Again, What Is It Going To Take?

   

REPOST ON 2/22/18
     This topic, GUNS; this is I think, the fourth or fifth time, I've posted this, or another similar,  hoping against hope, after yet another tragedy, for 21st Century updated gun rules, laws, and regulations.

     I have never wanted to infringe on somebody's right to own a gun, to keep at home for safety.  I question the rationale, but I also question the rationale of owning a fast car or a super large house, when you have to work most of the 24/7 to pay for each.  Having a gun for personal safety, without training and regular practice... most of us are not Angelina and Brad in Mr. & Mrs. Smith; nor are we Denzel in The Equalizer.  But, if you want a gun at home, fine.  Handgun, fine; hunting rifle or shotgun; fine.  Is it too much to ask for one to have a license, and required renewal's every year, complete with physical, mental, eye exam, etc.  As well as one for all who have access to it?  To drive a car, you must go through getting a license, have money to purchase a car as well as insurance; and a car's raison d' etre (reason for existence) is transportation.  Why is it such a bother to ask for sense for an instrument is made for killing?  Killing still is illegal, isn't it?

     As writer/comedian Sara Benincasa wrote in "Dear America: Here's Your Gun Solution-


Things change.
Folks evolve. 

     As things change, so do the rules for them.  Think of how cars have changed.  With every change, speed limits have changed, safety devices have been added.

     Marriage has changed.  At one time it was merely an agreement that properties or kingdoms were merged.
   
      Guns have changed; why not the laws, rules, etc?
      Here's another way of looking at it:
   If Ben Franklin or any other men of the Constitutional age, had created or known of an AK-47; DON'T YOU THINK, THERE WOULD BE DIFFERENT LAWS PUT IN PLACE THEN?

     How about stricter ammunition laws?

     Since if one is a decent shot, it only takes one, or at the most a handful, to kill-  anything more is redundant/overkill.

     Why not keep track of how many rounds, what kind of bullets, one person buys?  We usually hear about it after a tragedy.  Why not enter the details in a computer that's linked with other gun sellers, so if person Y buys 20 bullets from Gun Shop A, then they are unable to purchase more. SOMEONE THAT BUYS MORE THAN A DOZEN SINGLE BULLETS, CANNOT BE UP TO ANYTHING GOOD.

    I don't have all the answers.

I just know the answers we agreed on 50 years ago do not apply to today's world.

Much less the answers from 225+ years ago.



Below, is an Update as of August 2015, and then the original post that I started in 2014.

UPDATE AS OF 8/27/15-This is going to be pretty much a reposting of the original, but there were just a few more thoughts I wanted to add, so...
     Early yesterday morning there was another tragedy as a result of guns ending up in the wrong hands.
     So, yet again, here I am wondering, what is it going to take?
     I can no longer believe it's about the Second Amendment.  Not when so many lives are lost, every day.  
     It's about the money: and a greed at the expense of life.
     It's strange to me, that there are those that are trying to change and do away with parts of the Fourteenth Amendment; yet refuse to take a hard look at the Second.  When there are those who are Pro-Life; until that life emerges, and the concern is gone. 
     My thoughts go out to the loved ones of the reporter, the loved ones of the cameraman; as well as to the loved ones of the shooter; as they try to make sense, and find peace.
UPDATE:  Here's another eye opening article by New York Times' Nickolas Kristof: Lessons From the Virginia Shooting

     

     Do you know what this is?

     I confess, I had never given it a thought.  And I LOVE JAMES BOND FILMS.  Despite seeing this image, who knows, how many times; I never gave a thought to what it actually was. 

    What it is, is the view out of a barrel of a gun.  Whether it's supposed to be a Beretta 418 or a Walther PPK, I do not know.  Kinda pretty.  The view from the other side of the barrel, not as much.

     This post was originally started in October of 2014.  Given the recent shooting at a church in Charleston, SC, and now the shooting in Louisiana, I STILL would like to know, what is it going to take?

     Then yesterday I saw that : GOP Candidate RICK PERRY was making headlines.  Well, we know James Eagan Holmes and John Russell Houser agree.

     I for one, do not want to sit in a dark movie theater wondering what state of mind, and if and what, the person behind me is packing.   Lest Mr. Perry has forgotten this story: "Dad's Texting Daughter Sparks Fatal Shooting".  Keep in mind, the shooter was a retired police officer.  So, yes Mr. Perry, he was trained.  
     In trying to find out the latest on that case, I came across this article: "Retired Officer Kills 2 Daughters, Self, Officials Say."  Apparently, he even shot the dogs.  Just because they're trained; that just makes them a better shot.  Doesn't say anything as to their mental state.  Should we be grateful that these 2 trained shooters didn't shoot more people?

     When I started this post last October, in 2 days, there had been 2 shootings.  There was a school shooting in Washington, and there was a shooting in California where officers were shot and involved an extensive search for the shooter.

And those are just the ones that were reported on at the time.

     So, if we're going to have guns, is it too much to ask; to figure out at the very least, a few rules? 

Here are a few suggestions, that I've seen, and I think have merit.

     *The owner has a complete annual physical, and annual mental health evaluation.  As does anyone that has access.

     *The owner remains in form, by documented shooting practice at a range on a monthly basis.

     *The type of guns available for private not service use, are limited to hunting rifles, handguns, and muskets.

     *Registration of gun(s) tied in with income taxes.  Not sure how, but interesting notion.

     *Must complete a course on responsible ownership.

Keep in mind I'm a parent, so I'm a big fan of the idea of "Play nice with your toys, or you lose it."  

It's been over 200 years since the Second Amendment was written.  Consider, how many guns have been invented since then?

A couple of posts to read and consider:
The Most Common Weapons Available in 1791

and with 5 words, this writer believes we could fix the problem of the 2nd Amendment:
The 5 Extra Words That Can Fix The Second Amendment.

      I am from West Virginia.  I had family that hunted and thus, had guns.  Yet, as hard as try to remember, I have no idea where and how were the guns were stored.  I never saw them.  I just ate the spoils.  I also had Gun Safety in school, (think 8th grade) where we were taught the proper handling and even got to shoot a rifle.  I also know of loved ones being shot in the heat of the moment; suicides, and being killed in the crossfire of gang shots.  And in my family, the history of mental illness is prevalent; so no gun.  Just like you, my experience is what makes up my reality and my decisions. 

I close with this video of Australian comedian Jim Jeffries.