The blind to be allowed gun permits?

GDAD

GDAD

Member
Location
Sydney....Australia
I seen a quick news flash on TV, just caught the end! Is it correct that the Blind are being issued with gun permits?
I know about the American Constitution, and the right s of people 'to bare arms'. but is this true?
 

GDAD said:
I seen a quick news flash on TV, just caught the end! Is it correct that the Blind are being issued with gun permits?
I know about the American Constitution, and the right s of people 'to bare arms'. but is this true?
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You bettcha! I made the best part red! Crikey!!!


In a move sure to leave gun safety advocates scratching their heads, Iowa is issuing gun permits to the blind.

The permits allow legally blind applicants to purchase weapons and carry them in public. Per state law, any attempt to deny an Iowan these rights based on physical ability would be illegal, reports the Des Moines Register.

"When you shoot a gun, you take it out and point and shoot, and I don't necessarily think eyesight is necessary," said Michael Barber, a blind man interviewed by The Register at a gun store in Iowa last month.

The issue has also vexed local sheriffs -- the authorities tasked with reviewing applications -- with some in full support of the measure, and others against.
Explains Delaware County Sheriff John LeClere, "If you see nothing but a blurry mass in front of you, then I would say you probably shouldn't be shooting something.”

Counters Cedar County Sheriff Warren Wethington, who has a legally blind daughter, “If sheriffs spent more time trying to keep guns out of criminals’ hands and not people with disabilities, their time would be more productive.”

Iowans have always been able to carry a firearm in private, but a new law passed in 2011 extends that right to the public sphere while placing no limits on physical ability.

Federal law, in tandem with the Gun Control Act of 1968, also does nothing to limit the legally blind from owning a gun, leaving that issue for states to sort out individually. Kansas, for instance, altered their laws in 2010 to prohibit issuing concealed carry permits to anyone "suffering a physical infirmity which prevents the safe handling of a weapon."

In January of this year, shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, blind singer Stevie Wonder offered his thoughts on gun control in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan. “Imagine me with a gun," he said. "It’s just crazy.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/08/iowa-blind-gun-licenses-carry-in-public_n_3890291.html
 
I hadn't heard about this, but I'll go along with insane and crazy too if it's true. ... just another old person here, trying to make sense of things going on in the world. And most things don't anymore!!
 
I think there is a large difference between "blind" and "legally blind".

For instance, the Social Security Administration considers "legally blind" to be:

... if your vision cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 in your better eye, or if your visual field is 20 degrees or less in your better eye.
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In essence, although you can be termed legally blind you can still see, and probably still see well enough to shoot the bad guys.
 
Sid said:
Does not a blind person have the same rights as the rest of us?
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Not really.

Do you want to travel on a cross-country flight piloted by a blind person?

Do you want your surgeon to be blind?

It's a harsh fact of life, and goes against the common mantra of "We are all equal", but the fact is that we are not. The mania for enabling the handicapped aside, blind people should not have the same rights by virtue of their handicap, because by granting those equal rights you're putting others in jeopardy.
 
Sid said:
Does not a blind person have the same rights as the rest of us?
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I can see that we don't want any blind people out there being pilots or even driving a car, nor being our surgeon.
I don't think that is likely to happen just because we do not allow physical defects to stop people from buying a firearm.
However, I DO think this is another step to limit who can own a weapon. This is how the government always operates. They find a ridiculous example, and work from there.
So, if we say that people with disabilities can't own a firearm, who will be next ?

You know it is not because blind people are out there in droves buying guns that this is made into an example.
It is because this helps gather support for a law stopping people with this kind of a disability from owning a gun.

Then it will be another disability, and soon they will have a full blown law stopping people with ANY kind of disability from owning a firearm.
 
I don't think they issue driver's license to the blind, legally or completely. But why not, they've got rights. Sighted people are killing each other fast enough, the blind should not be issued gun permits, in my opinion. Our gun laws are just crazy.
 
SifuPhil said:
Not really.

Do you want to travel on a cross-country flight piloted by a blind person?

Do you want your surgeon to be blind?

It's a harsh fact of life, and goes against the common mantra of "We are all equal", but the fact is that we are not. The mania for enabling the handicapped aside, blind people should not have the same rights by virtue of their handicap, because by granting those equal rights you're putting others in jeopardy.
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I thought the subject was the right of a blind person (any person) to own and carry a firearm. Nothing more and nothing less.
We are not talking about flying or surgery.
Just so folks know where I stand if you want a gun any gun go buy it. The only restriction being do you have enough money to pay for it.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
However, I DO think this is another step to limit who can own a weapon. This is how the government always operates. They find a ridiculous example, and work from there.
So, if we say that people with disabilities can't own a firearm, who will be next ?

You know it is not because blind people are out there in droves buying guns that this is made into an example.
It is because this helps gather support for a law stopping people with this kind of a disability from owning a gun.

Then it will be another disability, and soon they will have a full blown law stopping people with ANY kind of disability from owning a firearm.
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You said a mouthful there, Happyflowerlady!!!! I believe that's certainly part of it....already, I've read that people who have ever had issues with depression should not be allowed to own a gun. That was after one of the mass shootings somewhere; because he had been depressed, then we're supposed to think that anyone with depression is dangerous.
How many of us have not had a depressive episode in our lives at one time or another from losing a loved one, or going through a bad time??? Perhaps saw a doctor for help at the time?? It's considered a mental illness; and on the medical records.

