The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Changed my mind on universal background checks.

lcpiper · February 18, 2013, 02:39 PM

Why? I still do not understand this thinking?

Here is my thought process on it.

First, you can't stop the criminal from getting the gun without going absolutely draconian. If it get's that bad then this is all a moot point as we will be living without freedom.

So given that we will still own guns, criminals will be able to get guns. So you will not stop the criminal this way. But what about the other ones, the guy that was "normal" and goes wacko cause he got fired and now he is going to kill everyone at work? These kinds, how do you stop them this way? Until the day they go off the deep end, they are just like us. So tell me how you can stop any of it this way?

As for straw buyers selling to criminals what does that have to do with anything? Let's reverse engineer a crime. How about a mugging at gun-point in Chicago.

1. Man winds up at wrong place, wrong time.
2. Criminal attempts to rob a man at gun point.
3. Man resists criminal.
4. Criminal kills victim with gun.
5. Cops investigate scene of murder, man was shot, no weapon found.
6. Cops look for criminal based on forensic evidence, but chances are slim.
7. Suspected arrested on another crime, apartment searched, gun found in apartment.
8. Cops trace gun to FFL, gun sold legally to a buyer.
9. Now what? If the cops have a case that the guy who sold the gun did so illegally, then they can already prosecute him. The cops already have reason to investigate if the sale between the buyer and the criminal was legal or not.

10. But that is not the point, the point is how does this prevent the sale and it can not. The reason is because the original buyer, the "straw buyer", he is a criminal too, just hasn't been caught yet. This is the problem. So if the straw buyer is already a criminal, what's stopping him from committing another crime?

Such measures only look logical to those who view the problem as a law abiding citizen would view it. If you look at it from a criminal's point a view, it's just laughable.

Please explain you thinking guys, why do you even say you are for something that can't reasonably be done.

February 18, 2013, 02:39 PM	#40
lcpiper Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2011 Posts: 1,405	Why? I still do not understand this thinking? Here is my thought process on it. First, you can't stop the criminal from getting the gun without going absolutely draconian. If it get's that bad then this is all a moot point as we will be living without freedom. So given that we will still own guns, criminals will be able to get guns. So you will not stop the criminal this way. But what about the other ones, the guy that was "normal" and goes wacko cause he got fired and now he is going to kill everyone at work? These kinds, how do you stop them this way? Until the day they go off the deep end, they are just like us. So tell me how you can stop any of it this way? As for straw buyers selling to criminals what does that have to do with anything? Let's reverse engineer a crime. How about a mugging at gun-point in Chicago. 1. Man winds up at wrong place, wrong time. 2. Criminal attempts to rob a man at gun point. 3. Man resists criminal. 4. Criminal kills victim with gun. 5. Cops investigate scene of murder, man was shot, no weapon found. 6. Cops look for criminal based on forensic evidence, but chances are slim. 7. Suspected arrested on another crime, apartment searched, gun found in apartment. 8. Cops trace gun to FFL, gun sold legally to a buyer. 9. Now what? If the cops have a case that the guy who sold the gun did so illegally, then they can already prosecute him. The cops already have reason to investigate if the sale between the buyer and the criminal was legal or not. 10. But that is not the point, the point is how does this prevent the sale and it can not. The reason is because the original buyer, the "straw buyer", he is a criminal too, just hasn't been caught yet. This is the problem. So if the straw buyer is already a criminal, what's stopping him from committing another crime? Such measures only look logical to those who view the problem as a law abiding citizen would view it. If you look at it from a criminal's point a view, it's just laughable. Please explain you thinking guys, why do you even say you are for something that can't reasonably be done. __________________ Colt M1911, AR-15 \| S&W Model 19, Model 27\| SIG P238 \| Berreta 85B Cheetah \| Ruger Blackhawk .357MAG, Bearcat "Shopkeeper" .22LR\| Remington Marine Magnum SP 12GA., Model 700 SPS .223 Last edited by lcpiper; February 18, 2013 at 03:06 PM.