This is a myth, perpetrated by the NRA.
Most guns wind up in the wrong hands via the process of straw-man purchases. In these cases, two people each visit a gun store, probably at separate times, one person selects his choice of weapon, the second pays for it. The one paying for it can pass gun ownership laws. He later picks it up, and then the first person, ineligible for gun ownership, or wanting a non traceable gun, pays the legitimate buyer for the gun and all necessary extras, plus a nice fee for doing the buying for him.
This is a common practice, and Walmart may be serving up the very guns used to rob Walmart. http://www.democraticunderground.com/117287171
So, what to do?
When you buy a gun you have to post a bond, which could be done on a sliding scale, from say $100 per gun to $10,000 per gun, depending one your previous year's tax return.
Once a year, you drop by the sheriff's office with your last five guns, simply to prove that you still have them. If you are missing one, and can't show paperwork from the dealer you sold them to, you forfeit your bond to the victims' fund. And you are not allowed to buy any additional guns for one full year. And the amount you have to post as a bond doubles for the next gun.
This would result in a very dramatic decrease in straw-man sales.
This would also result you making darn sure your guns are safe from stranger theft or household "borrowing." This appears to be what happened in the Sandy Hook case.
The argument for repelling foreign invaders is comical. If the USA armed forces can't stop them with their fire power, what chance will you have?
Fighting against a home grown tyrant are you? If he controls the armed forces and they are doing his bidding, you are screwed. If he doesn't, the armed forces will take him out and you just really are not needed in that scenario.
Self protection while in your home? Dogs and pop-on lights give you plenty of advanced warning during which you can get your gun. If you were really worried, you'd buy those first, as well as an alarm system. All three have serious deterrent effects, and give you the time to get your gun out of the safe. Finger-impression reading safes are near instantaneous for access.
Self protection away from home? If someone gets the drop on you, then your gun becomes part of the booty they collect from you, and you may have unwittingly helped kill an innocent person in the future. Did you think muggers announced their intentions before striking? Pay attention and don't go places where this is likely to happen.
A side note here: If musicians could only do one pluck, drumbeat, voice note, trumpet blast, etc per second, music would be pretty boring. Still, using just one pull of the trigger per second, you can kill sixty people in just one minute. End the myth that semi auto is safe and auto is dangerous.
Another side note: You can teach, or you can watch for ambush. You sure as hell can't do both at the same time! If teachers are known to be armed, who will the killer take out first? When a plane crashes and we can't explain it. we ground the rest of that type, until the situation is at least ameliorated. Ban the sale of all Glocks and SIG's until new restrictions are in place to at least reduce the l;ikelihood of the event recurring.
Ban the ammo too to get all of the NRA's attention focused properly. Buy a gun, leave the government with a $1000 bond. If, a year later you cannot produce the gun for your local sheriff, you forfeit the $1000 into the victims' fund. Make you think twice about locking it up. Laws can be constructed to make such tragic events less likely. Use your imagination. You can think of any? Use your imagination to imagine YOUR kid or grand-kid killed this way, maybe it will kick in after all. Those who feel as I do outnumber the NRA.
Another side note, my first FB post after learning of the situation: "Time to take action: A total moratorium on all gun sales until new rules are in place. Let the NRA know they are outnumbered. I had to learn of this from a student in a class I was teaching. Her mom had texted and called her in total panic. FTS!"
And yet another side note from a friend:
River Wolf ~
I am an American living in another country, Vietnam. I would also tell
you that I am a US Marine veteran and have been tested with just about
every assault weapon, hand gun and more. I will report to you the way it
is here and you can draw your own conclusions.
There are no guns allowed here in Vietnam, not even for the police.
This is a country of 85 million people and there are never any bank
robberies, armed robberies and virtually no murders here other than a
husband or a wife taking a knife to their spouse. There has never been
anything at the these schools, absolutely none, like what frequently
happens in America of what seems like every time we turn on the
television. The police never kill anyone either.
2 comments:
It's nice to see SOMEONE has a clue.
Doug, your thoughtful yet strong approach to this situation is so wise. I can't believe how so many have been duped into thinking they can defend themselves against a foreign or domestic invasion with their own few weapons. And the comment from your friend in Vietnam. I had no idea. We don't hear about these facts and they are powerful arguments that we should all pause to collect and move forward from. It's time, long past time, for serious and dramatic change. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Post a Comment