Gun RightsI’ve been struggling with this issue a bit. I think the NRA and other gun rights organizations fail to recognize the impact of weapons violence on certain segments of our culture, yet the Constitution is pretty clear on this issue. There’s some room to argue whether the writers of the 2nd amendment implied a framework of “well regulated militia,” but they did see firearms as a key right of a free people. So how do we enable law enforcement to control gun violence, and to take guns from those who have used them to commit unlawful acts? I was intrigued by the idea of “ballistic fingerprinting” but most of the information I read casts doubt on its efficacy. I support harsh penalties for those committing a weapons-wielding crime but I doubt the deterrent effect. I have some “sympathy” for the notion of gun registration – like the transfer of title on a car. I think it could be a law enforcement mechanism. Some argue that registration inevitably leads to confiscation. That strikes me as a lame attempt to stir conspiratorial paranoia. If, as some argue, guns will protect the people against a repressive government why wouldn’t they also protect against a repressive government with a registration database? Regardless of the arguments against it, I doubt that registration would prove very useful as a law enforcement tool. The majority that would register would be law-abiding, and the majority of those with bad intentions would not register. So, in keeping with other “err on the side of freedom” positions like “innocent ‘til proven guilty,” 5th amendment protections against self incrimination, 4th amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and my view of flag burning as protected free speech – I’d have to say our current infringements of the 2nd amendment are burdensome enough, should be removed, and I would not support any others. Related Blog post: Learning Along the Way Previous: Why are you running? -- Next: Immigration |
