December 3, 2015

A Practical Solution for Gun Control and How to Make it Happen.

0 Boost Score Barry Gillespie (1,510,185)

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Flickr/Chuck Coker

When it comes to gun control, it’s time to stop the resigned sighs of, “There’s nothing we can do about this.”

We can change gun laws starting with the will to do so.

Here’s what we need to do.

Change the Gun Laws.

1. Ban the possession of automatic and semi-automatic weapons.

2. Ban the sale of hand guns.

3. Place a high tax on hand gun ammunition, or ban sale of handgun ammunition.

The Arguments Against These Changes.

1. It’s politically impossible. This argument is based primarily on the power of the NRA, backed up by contributing money to pro-gun politicians. We need to set up a Change Gun Laws PAC that’s sole purpose would be to give money to politicians that support the above changes. These donations would be in amounts equal to or greater than what the NRA will give their opponents.

2. The constitution says everyone can have guns. This means that we need to change the constitution. It’s a “living document.”

3. Hunters and sportsmen need guns. The above changes won’t affect hunters at all, except that they will not be able to “hunt” with automatic and semi-automatic weapons. I hunted as a teenager, with my father. I used a bolt action rifle and a single shot shotgun. If someone is such a lousy shot that they need to spray a deer or a bunny with 30 bullets, they shouldn’t be hunting.

4. What about all the guns that are already out there? This is perhaps the most difficult part. Once the law is implemented, people who own automatic and semi-automatic weapons will have a six month period to hand in these guns and be paid for them. After that, possession of these weapons would mean an automatic five years in prison. At the same time, even after the six month buy out option, people will be able to phone a hot line and give the guns to law enforcement officers without any charges. People with hand guns will have the same six month buyout period. Hand guns could not be sold privately but could be passed on in wills.

The Results.

In the short term, five to 10 years, this plan would eliminate the public possession of automatic and semi-automatic weapons and would greatly reduce the number of hand guns. Over the long term, this plan would drastically reduce the public possession of functional hand guns. Would it stop all gun deaths? No, but it would be a step in the right direction.