The rest of the world thinks America’s gun policies are crazy.
A majority of Americans think so, too. Guns are simply too accessible, and in the hands of people who plainly shouldn’t have them.
We really don’t need examples; mass shootings, school shootings, and gun crimes speak for themselves. But I’ll throw a couple out there anyway.
Last week a first-grader, a 6-year-old boy, intentionally shot a teacher in a classroom confrontation. In today’s news, a disgruntled customer shot at employees of a Taco Bell that was closing because he couldn’t get served (story here). It’s nuts we have this in our country.
The NRA, Republican Party, and Second Amendment are all obstacles to rationale gun regulation. We regulate prescription medicines, driving a car, cutting hair, and a host of other things; deregulating guns makes no sense.
The Second Amendment isn’t the insuperable obstacle it may appear to be. Courts haven’t ruled — yet — that convicted felons are entitled to guns. We need two things: (1) Laws making any misuse of a gun a felony; and (2) enforce the gun laws we already have (e.g., forbidding felons from possessing guns).
The rule should be that if you shoot up a Taco Bell because they’re closed and won’t serve you, (1) you’re going to prison, (2) you’ll never touch a gun again, and (3) if you do, back to prison you go.
It’s time to stop pussyfooting around with those who abuse their gun rights. If they misuse a gun, lock ’em up. That would go a long way to keep guns away from hands that can’t be trusted with them.