Guns

Guns are one of those "hot button" issues that both parties make a really big deal about. On one hand our country has a shamefully high number of gun deaths that occur each year, far too many for what is supposed to be the greatest country on earth. On the other hand, gun ownership is a fundamental right of our constitution and they are used by law abiding citizens for self protection, hunting, or even just for going to a shooting range on occasion.

What I've never been able to understand is why guns are an issue where the political "sides" have to fight each other so strongly. The constitution gives us the right to bear arms, but not without limitations. I can't go out and buy a rocket launcher, or a nuclear warhead, or mount a machine gun on my van. Why is it such an absurd idea to some politicians to have limits on weapons when there are already limits? What we need to do is make sure that guns are available to law abiding citizens and are restricted to those who would use them for harm. We need a national level system in place for gun registration and background checks. We need to close loopholes that allow people to buy guns unregistered online or at gun shows or flea markets. We need to have regular checks to make sure that those who own guns are still in possession of those guns instead of selling them off the books to those who would use them for nefarious purposes. We need to enforce the laws we already have in place.

An important piece of rhetoric you hear about guns from the right is that places with the strongest gun control regulations in this country still have a lot of gun violence, but this statement is logically flawed. There aren't border checks between states or cities, so a city like Chicago having strong gun laws still has a problem since people can just go out of the area to get those unregistered and unlicensed weapons.

Another slice of right rhetoric is that "outlawing guns won't be any more effective than outlawing drugs is, criminals will still have them". This argument is logically destroyed by one simple fact, people aren't physically addicted to owning more guns and you can't hide $10k worth of guns in your butt as you cross a border check. Stopping unlicensed gun purchasing and selling within our borders over time will reduce the number of unlicensed guns being used to commit crimes.

This doesn't stop a person from getting a gun, I personally like guns to a degree. I don't have any since I have small children and much more important things to spend my money on, but I grew up around guns. They're fun to use for target practice, deer meat is delicious, and if someone breaks into your house to hurt you or your family then by all means shoot them. The left needs to understand that guns are a part of American culture and the right needs to understand that we have a responsibility to make sure those guns are getting into the wrong hands.

I support a national system for gun registration and licensing, limiting the amount of ammo and number of guns an individual owns, making sure that people who register guns are holding onto those guns instead of selling them secretly, and exchange/buyback programs for people to be able to trade in unlicensed firearms or get them registered.