Tuesday, December 13, 2016

SERIOUS ABOUT GUN CRIME? FIX EXISTING PROBLEMS FIRST, E.G. BACKGOUND CHECKS

Dylan Roof, who murdered nine black church-members, was able to buy the handgun only because of a clerical error. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-latest-accused-shooter-had-list-of-black-churches/2016/12/12/111c6dd6-c08b-11e6-a52b-a0a126eaf9f7_story.html?utm_term=.18f6b0896703
The system is plagued with many problems.  Numerous murderers have been able  get guns unlawfully because of system errors.
  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/28/us/problems-riddle-system-to-check-buyers-of-guns.html?_r=0

If we are serious about trying to use gun control to cut down on gun crime, perhaps we should concentrate on fixing existing systems rather than passing new laws.  The failure to get serious about the laws we already have suggests that many gun controllers are more interested in controlling guns than fighting crime.

6 comments:

  1. I couldn't agree more with the last sentence. Anti-gunners honestly believe they can control violent crime by trespassing on people's 2A right. Trouble is, they've grabbed hold of the wrong control lever.

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  2. Sheesh! Gun control laws control honest people, not criminals.

    Charles Whitman could easily have been approved by NCIC, no errors necessary.

    Art

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    2. Second Amendment rights are not absolute. To a certain extent, the process of excluding those who are not entitled to the rights (e.g. felons, juveniles) may have to involve honest citizens. The best type of gun control would be, as you suggest, controls that do not impact honest citizens. However, it is not easy sometimes to separate the sheep from the goats. For instance, if we are going to effectively keep minors from purchasing alcohol, and avoid giving too much discretion to sellers,we have to check everyone's ID, including those who are lawfully authorized to purchase

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  3. Federal efforts like the NICS is in keeping with the founders' added constitutional right to keep and bear arms in 1791. "That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves ... and no law shall be passed for disarming the people or any of them, unless for crimes committed, or real danger of public injury from individuals ..." Pennsylvania Minority, Dec 18, 1787.

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