Greg on Quora

Q:  Washington governor Jay Inslee is poised to sign a massive 'semiautomatic weapons' ban, saying it 'will save lives.' Do you think the ban will reduce gun violence? A:  First and foremost, it is unconstitutional. It will not last long. I predict minimal compliance and no reduction in crime rate https://www.quora.com/Washington-governor-Jay-Inslee-is-poised-to-sign-a-massive-semiautomatic-weapons-ban-saying-it-will-save-lives-Do-you-think-the-ban-will-reduce-gun-violence/answer/Greg-OKeefe-11 

Q:  Can a police officer buy a fully automatic weapon? A:  Yes, but a better question is whether citizens in general can buy an NFA gun or other item. An NFA purchase has its own requirements. See the application at https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/how-can-person-legally-obtain-nfa-firearms https://www.quora.com/Can-a-police-officer-buy-a-fully-automatic-weapon/answer/Greg-OKeefe-11 

Q:  What is wrong with a gun license (per gun) that can be rescinded if you commit certain offences? Owning a gun without a license would be the sort of offence that would stop you getting a new license. The problem? It would hurt arms company profits. A: What is wrong with a speech license (per instance of speaking) that can be rescinded if you engage is hate speech? What is wrong with a worship license (per worship service) that can be rescinded if you are accused of having “wrong beliefs”? What is wrong with a press license (per publication) that can be rescinded if you print misinformation? If our rights depend on permission from the authority, then they are not rights, but dispensations from the government. Freedom means being able to do what you want to do, for any reason—or no reason at all. Neither permission nor persuasion nor explanation of any kind is required. Besides, you don’t need a licensing system to lose your guns if you commit certain offenses. Murder? Yep, they’...

Q:  You are a police officer off duty. In a store, you discern that the person in front of you is carrying a concealed handgun, but acting normally. Would you detain him? A:  To give you an idea of how bad your question is, I will rephrase it slightly: You are a police officer off duty (or on, it doesn't matter). On the road, you see the person in front of you driving safely, obeying all traffic laws. Would you detain him? https://www.quora.com/You-are-a-police-officer-off-duty-In-a-store-you-discern-that-the-person-in-front-of-you-is-carrying-a-concealed-handgun-but-acting-normally-Would-you-detain-him/answer/Greg-OKeefe-11

Q:  Why do some think that banning guns in America would cause more of a problem? "Imagine the world without guns" was a bumper sticker that began making the rounds after the murder of ex-Beatle John Lennon on December 18, 1980. Last year, Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, followed up on that sentiment by announcing she would become a spokeswoman for Handgun Control, Inc. (which later changed its name to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and which was previously named the National Council to Control Handguns). So let's try hard to imagine what a world without guns would look like. It isn't hard to do. But be forewarned: It's not a pretty picture. The way to get to a gun-free world, the gun-prohibition groups tell us, is to pass laws banning them. We can begin by imagining the enactment of laws which ban all non-government possession of firearms. It's not likely that local bans will do the job. Take, for example, New York's 1911 Sullivan Law, which im...

Q:  What is the history of gun ownership in Great Britain? A:  There are plenty of online sources for folks to look up whatever details they find interesting, but I will sum up that history in one word: tragedy. It is truly tragic that the once-great people of Great Britain have been neutered—and not by any outside invaders, but by themselves. Just as I would like to see the reaction of the American Founding Fathers to the sad state of affairs in our country, I would also be interested to see how the Brits’ own "greatest generation" would respond to the foolishness across the pond. Then again, Great Britain does not have a constitution that protects the right to keep and bear arms. Subjects, not citizens. https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-history-of-gun-ownership-in-Great-Britain/answer/Greg-OKeefe-11