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hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
7,036
1,645
113
#81
This is what I don't understand with American politics. It appears you are either pro-guns or anti-gun restrictions. There is no common sense/pragmatic middle ground. Why is it impossible for people to be pro-guns and restrictions?
Who says gun people are against any regulations?
I'm certainly for common sense regulation that doesn't infringe on a citizen's right to purchase one.
The mechanism is already in place, it simply doesn't cover mental illness effectively.

Also, the gov't does not enforce existing laws. During the Clinton admin, the govt bragged about how many felons were prevented from purchasing firearms because of background checks.
Guess how many of those felons were prosecuted and incarcerated for violating federal law and their parole/probation?

None..

It's difficult to "sell" more lgislation (infringements) to the citizens when the existing laws/infringements aren't even enforced.
 

TheAristocat

Senior Member
Oct 4, 2011
2,150
26
0
#82
I really liked what you said and the points you've made. But seeing as the 2nd amendment was written for more than defense, do you disagree on any weapon bans (tanks, rocket launchers, hand grenades, even privately own nuclear bombs)? It would definitely put a greater amount of respect if a citizen could blow up a portion of their own country. If it's not a slippery slope, then it's an all out allowance for weapons.
I tend to interpret the law very broadly, because I don't believe that the founding fathers had political convenience in mind when they wrote it. I believe in some ways they had inconvenience for our future political leaders in mind. It would be very inconvenient for a future dictator to attempt to maintain absolute power when you have trained ex-military militiamen with semi-automatic and automatic rifles running around the countryside. So I would go so far as to allow common citizens to own many pieces of military hardware (and you can already purchase outdated pieces online) with government oversight. In terms of nuclear weapons, you have to ask whether or not opening said weapon up to the general population would fulfill the Second Amendment any better than a more mundane piece of hardware or if it would end up working against the original goal of the Second Amendment.

I don't think that background checks for firearms are a problem. I don't think that firearm bans for people with violent criminal pasts is a problem. But the real question is: will any of this type of legislation actually be successful in accomplishing its goal? Will ex-cons just pick up firearms elsewhere? Will people with violent pasts just borrow or steal firearms or get them off of the black market? If you want to regulate firearms in America, the best way to go about it is not to restrict or penalize law-abiding citizens but to come up with workable solutions to keep these firearms out of the hands of terrorists and criminals with recurring themes of violence in their lives.

So, again, regulation is fine as long as law-abiding citizens don't have to sacrifice their freedoms for the regulation to successfully work. What we currently have, however, is regulation that DOES NOT work in any way whatsoever and only serves to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding citizens to bear arms in direct contrast to the purpose of the Second Amendment. The system we have right now is the product of a politically divided America, so it is fairly dysfunctional.
 
V

Voldemort

Guest
#83
Who says gun people are against any regulations?
I'm certainly for common sense regulation that doesn't infringe on a citizen's right to purchase one.
The mechanism is already in place, it simply doesn't cover mental illness effectively.

Also, the gov't does not enforce existing laws. During the Clinton admin, the govt bragged about how many felons were prevented from purchasing firearms because of background checks.
Guess how many of those felons were prosecuted and incarcerated for violating federal law and their parole/probation?

None..

It's difficult to "sell" more lgislation (infringements) to the citizens when the existing laws/infringements aren't even enforced.
I'm pleased that you are pro-gun and regulations. Unfortunately, I've known many Americans (some even on this forum) who are against common sense regulations. They make it look like you can only be "pro-gun" or "anti-gun" (regulations). There is a third option, which you and I subscribe to. :)