I was reading
DeLay and Schiavo: How's it Playing in Utah? and came across a
comment I felt compelled to reply to. But, my reply got pretty verbose, so I decided to make it a diary instead.
The comment I felt compelled to reply to appears below the fold.
Nope (
none / 1)
And I almost added this to my original post.
Gun control must be done at the Federal level.
Gun control at the state or local level is stupid, because people have this nifty device called a car, which allow them to drive to different places, including places with weaker gun control laws. But it makes the law-abiding people who want to have guns criminals if they do this, therefore, only criminals have guns.
Now, since our supporting gun control at the Federal level probably causes us to lose 20-30 house seats, several senators, and the presidency, we need to drop all gun control.
Look, this hurts us even with people who don't own guns, but have small government/Libertarian leanings. It reinforces the "big government" stereotype. They end up voting for the Republicans for lesser-of-two evils reasons, even though they hate the coming Theocracy probably even more than we do.
Gun control is anti-liberal, too. Liberals are mostly for allowing people to do what they want, and conservatives for restricting such. However, with guns, it's the opposite.
It's a position consistant with liberalism, and it will help us amazingly in elections. We need to do it big and noisily. We need the NRA running ads in favor of our presidential canidate-wouldn't that confuse the shit out of the other side?
Yes, the NRA is actually wrong on issues like the gun control loophole. Maybe our presidential canidate could negotiate with them-elimate some of those loopholes in exchange a nationwide concealed carry law or something. Even if not, getting thier support means we are the majority party overnight without even sweating.
by Geotpf on Fri Mar 25th, 2005 at 17:22:20 PST
Here's what the 2nd Amendment acutally says:
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Taken from USConstitution.Net.
I say, enforce the goddamn thing exactly as written. You own a gun? Congratulations, you're now a private in your state's Army National Guard.
Your weapon will be stored at your local ANG Armory. It will be issued to you only on orders from the ANG command authority or by the National Command Authority. You can only carry your weapon while in uniform and upon legal orders issued to you by your ANG command authority.
You will train with your ANG unit, one weekend a month and 2 weeks per year, unless mobilized by the National Command Authority.
You must pass proficiency tests on you weapon yearly.
You must pass a physical yearly.
Buying a weapon means you report to an induction center and go through basic training and infantry training. IOW, buy a gun, you're now an 11B.
If you can't pass the physical - no weapon for you. It gets confiscated and it's purchase price is refunded to you.
If you've not currently serving in the military and have already purchased one or more weapons when this program starts, you must undergo Army basic and Army infantry training, regardless of prior military experience. Wash out at any stage, you weapon will be confiscated and it's cash value will be given to you.
If you're already in the military and purchase a weapon, the basic training requirment is waived but the infantry training is not, unless you are already an 11B. If you are currently an 11B when you purchase a weapon, you've just signed up for a lifetime in the ANG once you leave service. If you're not an 11B and currently serving, purchasing a weapon requires that you go through infantry training and automatic enrollment into the ANG for the rest of your life, or until you sell or relinguish your weapon.
I don't have all of the details worked out, but that's the general picture. Buy a gun, join the Army.
Etc., etc., etc.
That ought to drive the NRA nutters right up the fucking wall. But hey, that's what the goddamn amendment says. Own a gun? You're in the Army National Guard. PERIOD. FULL STOP.