Reply #32: I'm all for tougher gun control

[AyanEva]

...but I also understand and agree with Pelosi's decision. I just wish cities and towns had more power to determine their own individual gun laws. What works in rural PA doesn't really work all that well in Philadelphia. I'm not saying ban all weapons because there is the second ammendment and it does serve a purpose. I'm just saying that I think it would make sense for different localities to be able to make laws that suit them.

I don't know if that's really even possible to do, though. I can already think of a number of ways that could go all pear shaped and get innocent people in trouble. Like if you're complying with the law in one town but accidentally break it in another because the laws were different and you didn't know. So yeah, concentrate on enforcing the ones that we have. Provide more funding for various programs that work to get illegal guns off the street, like the one we have here in Philly where you get paid a certain amount of money (or I think they also do grocery vouchers or something) for each gun that you turn in. It's the illegal weapons that cause the most problems, not the the ones that are held with valid permits.

I've considered getting a permit and training just for safety's sake. I'm female and not very big and I'm often out and about in neighborhoods that aren't the greatest because of my job (non-profits are rarely in "good" areas). I know I'd feel safer having a better way to defend myself besides my RAD training because I definitely don't feel all that safe walking to the El with shadows and plenty of places for attackers to hide. I always keep very alert and frequently check behind me. But someone has to work in these neighborhoods, so it's a trade off that I accept.