Why anti-gun laws will never work in US

[billh58]

50. The result of this line of thinking

Last edited Thu Dec 27, 2012, 12:51 PM - Edit history (1)

is black or white -- all, or nothing. The NRA mantra of "more guns" as a solution is only adding more deaths to the daily total. As Americans, we have never been helpless in the face of a crisis, and we are resourceful enough to find a solution to the gun problem in this country.

I agree that repealing the 2nd Amendment is folly. I agree that confiscating all guns is both impractical, and not warranted. I agree that criminals will always find a way to get a gun whether it is through theft, or the greed of a thoughtless seller. These are the things that we can not change in the foreseeable future.

What I don't agree with is that we must face this reality and enter into an arms race with the "bad guys." I do NOT agree that the ONLY answer is crawling into the sewer with the rats and becoming what we despise. Changing social behavior and improving public health through legislation and education is always difficult, and will always piss off Libertarians and Republicans, but it has been proven to work.

We managed to greatly reduce the instances of drunk driving through tough legislation, public service messages, and stigma by making drunken driving "uncool." We managed to reduce the number of cigarette smokers in the USA by using the same methods. We manage to register and track almost as many automobiles in this country as there are guns without much resistance from the public. None of these things are prohibited by the 2nd Amendment unless you believe the NRA and their highly misleading messages of fear and intimidation.

We must start someplace, and small steps are entirely acceptable. We must begin to educate our children about the responsibilities AND the dangers associated with owning a gun. We must enact legislation which will enable our government to track ALL sales of firearms both commercial and private. We must strictly enforce laws already on the books regarding the public carry of illegal weapons, and enact mandatory and lengthy jail terms for using firearms in the commission of a crime. We must make the illegal use of firearms "uncool" and result in harsh penalties.

Most Americans (around 180 million, or so) do NOT own a gun, and feel no need for self-protection, and will not be affected by registration and tracking laws. Most Americans (around 100 million, or so) who own firearms are NOT members of the NRA, and are responsible gun owners, and will not be affected by stiffer penalties for criminals.

By working together, we can make it very difficult for the "bad guys" to obtain and use firearms. All it takes is a willingness to accept some responsibility for owning a gun, and a healthily respect for its potential to be used to kill and maim our own citizens. We owe at least an attempt to fix this problem to future generations of Americans.