Thom Hartmann: You Should Have a Reason to Own a Gun

[thomhartmann]

The suicide/mass-killing in Newtown has provoked Senator Dianne Feinstein to propose going back to the assault weapons ban that George W. Bush let lapse in 2004. That’s a nice start, but increasing numbers of Americans are calling for a ban on all guns, except for those carried by people who actually need them.

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check www.thomhartmann.com/tv for local listings

[Historic NY]

1. Limited access to ammunition in Israel

"Gun licenses must be renewed every three years and permits are given only for personal use, not for business in the firearms sale while holders for self-defense purposes may own only one handgun, and may purchase a maximum of fifty rounds a year, except for those shot at firing ranges."

[jjewell]

2. The 2nd Amendment is archaic...

And should be amended and revised. While I'm neither a "gun nut" nor even a gun owner, I recognize the necessity of firearms for self protection, in rural areas, and for sport, but there is no time coming when the US government is going to call up, and "well regulate" a militia consisting of regular US citizens, bringing in their own personal firearms to "protect the security of the free state".

Therefore, the "right" to keep and bear arms should devolve from a "right" to a "privilege", granted and regulated by the federal and state governments. The United States had no standing Army at the time the 2nd Amendment was adopted. It does now.

This "debate" is going to continue ad nauseam until the people recognize that a Constitutional Amendment to the 2nd Amendment is in order, retaining firearm ownership not as an enumerated Constitutional right, but as a privilege, much like car ownership.

It is much easier to expand and restrict a state granted privilege than it is a Constitutional right.