The Proper Role of Gun Laws

Taking the right to own firearms away from law abiding citizens does not reduce crime; it increases it. There is a mountain of gun laws already on the books. If they were effectively enforced there would be a reduction in the unlawful use of firearms.

The Clinton gun ban that ran from 1994 to 2004 did not cause a reduction in firearm related homicides. Many people still don't understand that guns are tools and only tools. They do not have a conscience, a point of view, or a political affiliation. Problems are encountered by unstable people misusing these tools. Any form of gun control, if there should be any, must be directed at the human condition and not at the tools.

Preventing law-abiding citizens from their rightful use of firearms is a form of masochism. Enforcing the laws preventing criminals from obtaining firearms however is a rational plan. Likewise, there should be common sense restrictions enforced such as not allowing the mentally ill or felons to own them. Also, I feel it is unnecessary for law-abiding citizens to be able to purchase machine guns. Most commonsense people would agree with these assertions.

Firearm related crimes need to be looked at in an objective light. Many of the massacres that took place would not have happened if the victims would have been able to protect themselves with their own weapons. This fact is forgotten by many in the anti-gun lobby. Taking away people's rights to protect themselves is a death sentence.

I believe it is important for law-abiding citizens to become educated about the proper use of firearms. This way people will be less fearful and more proactive when an issue involving guns arises. Restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens to own guns is not the answer. The answer is to educate the public on the realities of self defense and the proper role of firearms in this arena.

A gun is simply a tool. Tools can be used for good or evil. The majority of law abiding citizens in the United States who own guns use them for legitimate purposes. Guns are used for public and private defense, target practice, and hunting. This is the real face of gun ownership that is overshadowed by those who use guns for the wrong purposes.

Only mentally healthy and responsible citizens should be allowed to own guns. The problem arises when the laws that are already on the books are not enforced. So, more laws are added after a tragedy that would not have been necessary if the first laws were enforced in the first place.

Someone who is unsure of the where to stand on the issue of gun control should ask themselves two questions. What would happen if people were not allowed to own guns? What would happen if there were no laws regulating the purchase of guns. The answers to these two questions reveal the extremes of both sides of the issue. The average person would take the middle road. This is where those who are responsible are allowed to own firearms and where those who are not responsible are unable to acquire them.