Quote:
Isn't protecting us a primary function of our government?
What do I want my government to do? How about:
(1) Stop the indiscriminate sale of guns at gun shows to anyone with money, without even conducting a criminal background check?
(2) Unshackle the CDC to allow them to study gun violence and make recommendations? The CDC, the nation's public health agency, is now restricted from making recommendations on sensible ways to reduce gun violence.
(3) Ban high capacity magazines and assault weapons?
(4) Provide adequate funding for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness?
(5) Conduct a nationwide gun buyback to reduce the number of weapons?
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I don't know that the primary function of government is to protect us. It's function is to protect our rights. Maybe that's just a matter of semantics but the government should be protecting our right to bear arms.
1) I agree that something should be done about gun show sales. But most gun crimes are committed with guns that have been obtained illegally. Also how is it possible to prevent the secondary sales of guns. There are laws that say that if I own gun that I'm not allowed to sell it to someone without proper paperwork. But what if I break the law? I sell the gun and report it stolen. Another example of how laws do not protect us. They only provide a way to punish people that break them.
2) I agree. But congress will never allow it because it takes power away from them. They create anti gun laws that do nothing and then take credit for trying to fix the problem. It's all about getting re-elected.
3) The latest mass murder and several others were committed with a handguns. Some of the shooters had multiple handguns and it only take a few seconds to reload most handguns. Only about 300 of the 33,000 guns deaths in this country in 2013 were from rifles. Banning "assault weapons" is simply silly since there is no definition of what an "assault rifle" is. The laws have been passed have banned "scary looking" guns. They have banned things like attachments that keep the barrel cool and grips that make the gun more comfortable to hold and shoot. Besides, high capacity magazines and "assault weapons have already been banned and the mass murders continue.
4) Absolutely yes. I couldn't agree more. Stop wasting money by passing laws trying to control gun ownership by responsible, law abiding people and put it toward mental health research and treatment. But I see this as highly unlikely because there is nothing for politicians to take credit for here. This wouldn't help them get re-election votes. And observing our government in operation for 60 years, I don't recall them transferring money from a program that doesn't work to try one that does. They simply want more money.
5) Again, the criminals are not going to turn in their guns. In states where they have instituted these buy back programs, most of the returned guns were from old soldiers and kids of soldiers that had guns laying around for years. Gun buy back programs by states have been ineffective. In fact it has been found that many people turned in old non-working firearms only to purchase better ones.