Of all the 'gun debate' issues, this one seems to have the most people either confused, or less informed. So lets discuss.
First off, let me state my position, then I'll tell you why I'm flexible on my opinion. I believe in the Constitution of these United States, by the people, for the people and all that. Reads plain as day to me, the Supreme Court and now the vast majority of 'the people'; you have the the Right to Keep (own) and Bear (carry) arms, the Bill of Rights merely reminds the government of this fact and says back off. The only people that would benefit from a 'disarmed America' would be our enemies - both foreign and domestic. Every one of us (mil/leo/etc.) swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and we take that very seriously.
Secondly, no one I know wants criminals or crazy people to have guns. We abhor violence and do not own guns seeking violence, but to be prepared to stop it if an emergency arises. So for this reason, I do want some checks and balances to make it difficult for crooks/crazies to get guns; I'm generally for background checks. Especially for those that would like to lawfully carry a firearm in public. I'm also for training, and issuing some kind of license or ID for those that lawfully carry in public. I know all the arguments, and this is where I stand today. If more of us returned to this 'middle ground', in states that still have draconian anti-gun laws (like Maryland) we would all be a lot better off. Ultimately though, states that have gone what many of us refer to as 'Constitutional' carry; are doing pretty well, so maybe down the road, that is a better solution. Then, any person in possession of a firearm is legal, it's just what they are doing with that firearm and if they are a 'denied person' then they are wrong. Very easy to sort out, and does away with a lot of paperwork.
Back to 'Universal Background Checks.' Here in Maryland that is already the law, with very few exceptions. Anyone reading this that has never purchased a firearm in Maryland, I welcome you to go into a gun shop and just ask. You will be told that you will have to pass a (reasonable in my opinion) background check to purchase ANY firearm. Same holds true at gun-shows. Even if you want to buy a handgun from a private citizen (handguns are overwhelmingly used in the majority of crimes), you still have to pass a background check. You can do this through a gun shop, or through the Maryland State Police at any of their barracks. Its all very official, and it works. Criminals don't bother to do any of this, they just buy them from other criminals and never go through any background check. So all these laws only affect those that want to obey the law.
There is no evidence that 'background checks' actually curb crime, so why are so many people making such a big deal about background checks, when the criminals already don't care, and don't subject themselves to checks? Because the anti-gun elites only want to keep making new laws and make it increasingly more complicated, expensive and onerous for law-abiding citizens - until someday they can outright ban guns in America. That's it.
I know a lot of people that own several firearms; many of them are designated collectors, police officers, military, business people, and just everyday hard working folks that want to legally buy a gun and be left the hell alone. It is absolutely absurd that these people, the law-abiding people, have to pay and go through the 'background check' mill time after time. Many of these people have handgun licenses (the Maryland Handgun Qualification License (HQL)), or permits to carry from other states. Even a uniformed police officer who might walk into a gun shop to buy a personal firearm has to go through yet ANOTHER background check. Let me say that another way, he has a loaded firearm on his person at the moment that he has to pass ANOTHER background check to buy a gun. It is utterly absurd how far things have gone, and the law makers only have one solution, more asinine laws that only hurt the good people.
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So the next time someone says they are in favor of universal background checks, ask them what that means; and then ask them if they think criminals are buying guns legally.
If you are new to this topic, I invite you to read these good articles before repeating the catch phrases the media has been feeding us for decades now:
https://reason.com/blog/2015/10/08/4-reasons-universal-background-checks-ar
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-a...hecks-for-all-guns-purchases-and-or-transfers
First off, let me state my position, then I'll tell you why I'm flexible on my opinion. I believe in the Constitution of these United States, by the people, for the people and all that. Reads plain as day to me, the Supreme Court and now the vast majority of 'the people'; you have the the Right to Keep (own) and Bear (carry) arms, the Bill of Rights merely reminds the government of this fact and says back off. The only people that would benefit from a 'disarmed America' would be our enemies - both foreign and domestic. Every one of us (mil/leo/etc.) swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and we take that very seriously.
Secondly, no one I know wants criminals or crazy people to have guns. We abhor violence and do not own guns seeking violence, but to be prepared to stop it if an emergency arises. So for this reason, I do want some checks and balances to make it difficult for crooks/crazies to get guns; I'm generally for background checks. Especially for those that would like to lawfully carry a firearm in public. I'm also for training, and issuing some kind of license or ID for those that lawfully carry in public. I know all the arguments, and this is where I stand today. If more of us returned to this 'middle ground', in states that still have draconian anti-gun laws (like Maryland) we would all be a lot better off. Ultimately though, states that have gone what many of us refer to as 'Constitutional' carry; are doing pretty well, so maybe down the road, that is a better solution. Then, any person in possession of a firearm is legal, it's just what they are doing with that firearm and if they are a 'denied person' then they are wrong. Very easy to sort out, and does away with a lot of paperwork.
Back to 'Universal Background Checks.' Here in Maryland that is already the law, with very few exceptions. Anyone reading this that has never purchased a firearm in Maryland, I welcome you to go into a gun shop and just ask. You will be told that you will have to pass a (reasonable in my opinion) background check to purchase ANY firearm. Same holds true at gun-shows. Even if you want to buy a handgun from a private citizen (handguns are overwhelmingly used in the majority of crimes), you still have to pass a background check. You can do this through a gun shop, or through the Maryland State Police at any of their barracks. Its all very official, and it works. Criminals don't bother to do any of this, they just buy them from other criminals and never go through any background check. So all these laws only affect those that want to obey the law.
There is no evidence that 'background checks' actually curb crime, so why are so many people making such a big deal about background checks, when the criminals already don't care, and don't subject themselves to checks? Because the anti-gun elites only want to keep making new laws and make it increasingly more complicated, expensive and onerous for law-abiding citizens - until someday they can outright ban guns in America. That's it.
I know a lot of people that own several firearms; many of them are designated collectors, police officers, military, business people, and just everyday hard working folks that want to legally buy a gun and be left the hell alone. It is absolutely absurd that these people, the law-abiding people, have to pay and go through the 'background check' mill time after time. Many of these people have handgun licenses (the Maryland Handgun Qualification License (HQL)), or permits to carry from other states. Even a uniformed police officer who might walk into a gun shop to buy a personal firearm has to go through yet ANOTHER background check. Let me say that another way, he has a loaded firearm on his person at the moment that he has to pass ANOTHER background check to buy a gun. It is utterly absurd how far things have gone, and the law makers only have one solution, more asinine laws that only hurt the good people.
-
So the next time someone says they are in favor of universal background checks, ask them what that means; and then ask them if they think criminals are buying guns legally.
If you are new to this topic, I invite you to read these good articles before repeating the catch phrases the media has been feeding us for decades now:
https://reason.com/blog/2015/10/08/4-reasons-universal-background-checks-ar
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-a...hecks-for-all-guns-purchases-and-or-transfers