My Opinion on Gun Regulation in America-give me your .02?

Question

It would seem we have reached an impass-Patrick

If you turn on your television, you will likely notice the omnious headlines of the latest local shooting, who did what, who's stockpiling, who's fighting in the middle east, and who's generally gone batshit insane.

Unfortunately, we've been desensitized to how tragic events like these really are, but in reality, it really doesn't phase us like it used too.

After a while, we, as a nation, have come to really fear the idea of guns (i prefer to call them firearms), or anything else that's generally dangerous. We recieve a very negative connotation when the word "gun" is spoken.

In 1994, we had the assault weapons ban. It blacklisted many firearms that didn't have any particular "sporting" purpose. This lasted till 04, and wasn't renewed. With all the latest violence, people (and more importantly, politicians) have started to raise questions about what kind laws are needed to protect the American people.

There's talk of having to register your semi-auto firearm (or face imprisonment), and/or an all out ban of every semi-auto alltogether. The main reason for this is preventing mentally unstable/young people getting hold of these sort of things and terrorizing the public.

In my opinion, this gets us nowhere. You see, only we, the law abiding citizens would surrender (although hastily) our firearms. This would solve nothing, but make some of us criminals (by not registering) and/or leaving the actual good people who might need them unarmed.

I believe I have the answer.

I think you should register firearm owners themselves. Before you turn against, hear my plan:
We license everything from driving a car to cutting hair:
The registration would be good for 5 years, applicable to those 18 and up. All that's needed to register is a physical/mental evaluation, (cost being roughly 100 dollars) Being deemed mentally competent to own a firearm, there should be no more further infringement on that person. No rifle/pistol/shotgun registry. No more banning of imported firearms (dropping the price tremendously) All the government knows is who is a gun owner and who is not (and the gun owners are obviously cleared as competent). No taxes on firearms or ammuntion (already covered with registration). Said cleared gun owner should be able to own non-sporting rifles, with a select fire capability (this being the only exception, select-fire should be registered with the government). SBR and SBS would be made without a tax, without registration. Purchases of firearms by non-registered people would be a felony.
Open carry/CCW is also a right under the gun owner license.

I believe this would prohibit any mentally incompetent/unstable people from owning a firearm, while letting those who are to actually have the recreational aspect that's typically infringed upon because of the public shootings (by the unstable),

The type of firearms we allow for sale would not be stunted. I believe the actual "assault" weapons defined on future ban lists are rarely (if ever) used in public shootings.

Not to be stereo-typical, but typically we just see people with sporting firearms (.22 pistols, hunting rifles) used, and not AKM's/AR's. So why do we attack the wrong people by taking those away? And is really worth taking the rights of the actual thousands of people who legally own those just because of one bad egg (not that they actually surface).

Hollywood's 1997 bank robbery was one rare exception.

What about mag capacity? Hi capacity mags (10+ rounds?)

I believe (just like with the ammunition and firearms) we only sell them to the registered gun owners. Think of it as a country club, being in has its perks.

Alot will oppose my arguments (paranoia and fear reguarding what big brother actually needs to know), but I feel I, as a law abiding citizen of this country, have nothing to fear, because I always keep within legal rammifications. This would mean me and my government would be on great terms, the guns stay out of the hands that aren't qualified, and the actual registered gun owners get the perks involved with being registered (no tax on firearm related items, firearm prices plummeting).

Let me know what you think. FYI, there's no right answer. You can call me a leftist socialist (I would disagree) as long as you explain yourself. Put some thought into this.

Answer 1

I completely disagree with you that we, as a nation, have come to really fear the idea of firearms. That is nothing but liberal gun control bigots propaganda. Firearms legally owned kill less than 1,000 people each year out of over 300 million people. Criminals kill less that 9,000 people a year with a firearm, while automobiles kill between 30,000 and 40,000 people per year, so why in Gods name would people fear a firearm more than an automobile?



Yes, in 1994, we had the assault weapons ban, that ban firearms only by looks not function, which I think is very stupid to say the least. These firearm were only used in 0.001% of all murders, but it did make the stupid liberal gun control bigots very happy, because the got to ban something for a change.

Yes, there is always talk of having to register firearms by the liberal gun control bigots, and I have ask hundreds of how the registration of a firearm would prevent it from being used to commit a crime, which I might add none can give a reasonal answer, can you? The best way of preventing mentally unstable/young people getting hold of these sort of things and terrorizing the public, is to get rid of all gun free zones, and allow law abiding people to carry their concealed carry firearms every where they go. They can put a stop to these unstable/young people from terrorizing the public in short order.



I can believe you can really believe that thinking registering firearm owners would reduce any crime. Only a completely idiot couldn't understand that criminals would not register themselves, only the law abiding people that do not commit crimes would register, and crime would not change, other than it would probably go up. Oh, and just so you know driving a vehicle, and cutting hair is not a protected right under the US Constitution. Do you really believe that we should have to have a license to protect our self? Say you are driving down the road and you see an automobile out of control heading right at you at a high rate of speed, you start to steer out of its path, and then stop because you forgot to get your license to protect yourself.



Your idea that all the government knows is who is a gun owner is flawed, because the one that are using their firearms for crime is NOT going to register their firearms, as you and I both know, at least I would hope you would know that. Now I have to ask where do youpurposee the finances for registering 300 million fireamrs is going to come from, and do you have any idea the cost of such am endever? Canada tried that for a couple of years and after a few billion dollars they threw the whole firearm registry out, like any intelligent person would do.



Your belief that a law abiding citizen of this country, have nothing to fear, only comes from ignorance, and not reading the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill. This bill sound more like something Stalin would have passed for Russia.



We already have in place a law that only allows people that are clear, and normal thinking with no criminal history to purchase a firearm, so what good would registration do more?



So what is so wrong with literally ANYBODY who looks over 18 can get their hands on a gun? If they are not a criminal you have nothing to worry, or complain about. You see I packed a sidearm on my hip from the time I was 12 years old for many years afterwards, and I have never use a firearm for any illegal purpose, but you want to punish the innocent because of what a very few bad apples do, that sir is not the real American way. This was after all a free county until we got so many people that think like you do.

Answer 2

You don't license a Right.

"With the current setup, literally ANYBODY who looks over 18 can get their hands on a gun."





No. All FFL [dealer] sales require a NICS check and completion of the ATF 4473 form.



Do people get around these 'common sense' limitations? Of course.

But with 250 millions or so in the US, the law-abiding owners seem to have little problem in staying legal.



Thugs and criminals won't follow any new regulations in any case.

Answer 3

The first step to communism

Answer 4

I... Actually agree with this.