brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,160
"Gun Control" is one of the most used and controversial terms these days, but I've almost never seen it defined and I think it means different things to different people.
If someone asks me I'll tell them I'm pro-gun and pro-gun control. Their inevitable reaction is you can't be both, quit waffling, you have to choose. I disagree entirely based on my definition of gun control.
Here's the pro-gun part: I believe that every adult American with no history of violent crime, major mental illness or other specified physical or mental conditions should be able to:
1)Own a gun
2)Concealed carry said gun
3)Concealed carry that gun anywhere in the 50 states including across state lines.
Here's the "Gun control" part
The gun owner must be competant and knowledgeable in the use, carry and storage of his gun, and able to pass tests measuring those abilities. He/she must not only be a competant shot, but also be able to retain self control in high stress situations so as to not unduly endanger himself or others. He/she should have at least rudimentary competence in low light operation of his firearm.
To assure that the gun owner is able to meet these qualifications mandatory, nationally standardized tests should be established administered by nationally certified testers and instructors. Any otherwise qualified candidate who fails the test may retake the test after obtaining remedial instruction from nationally certified instructors.
All testing and instruction will be free or very reasonably priced. After sucessful completion the gun owner will be issued a license, renewable every XX_years. Free or low priced "refresher" courses will be mandatory every_____XX time period.
The formation of shooting clubs shall be encouraged along with community wide programs of gun education, appreciation and respect. Participation in shooting clubs shall be especially encouraged for young people, perhaps as part of secondary school education, along with constant reminders of healthy gun practice, attitudes and relationships. America would hopefully become a gun-educated society in the finest sense of the term.
Clearly, I believe in gun ownership, but I want to feel secure in the knowledge that other (legal) gun owners are not a threat to my safety or the safety of my family.
I also believe that legal gun owners should be able to own virtually any semi-automatic weapon regardless of the terminology used to define it.
I'm not entirely comfortable with ownership of full automatic weapons and I'm still thinking about that one. Also, I believe there should be some limit placed on ordnance ownership, but I still haven't decided where or what it should be. I do believe, to give an extreme example, that no individual should be permitted to own a cruise missile. Humorous as this example may be to some, it highlights one of the contentious issues surrounding this subject.
I do believe in the "camel's nose under the tent" concept, but to a less urgent extent than many others.
Frankly, I would love to see American society encourage a healthy gun culture similar to that of Switzerland, but I'm not yet convinced of its viability in our culture.
So, that's my definition of and thoughts about gun control. What's yours?
Brightnorm
If someone asks me I'll tell them I'm pro-gun and pro-gun control. Their inevitable reaction is you can't be both, quit waffling, you have to choose. I disagree entirely based on my definition of gun control.
Here's the pro-gun part: I believe that every adult American with no history of violent crime, major mental illness or other specified physical or mental conditions should be able to:
1)Own a gun
2)Concealed carry said gun
3)Concealed carry that gun anywhere in the 50 states including across state lines.
Here's the "Gun control" part
The gun owner must be competant and knowledgeable in the use, carry and storage of his gun, and able to pass tests measuring those abilities. He/she must not only be a competant shot, but also be able to retain self control in high stress situations so as to not unduly endanger himself or others. He/she should have at least rudimentary competence in low light operation of his firearm.
To assure that the gun owner is able to meet these qualifications mandatory, nationally standardized tests should be established administered by nationally certified testers and instructors. Any otherwise qualified candidate who fails the test may retake the test after obtaining remedial instruction from nationally certified instructors.
All testing and instruction will be free or very reasonably priced. After sucessful completion the gun owner will be issued a license, renewable every XX_years. Free or low priced "refresher" courses will be mandatory every_____XX time period.
The formation of shooting clubs shall be encouraged along with community wide programs of gun education, appreciation and respect. Participation in shooting clubs shall be especially encouraged for young people, perhaps as part of secondary school education, along with constant reminders of healthy gun practice, attitudes and relationships. America would hopefully become a gun-educated society in the finest sense of the term.
Clearly, I believe in gun ownership, but I want to feel secure in the knowledge that other (legal) gun owners are not a threat to my safety or the safety of my family.
I also believe that legal gun owners should be able to own virtually any semi-automatic weapon regardless of the terminology used to define it.
I'm not entirely comfortable with ownership of full automatic weapons and I'm still thinking about that one. Also, I believe there should be some limit placed on ordnance ownership, but I still haven't decided where or what it should be. I do believe, to give an extreme example, that no individual should be permitted to own a cruise missile. Humorous as this example may be to some, it highlights one of the contentious issues surrounding this subject.
I do believe in the "camel's nose under the tent" concept, but to a less urgent extent than many others.
Frankly, I would love to see American society encourage a healthy gun culture similar to that of Switzerland, but I'm not yet convinced of its viability in our culture.
So, that's my definition of and thoughts about gun control. What's yours?
Brightnorm