Piece work

I don't think this is going to change anything, but I find I have to speak out about guns.  Someone somewhere posted something saying, I badly paraphrase here, that the Second Amendment is just a law that people living 200 years ago constructed.  It's manmade, and can be unmade.  I agree.  It's tens of thousands of lives overdue.  So, here are my own personal recommendations for addressing gun violence.  I posted these on Facebook.  Not a single "friend" commented or "liked" them, likely because no one took the time to read the whole lengthy post.  I apologize in advance for hard-headedness, but I'm going to keep posting these thoughts over and over again.  

1. Repeal the Second Amendment, together with repeal of all “stand your ground” laws. No further “self defense” right using any firearm. No further right to carry concealed weapons. Legal use of guns by other than police, army, security personnel limited to lawful hunting and target practice/competition (such as in Olympics).

2. Ban possession of all assault rifles, all automatic and semi-automatic weapons and all ammunition for any of the same, possession of the same carries minimum fines and jail time, and bans the possessor permanently from ever receiving a license to own a gun.

3. All guns in the possession of anyone in the US must be turned in within one year of the law’s passage to specified local governmental offices.

4. When turned in, the gun owner may make an application to become a licensed gun owner. If the owner does not apply within the year, the gun is forfeited, subject to request for reimbursement (see #5 below)

5. During the first year after passage of the law, if the possessor of gun(s) does not want to apply to become a licensed gun owner and the possessor can demonstrate prior legal ownership of the gun(s), the possessor will be reimbursed the then fair market value of the gun(s), with 50% of the reimbursement paid by the government and 50% paid by the NRA.

6. The application process to obtain a license for gun ownership will include, at a minimum:

a. Background check;

b. Waiting period;

c. Documented completion of a required gun safety course;

d. Documented completion of a required gun operation course;

e. Proof of ownership of a gunlock.

f. Annual license renewal;

g. Proof of insurance;

h. Requirement to carry license and proof of insurance with gun when the gun is in lawful use;

7. Every resale of a licensed gun will require the existing owner to be licensed and the new owner to have received a license prior to taking possession of the gun.

8. Possession (and not just use or use in commission of a crime) of an unlicensed gun is subject to fine and minimum jail time and bans possessor from ever receiving a gun license.

9. Each state shall place a limit on the number of guns that may be owned by a single individual; provided that ownership of more than 5 handguns and/or 5 long guns requires the owner to register and obtain a federal license as a gun collector or gun dealer. Similar legislation re possession of ammunition.

10. When not in use for lawful purposes, all guns must have a lock in place on the weapon. If a gun lawfully licensed to an owner is discovered by police without a lock in place (including inadvertent discovery), the owner’s license must be suspended for a minimum of 90 days. A second occurrence, 180 days suspension. A third occurrence, permanent banning from having any gun license.

11. If a licensed gun is determined to have been used by anyone other than the registered gun owner, subject to #12 below, the owner is subject to significant fine and the gun license is suspended for a minimum of 90 days. A second occurrence, 180 days suspension. A third occurrence, permanent banning from having any gun license

12. If licensed gun is used in a crime or if any injury to a person occurs as a result of such use, whether used by the owner or someone else, in addition to any other charges applicable to the incident, the owner is permanently banned from having any gun license in the future and is subject to minimum jail time.

13. All use of guns by other than police, army, security personnel is prohibited during the first year following passage of the law. Use of any gun during the first year after passage of the law is a crime, whether the gun is used for hunting, target practice, etc., and the user of the gun will be banned permanently from becoming a licensed gun owner.

14. The federal and state governments should require the NRA to fund anti-gun advertisements and education. The NRA should be required to pay 50% of all gun safety courses and gun operation courses for all gun license applications for some minimum period of time such as 10 years.

* * * * *

Not in my lifetime; not in my children's lifetimes, not even in my grandchildren's lifetimes - how many more must die?

Peace.