I'm going to try starting a conversation about what "responsible" gun laws should look like...

[hunter]

73. I'm hard core and unreasonable about guns.

I posted this in my journal:

Is the second ammendment a good thing? No. Hand me my black Sharpie marker. I'll take care of it.

I think anyone who owns a gun ought to be required to do a six week military boot camp, adapted to their physical abilities, but mentally and physically challenging in every way. Anyone who drops out, gets kicked out for anger issues, being a racist asshole, whatever... sorry, no gun license and three years before you can try again.

In addition gun owners would be required to do six weeks of national service every other year, not necessarily related to military or police types of duty, but working closely with a diverse sampling of the entire U.S. population -- white, black, young, old, immigrant, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, wealthy, poor, urban, rural, LBGT, etc. These gun owners would also be on call for military service at all times.

Licensing requirements for a very limited variety of hunting rifles and shotguns would not be so strict, but still require training and exams, rather like a driver's license.

Possessing a gun without a license would result in a mandatory one year prison sentence.

Posted by hunter | Thu Apr 25, 2013, 07:48 AM

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=journals&uid=109742

The service requirement may seem harsh, but I think we need to take away the guns of racists, misogynists, people with anger issues, and people who have histories of violent crimes, especially domestic violence.

For reasonable peaceful people these "boot camps" and recurring public service requirements could be almost vacation-like. Gun owners would meet interesting people from all walks of life. For some it would be hell, they would have to work with and live with the sorts of people they most fear. If they can't do it they shouldn't have guns.

I think the military requirement is reasonable too. If one is willing to shoot someone in self defense, one ought to be willing to take up arms in defense of their nation. It might also be possible to disband much of our standing military.

Yep, I know it's a fantasy...