firearms as well as safe operation, and maybe we'll cut down on some of the accidents.

Also, if anyone cares, in the USA you can be criminally charged for "brandishing a weapon" if you have a firearm in "plain view" in a public area. Even if you have a carry-permit. So, if you see someone waving a weapon, odds are that person is probably up to no good.