But because background checks don’t apply to many sellers at gun shows, dangerous criminals use the loophole to get their hands on guns.
The bill requires background checks for guns sold at gun shows, flea markets or swap meets. Completing the checks will make it harder for violent criminals, domestic-violence perpetrators and severely mentally ill people to buy guns at the local gun show.
Any private citizen can sell one of their guns to any other private citizen without a background check and it doesn't matter if they're at a gun show or not. All licensed dealers are required to do background checks no matter where they sell the firearm; it doesn't matter if it's their store or a gun show. Using the term "loophole" implies that private sellers are somehow skirting the law or exploiting a poorly written section of the law but this is not the case as private sellers are simply following the law as it was intended to work. Keep in mind that private sellers will still be able to sell guns without a background check - just not at a gun show.
The proposal would make it more difficult for criminals to get guns and yet, at the same time, do nothing to keep law-abiding citizens without histories of criminal activity or mental illness from having legal access to firearms.
Here's a scary thought - who decides what a "mental illness" is? That's the part gun control advocates don't want to talk about. Of course some cases are cut and dry but most aren't. Soldiers returning from battle that are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? They'll probably be on the list despite the fact the we let them defend this country while using weaponry more sophisticated than the simple handgun in situations significantly more hostile than you'll find in your local neighborhood.
Supporters of the law claim you can petition to get your named removed, want to take a gander at how difficult that process is going to be? What this law would do is actually discourage people from seeking help from mental health professionals for fear the government would strip them of their constitutional right to bear arms. To recap this legislation:
- Won't keep criminals from obtaining guns
- Doesn't stop private sellers from selling guns without a background check - only at gun shows will they be required to do this
- Will discourage people from seeking mental help
This is a pointless bill that will undoubtedly have more unintended consequences than beneficial ones...
2 comments:
Just more "common sense" legislation to get the "huddled masses" on board so they won't realize that they are doing more harm, than good.
As a member of The Sons of the American Revolution, with a strong and proud military family, I feel Our government has been playing games with our veterans ever since the Oneida Indian Nation fought in the Revolutionary War. They were among our first American Solders and took up arms against the British to help our nation earn its independence after our Revolution. Our new government used land seized from the British to compensate our veterans and the Oneida veterans were stripped of much of their original territory, by having 10 million acres of land taken from them. Look how they have been treated by an ungrateful country.
Then the Civil War produced thousands of wandering veterans. Frequently addicted to opiates, they were known as tramps,Our first homeless vets, searching for jobs and, in many cases, literally still tending their wounds.
More than a decade after the end of World War I, the Bonus Army descended on Washington - demanding immediate payment on benefits that had been promised to them, but payable years later ,and were routed out of Washington DC by the U.S. Military,led by George Patton. In 1946,The to end all wars, the VA had beds for about 82,000 patients but the VA rolls swelled to 15 million in just a few months and the hospitals were virtually all swamped. There were 26,000 non service related cases also on the waiting list. The VA was building new hospitals but had money for only 12,000 more beds. They came too few too late. The Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952, called the Korean GI Bill, provided unemployment insurance, job placement, home loans and mustering-out benefits similar to those offered World War II veterans. The Korean GI Bill made several changes, however, in education benefits, reducing financial benefits generally and imposing new restrictions. The effect of the changes was that the benefit no longer completely covered the cost of the veteran’s education.
The most publicly and perhaps most painfully,That comes to mind was Vietnam Tens of thousands of war weary veterans, infamously rejected,crazy, or just forgotten by many of their own fellow citizens,elected officials,demonized by the media.
Presently our current service members have who have had repeated and extended deployments to war zones, have shown a rise in post-traumatic stress and other war-related wounds among troops,and 120 Suicides a week. While it is good to support your troops that are serving our interest it is better to demand accountability from those responsible for the lack of their care in these injuries. It is utterly disgusting that VA hospitals are turning away those most in need. Those in charge of VA hospitals need to take responsibility for their lack of actions. I believe the whole VA system needs an overhaul and very soon. More and more wounded troops coming home and they need both physical and mental health care.
Our troops deserve the best of all aspects of care! Wake up, America! We fail to take care of our own as we should and I think it's time that we start.
This will surprise nobody who has ever encountered the VA medical system. The entire operation is a horror show mostly run by lazy, self-important, arrogant and self-satisfied bureaucrats. This kind of treatment has been going on for years and years and years. VA hospitals are in hopeless situations. This type of treatment is the rule and not the exception for those who are closely associated with regular active duty military. It’s sad, but true.
If certain services cannot be provided for a veteran or current military patients then they are suppose to be referred to a civilian facility with no cost to the service member or veterans. Many of our own are going without and this shouldn't be a surprise for the VA system when it comes to treating any new service related conditions by ignoring it' In this situation, the Iraq veteran is in the same boat as the Vietnam veteran in the 1970's. At least now, they have a name for it,It's called PTSD, and like Agent Orange has been proven,So well depleted uranium be proven but the VA doesn't take it seriously tell a very large group of veterans die from their exposure.
It's terrible that our country is still ignoring the cries of our vets. It's no surprise what is happening with the Syracuse Veterans Hospital if similar acts are occurring around the country. I've have made many attempts in the last four years to talk with Mr. Cody, the head of the VA hospital in Syracuse NY, about these conditions He is self-important, arrogant, with a “don't call me I'll call you” attitude and there has been no dialog. I believe that Mr. Jim Cody should tender his resignation for the good of our veterans.Veterans Preference....Staff the VA with Veterans!
Dennis Thorp is a native of Frankfort and served as an U.S. Army medic during the Vietnam War. He is co-founder of Agent Orange Victims International.
Doctho@roadrunner
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