Han wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in
m:

Han wrote:

You're right, by now it may be too late to be really useful. Still,
why make it even easier for criminals to get guns?

Heh! It's BECAUSE criminals can easily obtain guns that the rest of
us should be able to obtain a gun just as easily.

Here's how a criminal gets his gun:
* Criminal #1: "Here's the money."
* Criminal #2: "Here's your gun."

Why should it be any different for me? (Fortunately, it's not much
different, but you get the idea.)

Well, all of you are right, except for 1 thing: Where did that
illegal gun come from? Just like a car can be traced through all its
owners by the VIN, a gun - IMO any gun - should be traceable through
a similar registration process. It's not only the last perp who has
an illegal gun and is guilty, it's all the former owners who
"neglected" to legally transfer the weapon, back to the manufacturer.

What difference does it make to me where the criminal got the gun if I have
to protect myself from him? Traceable? Why? Any time the cops have a gun
that COULD be traceable, the crime has already occurred. What difference
does it make to me, when accosted by a mope, whether the gun he uses can be
traced?


Now, I agree that isn't likely to be instituted any time soon, but,
using Heybub's story up there somewhere as an example: Did the guy
whomhe surprised in a burglary take any of Heybub's weapons, and if
so did Heybub notify the authorities of their "VIN"'s? Because it is
generally stolen or purposely bought and sold guns that are now the
"illegal" guns. Tracing them and legally punishing the sobs that
brought them on the illegal market in the first place ought to help
at least somewhat.

No, the goblin didn't get any guns from me. He was apparently just beginning
his squit-eyed actions.

You had better check your facts: Most guns used in crime, so far as
authorities know, are NOT committed with stolen guns.

Believe me, every time authorities find a gun that has moved illegally in
commerce, those responsible are punished. Except for those thousands of guns
whose dodgy sales were sanctioned by the BATF. Most went to drug cartels in
Mexico (a good thing) but some ended up on this side of the border where
they contributed to the mayhem.


Which brings us to the intriguing question of why the US has the
highest % of population in prison of all Western countries, but that
should be another thread, perhaps not on the wreck.

We have the highest percentage of incarceration because we want to keep the
crime rate as low as possible. There is an obvious and dramatic inverse
relationship between crime and incarceration. This doesn't prove causality,
of course, but it's a good indicator to most folks.