Finland reviews its gun laws after mass shootings

[alp227]

by Tom Burridge, BBC World News America

When Finland experienced two school shootings in just 10 months it sparked a national debate about the country's relatively relaxed gun laws, now the government hopes new legislation will reduce the number of guns in the country and make another mass shooting less likely in the future.

In 2007, 18-year-old Pekka-Eric Auvinen walked into Jokela High School in the town of Tuusula where he was studying. He shot seven pupils and the head teacher, before turning the gun on himself.

Nine months later another student walked into his college in the town of Kauhajoki and shot nine pupils and a teacher.

These were Finland's first ever school shootings.

(sidebar) FINLAND'S NEW GUN LAWS

The age at which you can get a license for handgun will go up from 15 to 20

People may have to provide proof that they practise sports shooting at a club

Finland’s licensing authority will be able to ask for information about an individual’s mental health before issuing a license

Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/8913432.stm

You can watch BBC World News America weeknights at 7PM Eastern on BBC America (check your local listings elsewhere) or streaming live online at http://www.livestation.com/channels/10/playlist.xml&autostart=true&skin=http://www.livestation.com/flash/livestation_v1.swf">BBC World News.

[Glassunion]

1. Quick question

"The age at which you can get a license for handgun will go up from 15 to 20"
From the article: "The gunman responsible for Finland's second school shooting was 22"
Question to the above: WTF?

1/2 of all of Finland's school shootings would not have been "prevented" if the law was in effect.

With the exception of the age thing, I do not have too much issue with the laws in the OP.
"People may have to provide proof that they practice sports shooting at a club" I kind of like this as it does show that individuals are getting in practice. And with "good" practice comes proficiency. As long as it does not place an undue burden on the citizen.

The mental health thing(depending on how they obtain the information and what they disqualify for) is a no brainer.

Overall, they are a sovereign nation and can do as they please.

[PavePusher]

4. Umm, just how is belonging to a club going to stop criminals?

I'm not sure I see the mechanism in effect there.

[Glassunion]

7. It's not.

But it may enable the general public who wish to apply for the permit to be well traned or practiced in the use of firearms. I think that is a winner.

[damntexdem]

2. Well, unlike the U.S., Finland is able to react rationally to its problems.

And thankfully they're free from being destroyed an FRA. ;-)

[shadowrider]

5. We have gun laws too. Why are the Fins rational and we're not?

Just curious.

[cowman]

6. Well, unlike Finland

we have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

[Bold Lib]

3. If the Brady bunch acts quickly they may have a new source of donations.

And be able to replay all their old rhetoric. What is old will be new again.

[oneshooter]

8. What does this have to do with AMERICAN gun laws? n/t

[Bold Lib]

11. I'll take a shot.

This is an example of how the U.S. makes gun control laws post a shooting that, had the laws been in affect prior to the shooting, would have done nothing to have stopped said shooting.

What do you think?

[jazzhound]

12. Don't know about oneshooter, but I like it. n/t

[benEzra]

9. ZOMG...

people in Europe are allowed to own teh scary gunz!

the country's relatively relaxed gun laws

Relatively relaxed compared to what? The UK? Oh, right, this is the BBC, who thinks their own gun laws are mainstream European, instead of draconian by even European standards.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x335420

People across most of Europe can own the same guns the Finns can, with varying levels of red tape.

[jazzhound]

10. Have mercy.

"The government says there are too many guns in Finland and estimates its legislation would cut the number of gun licenses issued in half."

We know from irrefutable government statistics that there is no correlation between the number of guns in the U.S. and the level of gun violence. But I'm sure that we can ignore that fact w/regard to Finland's violent crime. :eyes:

Here's my addition to Finland's firearm laws:

"No more than eight shots of Kosu before handling a loaded firearm". :-)

EDITED TO ASK ----- In Finland, are you allowed by law to bring your firearm into the sauna?

[tourivers83]

13. We won enough ground to bury our dead.

Finland is lucky that its people had access to and were proficient with firearms. If not all the street signs would be in Russian. :yoiks:

[Straw Man]

14. "If not all the street signs would be in Russian."

Yeah, it's bad enough that they're half in Swedish...