Balanced Gun Control

This week I had lunch with a bunch of coworkers, all of whom happen to be in the US on work visas.  The topic of Syria came up with the questions about whether or not the US was going to go "guns a blazing" into Syria like they did in Iraq.  The conversation was around whether or not the American people could really stomach more war.  These coworkers really have only been in areas of the US that are relatively liberal and not the gun-toting American west.  So, I tried in some way to explain the gun obsessed culture where negotiations are seen as weak and bullies are idolized.

The reality is that the US is really in a tough spot.  We don't have unlimited capabilities to fight in so many places but we act like we are the police officers of the world and the only ones who can accomplish any good.    Our president had to go and talk about red lines and now not only is he going to be seen as weak if he doesn't do anything but the conservative contingent is going to claim that America will look weak if we don't do anything.  No one is going to think; "Oh, Syria is an impossible situation for America to get into we should just stay out of it."

A few months ago, I was appalled at some of the posts that I saw on Facebook after the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings.  From my perspective, it seems that my very own friends and family were more concerned about the government taking away their guns than they were about this tragedy that had just happened.  It was as if they were saying "This is horrible, now the government has another excuse to take away our guns" instead of "This is horrible, those poor children and their heartbroken families".

I recognized that I was so angry about this response to the tragedy that I needed to take my thoughts elsewhere before I posted something that would be hurtful to those I love.  Without really intending for it to happen, I've let some time pass and the anger has subsided.  This is a good thing because problems don't get solved when people are angry.  Not to say that I have any magic bullet to solve anything but I recognize that with my anger subsiding my reason and ability to understand other perspectives have returned.

With regards to the gun control issue, I would really like to see a balanced approach and there has to be a basic understand of a few things.
1. Laws are in place to define what is acceptable in a society; regulation and enforcement of the laws is the responsibility of the government.  If we as a society want the protection afforded by good laws we have to allow the government to enforce and regulate.
2. Freedom is not the absence of laws but is the ability to choose the laws that will govern us.  We make choices about the laws by voting for our representatives and in some cases voting for certain laws.  We will not lose our freedom so long as we do not give up our right to vote and use that right wisely.  In other words, know what you are voting for, educate yourself and those around you and vote in every election.
3. Democracy is compromise.  For all of us to live together in this society in peace, we have to compromise. Sometimes the laws I support will be accepted and sometimes the laws you support will be accepted and even though we disagree we both have to live by the laws which are put into place.

I would like to see laws enacted around who can buy and sell guns.  Buyers should have background checks, no exceptions.  A small inconvenience to law abiding citizens but a larger hurtle to those who have shown that they can't be trusted with guns in the first place.  This would also require that only licensed dealers can sell guns and they have to keep good records of their inventory.  The analogous set of laws would be those that govern prescription drugs.  We know that prescription drugs can be abused and so they can only be sold by pharmacies and a prescription from a doctor helps to ensure that only those who need the drugs get them.

I would also like to see additional requirements of gun owners.  I think they should have to get licensed and to do so they have to take a gun safety course and demonstrate their understanding of how to handle guns appropriately.  There should also be age restrictions on who can get licensed and handle a gun.  Children are not mature enough to understand the consequences of mishandling a gun and it is up to their parents to give them time to learn that before putting a gun in their hands.  This would be analogous to the requirements that we have in order to drive a car.  Both a car and a gun can be deadly in the wrong or untrained hands so why wouldn't they have similar requirements.

I honestly think the above would be acceptable to all sides of this issue but I don't know that we'll ever get there because people are unwilling to compromise.