Re: Gun Control
While I'm sure that denying gun sales to criminals and the mentally ill is a good idea, I also know that killing everyone of a certain group also seemed like a good idea to some people. (ok, not a fair comparison)
What I don't understand is how the constitution of our United States can protect a right, and the government can take that right from a certain group through a simple law. I don't want to sound paranoid, but if the gov't can legally take a constitutionally protected right away from one group it can take it from all groups. This is what the bill of rights was specifically set up to protect us from.
My solution, dissolve all gun laws for the following reasons:
1. They are all unconstitutional
2. The criminals will get them anyway
3. Taking away the rights of the "mentally ill" is no solution. Remember in China and the old USSR that not liking the socialist dictatorship was grounds for commitment in a psychiatric institution
4. Former criminals (yes, I think we should remove their weapons while they are in prison) and the "mentally ill" have just the same right to protect themselves as we do.
Finally, a good idea or good intent cannot be the reason for dissolving our constitutionally protected rights. This only leads to one place, and I don't want to see my country go there.
(disclaimer: I know this isn’t a perfect world and that I am way too idealistic. I blame this on my upbringing and study of American history. It really isn’t possible to read about the founding of this country and not get a bad case of Love of Country)
|