What could be labelled a mental illness next?? PMS?? Nicotine withdrawal?? Sounds dumb, but who knows............ :confused:
 
Jillaroo said:
It's not about rights it's commonsense, would you send your toddler out to play in the traffic
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I disagree it is about rights. I do not know about Down Under but here there is no common sense when it comes to the needless burdens our government puts on its citizens.
 
So you are saying that it is their right to have a gun and if they shoot and kill a poor innocent child or adult well that's bad luck but they did have the right to do, in my opinion a blind person is not capable of being able to shoot the gun and reach the target they have aimed for,put a blindfold on yourself and turn around a few times and then shoot and see if you got your target, bet you were miles off, they are judging by sound only and in my opinion it is down right dangerous to allow a blind person to have a gun
 
You make a good point HFL.
I was looking at it from the point as some people being restored a freedom.
As I recall in the beginning only convicted felons were denied the right to own guns.
 
Jillaroo said:
So you are saying that it is their right to have a gun and if they shoot and kill a poor innocent child or adult well that's bad luck but they did have the right to do, in my opinion a blind person is not capable of being able to shoot the gun and reach the target they have aimed for,put a blindfold on yourself and turn around a few times and then shoot and see if you got your target, bet you were miles off, they are judging by sound only and in my opinion it is down right dangerous to allow a blind person to have a gun
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I am saying all law abiding citizens of this country, blind people included, should have the unfettered right to own a gun and carry it on their person. Maybe all they want is to have a gun for the feel. Maybe they feel the need for the comfort being able to defend themselves if the need arises. Many blind people are more aware of their surroundings than many so called normal people.
 
Sid said:
I thought the subject was the right of a blind person (any person) to own and carry a firearm. Nothing more and nothing less.
We are not talking about flying or surgery.
Just so folks know where I stand if you want a gun any gun go buy it. The only restriction being do you have enough money to pay for it.
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It's not so much the owning and carrying a gun that worries me. It's loading it with bullets and discharging it anywhere else other than a firing range. In tis country every time a police officer fires a weapon there is an inquiry to see if that action was justified. Are civilians held to the same level of responsibility, and if not, why not?

Let the blind own and carry a gun if it pleases them but please don't let them point it at anyone when it is loaded.
 
Sid said:
I thought the subject was the right of a blind person (any person) to own and carry a firearm. Nothing more and nothing less.
We are not talking about flying or surgery.
Just so folks know where I stand if you want a gun any gun go buy it. The only restriction being do you have enough money to pay for it.
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Sorry Sid, but you're the one who came out with the sweeping generalization first. I was just replying to it.

Let's put it this way, folks - you're having a friend over to your place and all of a sudden you're in the middle of a home invasion. Would you prefer that your friend is mentally stable, physically able and well-trained in the use of their firearm, or are you willing to settle on their simply having had the money to buy that firearm as their only qualification? On top of that, having handicaps that most probably will get you both killed?

I'm sorry, but unlike other weapons a firearm is not just a force extender - it's a force multiplier. That's what makes it so deadly. Anyone who jumps on the bandwagon of "I have rights!" and uses only that as their reason for owning a gun is a FAR more dangerous person than I would care to have next to me in a deadly-force scenario. I want someone who is sound in mind and body and well-trained in combat shooting skills - not just going to the woods to plink at tin cans once a month.

If you don't meet at least those qualifications then you're more of a liability than an asset.
 
Warrigal said:
It's not so much the owning and carrying a gun that worries me. It's loading it with bullets and discharging it anywhere else other than a firing range. In tis country every time a police officer fires a weapon there is an inquiry to see if that action was justified. Are civilians held to the same level of responsibility, and if not, why not?

Let the blind own and carry a gun if it pleases them but please don't let them point it at anyone when it is loaded.
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I am not sure just what you are asking. If I fire a gun be it shooting targets or hunting for food I am not investigated. If I shoot at a person or someone's property I will be investigated and if they think a crime has been committed I will be charged and have my day in court. Does this answer your question?
 
Jillaroo said:
So you are saying that it is their right to have a gun and if they shoot and kill a poor innocent child or adult well that's bad luck but they did have the right to do, in my opinion a blind person is not capable of being able to shoot the gun and reach the target they have aimed for,put a blindfold on yourself and turn around a few times and then shoot and see if you got your target, bet you were miles off, they are judging by sound only and in my opinion it is down right dangerous to allow a blind person to have a gun
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Jilly, as far as I know , we don't have ANY cases of blind shooters harming anyone. We have LOTS of cases of CRIMINALS shooting people, so that is where the focus needs to be.
The actual issue here is NOT one of blind people going out with their guns and shooting people they can't see.
Even the idea is ridiculous ! (People that CAN see likely will miss their target, even the police miss, and they are trained and can actually see.)
We have had threads here about getting too old to drive safely, and pretty much we all agreed that when we are not physically capable of driving due to sight, or any other physical disability, we will stop driving. In exactly that same way' a blind person knows he is not safe to go out hunting, or using a gun, although they might still keep one beside their bed in case of a nighttime attacker.

The actual issue is that this is simply another ploy to take away the rights of legal, law-abiding citizens, and that is the part that has to be addressed. Once they start one disability as a reason not to have the right to own a gun, then they will soon be adding more reasons, until most of the older citizens, and many of our war veterans, will be disqualified from their rights.
It has to be stopped now, before that car starts rolling down the hill.
 
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