Time to Take Back Common Sense

Enough.  Enough.  Enough.  I’ve had enough of the gun lobby and the National Rifle Association dictating gun control policy in our country.  The 2^nd Amendment was ratified in 1791 when it took 30 seconds to re-load a musket.  In 30 seconds Adam Lanza murdered 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut (a town founded in 1771, by the way).  In 1776 our nation’s founders also approved of slavery and refused the right to vote to women.  But times change, attitudes change, technology changes.  What may have been acceptable in 1776 was not acceptable in 1865, when the 13^th Amendment was passed banning slavery, and in 1920 when the 19^th Amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote.  It is now time we made serious changes to the 2^nd Amendment of the Constitution. 

The National Rifle Association will resist any political effort to bring a rationale gun policy to reality.  So I would ask them this – what will it take to agree to reasonable gun control legislation?  Will someone have to kill 4-month old babies in a day care center to get your attention?  How about Alzheimer patients in a convalescent hospital?

What did the NRA have to say about the violence at Sandy Hook Elementary?  Here is the NRA’s news update from December 14.  

That’s right.  The NRA said nothing.  Nothing about the horror perpetrated by their strict hold on scared American politicians.  No comment of sympathy.  Not an ounce of care for the victims.  It may be that there is no amount of heinousness or evil that will budge the NRA from their defense of the 2^nd Amendment. 

And where are the politicians the NRA hold in their pockets?  On Meet the Press this morning, 31 US Senators that hold rigid 2^nd Amendment positions were all invited to the show to discuss the issue.  And can you guess how many were willing to go on Meet the Press this morning?  None.  None.  All 31 refused to come on the show.  Pathetic. 

But I believe Americans have had enough.  Enough of evil followed by mass funerals.  Enough of horror followed by deep sorrow and a lifetime of loss.  And enough of the NRA and their politicians taking no responsibility for the consequences of their power over common sense. 

So what do we do about this?  What will make significant and meaningful change?  Here are some changes that I believe will move our country to a safer place. 

•  Assault weapons banned from sale in the United States. 

•  Existing assault weapons confiscated and destroyed.  Each assault weapon owner will be reimbursed up to $750 for his or her gun, regardless of value or condition.  Assault weapon owners will have six-months to voluntarily turn in their weapon to local authorities.  After that, anyone found in possession of an assault weapon will serve a mandatory 2-year prison sentence. 

• Bullet clips holding greater than 10 bullets banned from sale.  Owners of bullet clips holding greater than 10 bullets will have six-months to voluntarily turn in their clip to local authorities.  After that, anyone found in possession of a bullet clip holding greater than 10 bullets will serve a mandatory 12-month prison sentence.  

• Federal and state background checks required before purchasing any gun, with a mandatory 30 day waiting period.

• Review of all existing federal and state issued gun permits, including an updated background check and interview of the registered gun owner by state or federal authorities.

•  Gun show gun sales banned.  This will close the loophole in existing laws that allow gun sales at gun shows without permits or background checks.

• Implement strict laws requiring a minimum of 3 years in jail for anyone caught with an illegal or unregistered gun.  New York State has such a law, and the murder rate in New York City has declined every year since 1992. 

• Mandatory six-month jail sentence for possession of a firearm within 500 yards of a school.

Will such changes be difficult to enforce?  Yes they will.  But so is burying six-year old children brutally murdered in their classrooms by a man with an assault weapon. 

I’m writing to my congresswoman, senators and state representatives to demand their action.  I urge you to do the same.  It is time to take back common sense.