Thoughts on guns, gun ownership, and gun control.

Thoughts on guns, gun ownership, and gun control:

I am a proud gun owner.  I respect the law.  I have a certified license to carry.  I shoot monthly to keep the basic skill set up to date.  I support the 2nd Amendment.

A few thoughts...

1.  We do not need access to guns such as the AR-15.  Those could be placed in a military only designation.  They are not for hunting.  Sure, I have shot one at our range and it was fun to shoot but for the greater good, I can give that up.  It would not hurt the gun manufacturers that much.  They can still sell handguns and shotguns.  For those that want to disagree with me on the need for an AR...I understand the view that you want to shoot and hold within the law anything you like.  At some point, some individual freedoms may need to be constrained a little for the greater good.

2.  Background checks.  I as a gun owner am very happy to wait two weeks or even a month for a thorough background check.  They can interview me, have me take a test, check my record, etc.  Why is it three days?  Why is it sometimes no wait at all?  I would have zero problem with a more detailed check.  None Whatsoever.

3.  For those against gun ownership, I understand but please note that you would not have a United States without them.  A basic history lesson.  When the British came over with their guns and ammunition...General Washington's army was made up of farmers, businessmen, children, etc.  They were not soldiers.  Only the fact that every farmer had a gun in order to help wage the war led to our victory.  We are as tied to guns and we are to freedom itself.

4.  I am still a believer that the individual who uses the weapon is the guilty party.  If you use a knife to kill one person or a car to run into a parade of people, you are a killer.  Yes, I agree on the ban on assault rifles but their are also other ways of killing masses of people.  Just ask Timothy McVeigh on the use of fertilizer.  Oh, that's right, he's dead for what he did.  We may not be able to stop the lone wolf killer hell bent on mass destruction.  We can limit his access to guns which make it easier but make no mistake...stopping the lone wolf isn't going to be as easy as making harsher gun laws.

That's about all I have to say.  On with the beautiful day outside...