Thoughts and prayers for Boulder, Colorado.

I remember one of our former ministers telling us that when we pray to God about a problem, we are then obliged to become part of the solution. In other words, we must act, and we must speak out whether it is because we want a better world for children where none go hungry or because we long for a safer world for our own children and grandchildren. We must do the best we can and leave the rest to God. But we should not just sit back and wait for the solution to drop from the sky at our request.
 

Since the NRA has hit financial trouble, perhaps their political impact will be somewhat curbed. IMHO, there are two things that would substantially reduce the deaths caused by firearm violence.

1. MANDATORY jail sentences for ANY crime convicted of that involves a firearm. Any crime involving a firearm is an automatic felony that cannot be expunged from one's record for a minimum of 20 years. If a street dealer is caught in a sting selling firearms without a license... it's a felony and he/she go to prison. If you threaten your neighbor with a firearm, it's a felony and you go to jail. If you threaten your domestic partner with a firearm, it's a felony and you go to jail. No ability to plead to a lesser offense.
2. MANDATORY background checks and three-day waiting periods. The Colorado shooter had felony assault convictions. Yet, he was able to "legally" purchase the firearm the day before he took 10 lives. The Atlanta shooter "legally" purchased the firearm. If previous incidents involving firearms were mandatory felonies and universal background checks were required, some of the firearms could be kept out of the hands of people intent on taking innocent lives.

I would also like to see HIPPA privacy requirements be waived if you want to purchase a firearm. There is zero reason to put a firearm in the hands of a mentally ill person. This, of course, would be extremely difficult to enact.

I grew up on a farm, hunting game for food from about 10 years of age. I later had a Federal Firearms License and and extensive firearm collection. I reloaded shotshell and centerfire ammunition. Competed in trap and skeet events. I am a firm believer that people... sane people... should be able to own hunting firearms and personal protection firearms. Those categories do not include the firearms that will accept high capacity rounds. Some believe they need the high capacity firearms for personal protection. I have personally been involved in situations where a drugged up man with an AR type weapon has been taken down with a single well-place shot. If the legal owners would go through training... and that training be required to be updated annually... the personal protection issue could be handled without the AR type firearms.

Rant off.....
 
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