theredbaron

Gun control is one of the matters on which I have a fairly extreme view when compared to my countrymen. I think that it's been fairly well established that humans aren't responsible enough to be allowed firearms. We are petty, base creatures; prone to fits of passion and fits of idiocy. Really, are fucking slaughtering each other. Bottom line I think we have no business owning things which allow us to kill each other with such ease. But no, they keep us safe, I am told: More guns, less crime. So, we all get our pistols, lets say. We all have them. Fantastic. Now we're living in a society where every day, in every dark ally, I have to worry about whether or not I'll be the one to draw first. Or whether some idiot is going to take offense to something I say and pull his gat. That's not civilization.

But you fucking cowboys have to have your boom-sticks.

You know, really, the 'wild west' spirit of Americans is actually one of my favorite aspects of our culture. Whether or not we are, we idealize being independent and self sufficient. We "make it work on our own". That mindset ain't goin' no place, for better or for worse. And anyway, the country is fucking full of guns already. Because as the cowboys keep screaming: 'we've been granted the right to bear arms!', and, it seems, the right not to read the first half of the fucking sentence.

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.

So there it is. Fuck my feelings, it's in there, and I am down with the BoR. But I read that, I don't read that every Cock, Dick, and Harry gets a weapon. I read that militias get guns. So here's my idea. Individuals can no longer own guns. Only militias are allowed that privilege. Guns (excepting MAYBE shotguns) are issued solely to licensed, responsible institutions. Each gun is marked in an irremovable way; such as a low-level radioactive tagging ON/IN THE BARREL using Americium, or similar. But hold on fellas, don't shoot just yet; it's about to get interesting. The militias are allowed to issue guns to their members. The members pay for the weapons, take them home, keep them, clean them, love them, just like today. But here's the catch: the militia is responsible for its members actions with those guns. If a pistol issued from Manchester Militia 102 is used in a robbery? One strike. Another is issued to a felon who uses it in a mugging or a rape? Two strikes. After a few incidents, the militia is shut down. Their license is revoked and its members have to move to another militia to keep their guns. This would force the militia to police themselves and take gun control very seriously. So, if an individual is ever convicted of a crime, starts acting erratically or irresponsibly, the militia is within their rights to demand that this person return the arm and get their money back. If it can be proved that militia organizer neglected warning signs in a member who then kills his whole family he can be prosecuted for negligence. This localizes and personalizes gun control. Many militias will only issue guns to people who pass tests proving there are stable and sane. It also keeps illegal guns of the street. If guns marked as issued to Militia 102 are found being sold illegally on the streets? Automatic license loss and federal prosecution on militia leaders.

Then you cowboys get your guns, and maybe, just maybe, fewer of the cock boxes in the masses get their Neolithic digits on the trigger.

Fire away, Tex.