Locking Up Loughner's Guns, It Can Be Done

Technorati Profilehttp://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

It is possible to set up a system where professionals like psychologists, teachers, doctors, social workers, law enforcement, and others, can enter reports into the database use to clear gun purchases. They would enter brief descriptions of questionable behavior, and also rate the incident, from 1 to 9, vague unease/oh my God! The gun seller would only see the flags, and the ratings. If he say, saw 3 "1's", he might go ahead a sell the gun. If he saw 30 reports, rated all over the map, then he would know to call in a professional to go through and evaluate the actual reports.

Why do we always have to find out afterwards from these folks, let's do pre-emptive work to avoid the pain and sorrow, and possible save the deranged. There would have to be an appeals process, but such a system would have stopped Loughner cold, and Christina Green would still be alive.

For those who advocate everybody carrying firearms, please consider the following:

Not one single gun was drawn in that crowd, but there probably were a couple of concealed carry folks in the vicinity. Looks like they couldn't stop what they were doing, get out their guns, assess the situation, and get an innocents' free line of sight going. If they had tried, how many bystanders would have tackled them?

Based on the speed of what he did, and his crazyness (including his willingness to die, a possibility for which he left notes), do you think you could have reacted fast enough to shoot him, and not hit anybody else?

Do you think you would risk drawing a gun where others likewise armed might think YOU were the bad shooter? You have to stop him as he tries to purchase, not at the OK Corral. And finally, if everyone, including the unstable, were armed to the teeth, how often would you go to the mall?

As a variation, you could have average Joe submissions, even friend's, ex wife's and relative's submissions, but these would have to be submitted by a licensed psychologist, who simultaneous and confidentially makes observations about the submittee. This would reduce false information, except from the truly determined or trust funded, as they would have to pay for the submission.

I've come up with a funny name for this system to keep the mentally unstable from getting guns.

"Peg All Locos Instantly Nationally"