A GUN CONTROL PROPOSAL

Can we finally get serious about gun control?

One-hundred-twenty years ago society was aghast over a new device which was assaulting the sensibilities, peace, and safety of their communities. The Horseless Carriage was the devil’s work according to some, others were intrigued by the machine’s potential. Proposed legislation reflected the concern for peace and safety. The debate as to how to regulate this new technology continued through the early years of the automobile until appropriate laws and regulations were enacted to protect the public and keep the peace.

Today we appreciate and accept the many regulations concerning automobiles which are intended to keep us safe. Those regulations require driver competency testing, registration and safety inspection of the auto, liability insurance, and adherence to complex set of rules which govern our use of the highways. We comply, and expect everyone to follow such rules so we all can be protected.

The current debate concerning gun control exhibits similar issues. We might follow the historical pattern concerning automobile safety. If the possession of firearms is considered a privilege, it is not difficult to imagine restrictions, regulations and manufacturing standards which would reduce injuries caused by dangerous or unlawful gun use.

Some possible regulations are:

• Background checks, training, testing, licensing, & liability insurance for gun owners
• Licensing, registration and safety inspection required for all firearms
• Standards for the safe storage of guns and electronic safeguards (chip technology) to restrict use
• Restrictions on type and quantity of ammunition possessed
• Restrictions on public display/possession (limited allowed purposes)
• Remove all military weapons and equipment from civil society (no assault rifles, no armored personnel carriers, no drones, no grenade launchers, no sound cannons, no water cannons)
• Rules restricting modifications of weapons (re-inspection required)
• Restrictions on manufacturing, marketing, transport and sale of firearms
• Reduced maximum magazine capacity (no removable magazine - 3 rds max)
• Criminal penalties for violation of regulations (license revocation)
• Closely regulate the gun-porn extravaganzas (the so-called gun shows)
• Constrain access to violent content in media, especially war-making imagery and obscene reverence for warriors

For those citizens who would be placed in violation by prior ownership of disallowed weapons, the government should buy the weapons and dispose of them. Incentives should be offered to encourage citizens to surrender weapons they are unwilling to submit for inspection or register and insure. There should be a generous transition period to allow for compliance with regulations.

To be sure, some of the early horseless carriage owners bemoaned the new restrictions, but they got used to them. Our friends and neighbors who are gun owners will also eventually accept logical and prudent controls which will make our society safer.

We can do this – we must do this for our grandchildren!


A similar message was faxed to Rep. Faso in mid February. Despite my explicit request, he has not replied. If/when he does it will be posted here. A moderately edited version of this post was published as a letter to the editor in the Times Journal 4 April 2018.  WRS

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