Have
we forgotten the ten year period when making new assault rifles was
banned, and strict rules were placed on their sale and use? It worked, limited
though it may have been. The ban was passed under President Clinton and extended into Bush
2, ending in '04 when a GOP Congress refused to extend it. For shame, as
Jim Brady told his fellow Republicans.
Hunters
and "sportsmen" do not need assault rifles to kill deer, bear,
rabbits, pheasants, foxes and the like. Perfectly ordinary rifles
and shotguns will do thank you. Assault rifles are civilian versions of
military weapons..and that's where they belong..in the hands of our military
and police..not in every home.
So
first, we need to reinstate the ban on assault weapons--the weapons of choice
of Columbine, Aurora, Virginia Tech, and Newtown.
Second,
we need to end the gun show loophole. It is totally unfair to legal arms
dealers (of which there are more in America than there are McDonald's!!!) It
allows sellers at shows to by-pass the FBI check and other rules required if
you buy the exact same weapon from a brick-and-mortar shop. Totally
unfair to legit businesses; are you listening GOP? (Let's ask Andy Barr where
he stands on this unfair business situation!)
If
we can pass these two basic laws, we can break the NRA stranglehold, much as
Grover Norquist's ill-fated tax pledge is shriveling up. We might even get
meaningful mental health programs designed to try to spot the potential mass
killer early.
Remember,
not even the Supreme Court has said you have a right to own machine guns (though
some assault rifles come very close..) or bazookas. Even the Second Amendment
has its limitations.
But
our anguish after Sandy Hook should not be limited..nor our determination to do
something.
It
can be done because it has been done!
I'm just sayin'...
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