Gun Control? Yes, and Here Are a Few Ideas

When I “qualified” for a concealed carry permit I was shocked by the absolute low-level requirements and the ridiculously shallow instruction provided. Seriously, it was laughable. In one evening I was “certified” to carry a weapon of just about any caliber and shoot to kill if I felt that my life was in jeopardy. In fact, a good percentage of the instruction that night was focused on what to tell a police officer after she arrived at the scene so that it would be next to impossible to be prosecuted for having shot two bullets in the chest and one in the forehead of your assailant. Astonishing!

Furthermore, there was no requirement to shoot a single shot with a handgun (or rifle for that matter) in order to “qualify.” I’ve been shooting handguns my entire life and I can tell you that it is difficult. When I took hunter safety at age twelve I attended classes for several weeks and had to pass both gun safety and shooting accuracy tests. That was to shoot rifles and shotguns at deer, duck, pheasant, and rabbit. No such requirement to “pack” and possibly shoot fellow human beings with the intent to kill. Keep in mind, a handgun that would typically be concealed is very compact with a very short barrel. The shorter the barrel, the harder it is to shoot the gun accurately. Shooting handguns demands a great deal of practice. But there is no shooting requirement to certify for a concealed carry permit. If you know anything about handguns you must agree that this “certification” process is exceptionally insufficient.

With this in mind, I am frequently asked, “Blair, you’re obviously a gun lover, why do you advocate for the enforcement of current gun control laws and are open to additional laws if necessary?” Part of my response is quite simple. I was “certified” to carry a concealed weapon and the process was not about guns—it was about political ideologies. It was much more about the evils of President Obama and much, much less about the responsible use of a Smith & Wesson .40 on your hip. Simply put, this, and many other approaches toward gun ownership and use in the United States could be adjusted and the result would be a welcomed dose of long-term public good.

The link below takes you to an article that presents a handful of reasonable gun control measures. Peruse it at your leisure. And, as always, let the discussion continue.

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http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/06/mass-shootings-are-preventable/396644/