| At many gun shows around the country there exists a "loophole" where a person can buy a gun without being subject to a background check. Now, I believe in responsible Americans owning guns, but I also believe that with the nature of our society in the modern age that other Americans have the right to insure that criminals and unstable individuals are not stockpiling weapons. This is just plain common sense.
In Virginia and Colorado citizens there are fully aware of the disasters that can occur because guns are sold without a background check. Everyone remembers the tragedies that occurred there:
The open letter to the two senators came three days after the third anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings, which claimed 33 lives, and was signed by a survivor and family members of people killed or wounded. "We have seen firsthand the incredible toll that gaps in the federal background check system have on public safety, and we live with the personal toll every single day of our lives," the spot reads in part.
In Colorado, an open letter to Mr. Udall placed in newspaper in Denver and Boulder noted that three of the guns used at Columbine were obtained at a gun show without background checks being conducted.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes...
Which prompted a letter from concerned groups in both states to urge their Senators to help close the loophole that allows dangerous, incompetent, or criminal people to easily obtain guns:
In Virginia, a group called Virginians for Public Safety placed an advertisement in The Richmond Times-Dispatch asking that the state's two Democratic senators, Jim Webb and Mark Warner, get behind closing the loophole. And the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence sponsored a newspaper ad in two Colorado cities urging Senator Mark Udall, a Democrat, to support ending the policy that allows the purchase of firearms at gun shows without the sort of background checks needed at federally registered gun shops.
Legislation that would subject buyers at gun shows to background checks has roughly 100 sponsors in the House and more than 15 in the Senate, including Colorado's other senator, Michael Bennet, also a Democrat.
I know the gun advocate lobby is quite powerful and that many sportsmen and enthusiasts enjoy guns. With that being said it is well past time that these folks admit that in many places of our country these very guns are a stain that causes untold deaths and sorrow and many times even children lose their lives because someone who should not have had a gun did.
There are common sense measures that can be taken to try and keep guns in the hands of responsible Americans while not allowing those who are a danger to other Americans, infringing on their rights to own them. It seems to me that if you really wanted to own a gun and really were responsible enough to own one that you would be more than happy to submit yourself to a background check.
Folks in rural areas like the one I live need to realize one thing. While they are enthusiastic about there guns and there are not many problems with gun ownership in other parts of our country people are dying because of guns and these citizens have every much a right to protect themselves from that carnage as we in rural America have to own guns.
Lets hope we can all find some common sense and common ground to work together and find solutions for both responsible gun owners, and victims of gun crime. Both deserve their rights to be protected. |
