On Gun Control - Potential Enhancements

I'm just spitballing here. I own a gun, I am a reasonable person, so I am throwing out some ideas that could potentially help.

I mentioned a couple of ideas in my last post that could help as well.  This included written and field testing to ensure people know the laws and can effectively operate the firearm they are purchasing.  I also suggested a requirement to possible join a properly formed and certified militia that would help in these training processes and address the issues of safety, proper storing and use of firearms.

Here are a few other ideas that I am not opposed to.

States could give their teachers the option to conceal carry a firearm for their protection and the safety of their students. Additional funding could be provided as well for armed security or law enforcement at each school.

Gun control could be more like cars. Guns could have a title with them. So when you sell a firearm to someone, the title is transferred as well.  There is documentation of the sale/purchase.  I line of ownership can determined, traced and followed.

There could also be a potential governing body, probably the ATF, that would house a central database for these transactions.  Laws could be put in place if guns are sold improperly.

The background checks could search deeper than they do.  There could be something similar to the No Fly List for guns or the sex offender registry.  A place where people can go to see if who is on that list. This would be effective for people at gun shows who are selling guns privately.

I understand that this won't solve the problem. Aliases, fake IDs, dishonest people could all find ways around this. Look at Mexico, they have tighter gun laws than we do and yet criminals and cartels, all the people you don't to have guns, somehow have them.  But we can take steps to try and do something.  I don't think any reasonable, responsible gun owner wants innocent people to be slain, by any weapon, especially guns.

Gun Control - What Can Be Done?

Here are some of my thoughts on the Gun Control issue from the past.  As always I have kept an open mind and heart to the whims and rhetoric of both sides of the issue as events occur.

http://presidentcalebreeve.blogspot.com/2008/12/guns.html

http://www.lp.org/issues/gun-laws

http://creeve.blogspot.com/2008/04/virginia-tech-and-gun-control.html

What has happened today, events just this year, and also in the past years, have been terrible, atrocious, and horrific. I do not condone them. I am pained by the actions of these people who commit heinous acts of violence, especially towards innocent children. My heart hurts for the loss of life.  I love children.  It is so sad to me that someone could do something like this.

This person was obviously disturbed.  As have been the people who have committed these violent acts in the past.  I have yet to see a responsible, level headed, gun owner go on a shooting rampage and kill dozens of innocent people.  To me, it is similar to drunk driving.  There are people out there who are responsible when they drink.  They have a designated driver, they call a cab, they limit their consumption.  It is the same with gun owners.  Some, unfortunately and tragically, decide to abuse the powers they have been given.  It is so with guns and these mass shooting we have seen recently.

I don't think guns should be outlawed entirely.  That is not what needs to happen.  I think a better screening process and training could be put in place.  Something similar to a driver's license could be issued that needs to be renewed annually or biannually.  It would list what guns you own.  A test would look at different factors relating to gun laws. i.e.

• What are the local laws that regulate gun use in your Town, City, State? 
• Knowledge about what federal laws regulate gun ownership?   
• Can a person demonstrate that they can use a gun properly? (I think a field test should be necessary as well.)

Or maybe another option is that in order to own a firearm of any kind you must belong to an official militia.  This militia would be governed by laws created by congress and enforced by the ATF or another responsible government entity.  It would not be something where meeting the qualifications is nearly impossible but something a reasonable person can sign up for.  They can assemble for regular meetings, trainings and where local issues could be discussed.  It also satisfies the literal definition of the 2nd Amendment.  In addition, there may come a time when we have to defend ourselves FROM our own government if there is ever severe oppression.  The 2nd Amendment speaks to that as well.

It is for these reasons I argue that guns should not be outlawed completely but well regulated in a manner that doesn't create an impossible set of requirements but shows dedication, appreciation and respect for weapons that can cause such tragedies as the one we have seen today.

Virginia Tech and Gun Control

Today hundreds of protests were held across the country to make people aware of the year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting. These protestors laid on the ground for 3 minutes to represent the time it took for the guy who shot up the place to buy a gun.

I don’t think that “gun control” is the answer…to anything. It may cause more problems than is solves. When it comes down to it crazy people, that are going to shoot up a school or place of business, are just crazy people. Motivated crazy people are going to find guns one way or another. There really isn’t an effective or reasonable way to control that.

Let’s face it; MOST of the people that buy guns do so for perfectly legitimate reasons. MOST people buy guns for recreation or personal protection. MOST people who buy guns are responsible. MOST people hope they never have to use a gun to protect themselves. It is my guess that MOST the people who legally get concealed weapons permits are not the people you have to worry about shooting places up. When you go about the legal process, you are trained, your background is checked, your finger prints taken; its not really a process someone who plans on breaking the law and killing a bunch of people would go through. I’d like to see some statistics about homicides committed by those with a CWP and people with out.

Codes of Conduct and rules at Virginia Tech said that guns were not allowed on campus. So when that was passed over a year before the shooting, law-abiding citizens and students wouldn’t have guns on campus…just the people that didn’t care for the rules. Did you ever think that if those ‘gun control’ had not been there someone legally carrying a gun on campus might have blasted that dude before he killed so many unarmed innocent people? I carried a gun legally on campus when I was at school. Luckily nothing ever went down where I had to use it. Just thought I would bring it up as something to think about.