[Patriot86]

Yeah..maybe your heart is in the right place; all of us gun owners hate when some not job goes on a rampage and the media decry its because of the guns and we want to prevent that.... but your argument that your ideas would have a minimal effect on lawful gun owners doesn't hold water.

1. Waiting periods will/do not keep criminals from acquiring firearms, all this does as act to discourage private lawful gun ownership. Those intent on harming others will find another way or find a way to illegally obtain a firearm to do their evil deeds. In regards to so called crimes of passion; again someone in a state of rage will find a way to do harm to someone if they are intent enough. You tell some woman who may be your daughter or your mother who is being stalked she needs to wait 10 days to defend herself...you tell some elderly person who may be your father or mother that they need to wait 10 days to defend themselves after being threatened by local hood's.

2. Would make owning/operating a gun store extremely expensive and basically impractical; guns would be much harder to lawfully obtain and there would be far fewer gun stores. Unless these additional people were paid for by the Government this large cost would be passed on to the consumer. Again this would do nothing to keep criminals from getting illegal guns and would just discourage lawful gun ownership. I will give you that it would also drive up the cost of illegal guns but that is just a cost of doing business as a criminal. Moreover what is a sign of mental illness? I think out loud sometimes when I am adding up large numbers...is that a sign? Maybe someone just had a 3 cups of coffee and are jittery..is that a sign of drug abuse? What giant bureaucratic apparatus would regulate what constitutes rational to deny someone the right to purchase a firearm.

3. Literacy tests have pretty much been eliminated as a "test" of ones competence to exercise their right to vote as it disenfranchises the poor and minorities; why would this be any different in regards to guns? I am for having to show some kind of competence in gun handing to obtain a carry permit but such a test should be inexpensive or free; much like a drivers licence and readily available to all. If drunkin-clueless Bubba wants to exercise his gun-clueless right to defend his home with a shotgun who are you or I to tell him that he doesn't know enough about firearms to do so.

4. Often people who get a carry permit are doing so in response to an immediate threat; be it from criminals, a violent individual in their lives, the sudden need to traverse dangerous areas for work or the need to transport valuables from place to place for ones job. Moreover it has been statistically shown CC permit holders are several times less likely to commit all types of violent and non violent crime vs. the general public.


5. Many spree killers/shooters who obtain their weapons "lawfully" get them weeks, sometimes months before they commit a crime.



Now what would I do to "improve" gun control?

1. Improve the way people who should be disqualified from owning a firearm due to legitimate mental illness are reported through the background check system.

2. Go after straw purchasers with much more vigor; punish every straw purchaser to the fullest extent of the law. DO NOT allow plea deals for straw purchasers; this sends a message that if you straw purchase a firearm to someone you will go to jail. Far too often even when they are caught and prosecuted straw purchasers are given a plea deal and receive little jail time.