Hope the Sandy Hook Families Prevail!

I'm on the bench with you. Now, I admit I didn't read the article. But as far as assault rifles go... I don't have a problem with guns. Hunting rifles, even a hand gun, whatever makes you happy if you're a law abiding, non coocoocachooo citizen. But those military assault rifles, nope....those have no business in the hands of people not specifically trained (and hardcore screened) to use them.

I don't think that civilians need military weapons. And I really feel for the families - nothing will ever bring their children back.

BUT I don't think that the gun manufacturer should be held liable for selling a legal weapon under legal conditions. If the weapon wasn't legal at time of sale, then yes, that's a liability. If the sale wasn't legal, then yes, that's a liability. But if they followed the law, then they aren't responsible. To rule otherwise is a very slippery slope legally.

I agree with this

I have to respectfully disagree with you here.

NRA firearm safety programs have helped reduce the accidental firearm fatality rate 67% over the last 50 years, while firearms ownership has risen 140%, and handgun ownership has risen 200%.

From Huffington Post: "Talking politics alone or attempting to convince millions of Americans not to own guns will not constructively educate those people (gun owners), just like talking abstinence alone will not adequately educate people on safe sex practices. You need specific instructions.

Who is educating these millions of gun owners? It is largely the NRA, through its 93,000 NRA Certified Instructors nationwide, that trains about 750,000 people a year on gun safety. The NRA Eddie Eagle GunSafe firearm accident prevention program has reached over 25 million children, making it the most widely taught prevention program in the world. The program teaches children that if they see a gun, they should "STOP! Don't Touch. Leave The Area. Tell An Adult."

...it is important to recognize the value the NRA provides in educating millions of Americans on the safe use and storage of guns."

I hope they win. I was just thinking of Sandy Hook today when my daughter came home from school today and told me that she got really scared during a lockdown drill at school. They normally don't scare her but she was in a different room today and was unfamiliar with the protocol for that room.

What a sad world we live in where 1st graders have to practice what they will do and where they will hide in case someone comes to their school to try and hurt them.

I'm in Thailand at the moment so time zones are pretty off for me currently between here, uk and usa. I just got down to the pool and started browsing without so much as a glance at when it was posted but if you want to look at it like that, feel free

I am not familiar with with double quoting, so my apologies.

As I mentioned, I don't have a problem with most gun ownership, I understand its part of the second amendment. I have an issue with certain types of guns being sold to the public, the minimal government oversite, and the industry's inability to self regulate, and the NRA's lack of compassion.

I am sorry, but I have NEVER seen Eddie the Eagle program advertised and I live in Texas. I have seen concealed gun classes. It is NOT enough in my humble opinion. There should be large scale campaigns.

The alcohol industry DOES promote PSA's about the effects of drinking and driving and dangers of drinking while pregnant. MADD has done a wonderful job in educating the public in a variety of ways. There is criminal liability for both the establishment who holds the license to sell and to the person who consumed too much alcohol. It is regulated by the government by setting drinking ages and drinking limits, sobriety check points on the road, and it is monitered by the FTC. Finally there is large campaigns about the dangers of drinking and driving. There are a variety of programs out there to help persons and their families suffering from the disease of alcoholism.

Have all these efforts saved everyone? No? Have the combination of these large scale efforts saved many lives? Yes. Absolutely.

I hope the Sandy Hook parents/coalition become the new MADD of today as it has been very successful in saving lives.

Totally agree with this. 

The lawsuit isn't about if the selling of the guns was legal - it is how they are marketed. So just by selling the gun, the defendants (the gun manufacturer, the distributor, and the store owner) did not do anything illegal inherently. It was that they continuously market these as military guns that can cause great damage to civilians. Also making them readily available to those are not necessarily able to handle their power. That was the way I read the lawsuit.

Armalite Rifle, right? (or something similar-I remember reading it in a book somewhere.)

Why not make the comparison for the accountability of tobacco companies? 

The NRA counts each "click" on their Eddie Eagle website towards their "25 million children" statistic. I just clicked on it so I guess the count is 25 million and 1 except that I am not a child.

I won't get into the millions of dollars the NRA PAC sends to politicians and the millions they spend in fighting reasonable gun control or laws to close loop holes.