Gun Control Reform Activism

is the mantra of the NRA/ILA/GOA apologists who claim to be Democrats but support the right-wing gun lobby. I'm definitely not accusing you of supporting the NRA, but it is all too easy to begin to repeat the lies and misinformation coming from the Second Amendment absolutist gun culture crowd.

There is definitely something that we can do about the obscene proliferation of guns on our streets and in our communities. The bottom line is that we do not care if there are a Brazillion guns in this country -- just keep them at home, and if there is a need to transport them to the range or for hunting there should be strict regulations governing that activity. There is absolutely no reason to carry a loaded gun in public in this country, and Scalia left that premise wide open in the Heller decision.

Where we should concentrate our efforts is in reining in concealed public carry, open public carry, and stand-your-ground laws. Carrying a gun in public should have penalties right up there with terroristic threatening, assault, and at the very least being a public nuisance/menace. Criminals caught with guns in public should have their sentences doubled or tripled.

We can further tighten up who has access to a gun in the first place by expanding background checks to ALL gun sales and transfers, and widening the scope of background checks to include local law enforcement agencies to look for activity such as alcohol-related offences, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse, animal abuse, road rage, and repeated misdemeanor offences. AS it stands right now, drunks, wife-beaters, and road rage bullies can, and do, qualify for concealed carry permits.