Good post!
REAL reform against “gun violence”?
Begin about age twelve or so, with introducing the ENTIRE school age population to firearms, up close and with the intention of demystifying the “magic” power of guns. Expand this into the care, feeding, grooming and proper respect for the potential of the devices, and follow up with training in the selection of target, framing the target, and firing upon the target, all with the express purpose of doing this under controlled conditions. Once the familiarity with the weapons is established, then work on developing skills in accuracy and the correct procedures to prepare for the recoil, aiming, and firing, followed by whatever procedures are necessary to load the next round into the chamber. Repeat the aim, firing and reload until these are second nature, all the while sharpening up the accuracy.
This would have twofold effect - the guns just become another fact of life, like electricity and automobiles, a useful tool and with its own purposes. Also, it would be obvious quite quickly which of the learners, whether through carelessness, or those that harbor malicious thoughts, are the ones who should NEVER come into possession of a weapon. Then the perpetually timid, who cannot be compelled to pick up a weapon under any circumstances, even after attempts to familiarize them, should still be given training in how to avoid, evade, shelter in place, or somehow distract the active shooter, so it may be possible to make a concerted effort to neutralize or otherwise disarm the shooter.
And to have their Social Security number tattooed somewhere on their bodies, so they may be identified from among the fallen later on.
Upon graduation from high school, and with the certificate of training in their possession, the youth are then eligible to take ownership and possession of their personal firearm. None of this business about waiting until age 21, or 25, or whatever. Adulthood implies the capability for adult responsibilities.
And on the longer term, the military forces shall have a MUCH larger pool of potential recruits in the future, all with the basic knowledge of firearms, and a large civilian population that stands ready to resist any internal or external invasion - “You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.”
Make it so, Number One.
Great thoughts and words, preaching to the choir.
Ill use them... have some anti gun moms on the trap team . go figure.
Bookmarked, printed off...and, link emailed to myself so I don’t forget this.
Thank you!
https://bearingarms.com/tomknighton/2023/04/05/california-pistol-n69222
“Just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, officials with the Redding Police Department said their officers were called to the Burger King off of Eureka Way for a report of a man seen walking around with a handgun on his bag. Officers said they responded to the area and contacted the suspect, identified as Ryan Battles.
After searching Battles’s bag, police said they found an antique black-powdered pepperbox revolver, black powder and iron pellets.”
All excellent points but facts, no matter how obvious, don’t work in emotional arguments.
One thing...***#5 - When JFK was killed, nobody blamed the rifle. ****
Actually they did. I remember it well. Certain New England politicians used the fact it was a mail order “Army Surplus Rifle” to try and get them banned. Crime Control was the excuse.
In reality it was politicians, in the 1960s, were trying to protect their own gun industries of Winchester, Savage and Remington from cheap competition. Why pay $50 for a nice hunting rifle(at that time) when you could get a surplus rifle for $10. You could even buy 4 or 5 cartridges to go hunting, not a whole box.
5 years of vicious anti-gun cartoons from the Washington Post was the result. This first cartoon was published just a few days after JFK was murdered,
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/herblock/ClassicCartoons/Assets/21974v_enlarge.jpg
https://i0.wp.com/the-avocado.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/herblock2.png?resize=313%2C403&ssl=1
