We have let the NRA put the discussion of gun control off long enough. Everytime there is a shooting, all I hear is " Now is not the time". Well, we can’t go a few months between shootings here, so lets make the time. The distractions are non sequitur. A failure of the mental health system? No. None of these shooters did anything that would have put them in the system in the first place. The criminal justice system? No. None of these shooters had a criminal record. All they had in common was legal access to multiple guns. That is it. A question for all those who are afraid of the gubmint taking their guns away: how many times have you actually had to defend your house with a gun? If you want conceal carry, how many times have you drawn your gun in public? How many times have you walked into a convenience store and stopped a crime? Never. It doesn’t happen. When extra guns have been involved, innocent people got hurt. I have been held at gunpoint 3 times when I ran a drug store, and if I or anyone else would have had a gun, it would have resulted in a death (probably my own) instead of the criminal getting away with some Vicodin and being caught two days later because I stayed calm and identified them for the police. I will say the second amendment does guarantee gun ownership, but it is time to discuss what limits can be put on it. One hand gun and one rifle per citizen? How many do you need if you’re not looking to commit a crime? A required police trained course to acquire a gun? Why not? You have to do that to drive a car. Yearly registration and inspection checks? Why not? Again, your car requires the same. With every right comes responsibilities, why should guns be different?
We have let the NRA put the discussion of gun control off long enough. Everytime there is a shooting, all I hear is " Now is not the time". Well, we can’t go a few months between shootings here, so lets make the time. The distractions are non sequitur. A failure of the mental health system? No. None of these shooters did anything that would have put them in the system in the first place. The criminal justice system? No. None of these shooters had a criminal record. All they had in common was legal access to multiple guns. That is it. A question for all those who are afraid of the gubmint taking their guns away: how many times have you actually had to defend your house with a gun? If you want conceal carry, how many times have you drawn your gun in public? How many times have you walked into a convenience store and stopped a crime? Never. It doesn’t happen. When extra guns have been involved, innocent people got hurt. I have been held at gunpoint 3 times when I ran a drug store, and if I or anyone else would have had a gun, it would have resulted in a death (probably my own) instead of the criminal getting away with some Vicodin and being caught two days later because I stayed calm and identified them for the police. I will say the second amendment does guarantee gun ownership, but it is time to discuss what limits can be put on it. One hand gun and one rifle per citizen? How many do you need if you’re not looking to commit a crime? A required police trained course to acquire a gun? Why not? You have to do that to drive a car. Yearly registration and inspection checks? Why not? Again, your car requires the same. With every right comes responsibilities, why should guns be different?