Obama Orders Feds To Study Smart Gun Technology (cnet.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Today U.S. President Barack Obama rolled out a set of executive actions aimed at reducing gun violence. The most controversial of the provisions requires licenses for those who sell guns at gun shows and on the internet, and forces background checks on buyers. There are also a number of measures dedicated to making background checks more foolproof and universal. Less controversial but more on-topic for Slashdot is that Obama is requiring the departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security to investigate smart gun technology. This can include RFID chips, fingerprint scanners, and other bits of technology. Their goal will be to "explore potential ways to further its use and development to more broadly improve gun safety." The new gun measures include a proposal for a $500 million investment into providing care for people with serious mental illnesses.

Comments

Mental Illness Reporting

[slasher999]

One point not made above is that health care providers are now able to report to the FBI the names of patients who are mentally ill. Considering the other new actions are for the most part redundant this is really the most concerning point.

Re:Mental Illness Reporting

[charyou-tree]

How could a federal database of people with mental health problems (instantly searchable during the background check) possibly be in compliance with HIPAA?

Re: Mental Illness Reporting

[TigerPlish]

If this isn't checked it'll go beyond loons with guns. I think we, as a country, gun-friendly or not, just lost a great deal of protection with this connection between the medical profession and FBI.

What's next? Getting a knock on the door at 3 am because they found THC in a lab sample taken for something entirely medical in nature? (As opposed to a deliberate drug screen)

Re:RF?

[thinkwaitfast]

Georgetown historian and favorite of Bill Clinton, Carroll Quigley concludes, from a historical study of weapons and political dynamics, that the characteristics of weapons are the main predictor of democracy. Democracy tends to emerge only when the best weapons available are easy for individuals to buy and use. This explains why democracy is so rare in human history.

Safety is about training

[hsthompson69]

Obligatory 4 rules

1) treat every firearm as if it is loaded
2) never point the firearm at anything you're not willing to destroy
3) keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot (target clearly identified, good sight picture)
4) be aware of what is in front of and behind your target

#4, of course, is the "good guy" rule - if you're a terrorist, generally you don't care about that one.

Frankly, firearms safety should be a required course in kindergarten (stop/don't touch/leave the area/tell and adult), with another course in high school or junior high.

Re:Safety is about training

[Mashiki]

Firearms safety and marksmanship should be a section every year through high school.

It used to be. My dad was living in the US in the 60's and 70's finishing both high school and university respectively, it was taught as part of a high school education then in Michigan, Kansas and in SoCal, until people started whining about "guns being in schools." It was also a standard here in Canada until the laws became so restrictive it was stupid.

Re:Safety is about training

[Anonymous Coward]

Totally agree. I compare this to teaching sex education. The more you know, the better off you will be.

Re:Arm the first responders...

[laoseth]

I've always honestly wondered, you really want to be a guy shooting a gun when the cops show up to an active shooter situation. I think at this point, you are what 50 - 100 times more likely to be shot by the police then "crazy people" as it stands, and thats without even actually being armed. Now assuming you don't die by hand of the shooter or the cops, what happens when you mistake an innocent as a shooter, or shoot them accidently, because its dark, or things are a little hectic when you are in the middle of the firefight. You go to jail for assault? Manslaughter? Maybe you get off for your attempts at heroism, but I can gaurentee you that the victim, or theirfamily, are going to sue the sh*t out of you, and you are probably going to lose. I don't want to come off as an ass, but I have never heard this arugments fully explained. It just seems less then fully though out.

And where's the money coming from?

[Chas]

Oh that's right! More unfunded mandates, in an attempt to legislate by someone who isn't a legislator!

I normally ignore LaPierre and the NRA. But he put up a great point.

People, good people, in Obama's home town, Chicago, get shot day in and day out by gangbangers, thugs, and assorted lowlifes.
So where are the fucking tears for them?
And what's he done for THEM in the last seven years while he was rectally inserting his thumbs whilst seated?

But mention Sandy Hook and WOW! Out comes the waterworks!

We already have SHITLOADS of gun control laws on the books. Most of which simply aren't enforced.

If we're going to throw money at gun control, throw it at the laws already on the books and get the enforcement FUNDED!

No! Let's pour pointless money into STUDIES on shit that's already been studied TO DEATH, resurrected, and studied to death AGAIN.

And let's mandate more shit and basically hope that the magical unicorn farts blow in the right direction and result in money falling out of nowhere!

This kinda shit is why I don't own a gun. This kind of idiocy makes me want to shoot the asshole in charge.