Here is my stance on this.
I beleive it to be fact that true political power comes from the threat of violence - implied or expressed. The implied threat in the US is that if you break a law, you will be locked in a cage for a certain amount of time. Ergo, when a population is disarmed, it no longer has liberty except to the extent that the ruling entities feel like granting it. Protests, etc can easily be stopped when they decide they don't want to hear it anymore.
Practically speaking, I think the ruling groups these days realize that granting a convincing illusion of freedom and keeping people fed and comfortable makes it easier for them to rule, but I'd rather not rely on that.
So, to me, it is critical that a population offer a credible threat to the safety of the ruling classes body. "But the military has tanks and planes and..." Well, yes, but guerulla tactics can be quite effective.
I've decided to accept 33,000 deaths per year on the highways to support our freedom to move around, freedom to associate.
I've decided to accept 88,000 deaths per year due to alchohol per year, because banning that was worse yet.
I'll accept 112,000 deaths per year due to obesity, because the indignity of enforced diets and lack of agency in one's life is a worse fate.
I'll accept 13,000 homocides per year due to firearms for the security of liberty.
I am, however, a practical person who doesn't want to live in a warzone, so I'm game for some practical discussions on arms control.
Here is my concerns, so you can address them or not. Your decision to ridicule them makes you an asshole and part of the problem... a reasoned response is great.
-An all out ban is not acceptable... for reasons above. IF this is what you want, I hope you are eternally disappointed.
-Incrementalism. This is a real thing...
"We have to do SOMETHING. ->More gun control -> shooting happens anyway -> OMG WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!!!11!! -> even more gun control -> ad nauseam. " We're already into this a few iterations, and I do not want to be in an endless cycle of "doing something" ineffectively. None of the gun control methods, will prevent all firearms tragedies. I think most people realize that. Someone more creative than me needs to come up with a way to break this cycle of some great compromise is reached.
-Ignorance on the part of gun control advocates. Please don't participate if you don't know the difference between a semiautomatic and fully automatic firearm, until you've made an effort to at least understand what you're talking about. (The misconceptions I see could be corrected with 15 minutes of research. seriously. make a goddamned effort.)
That said, these are the things I'd be game for.
-Universal background checks, with a default approval if the agency does not issue a decision within two weeks. Given that a federal background check can be done in minutes, electronically, this shouldn't be a problem.
-Those who have mental illness will not be able to pass a BG check.
-Those who have a history of domestic violence will not be able to pass a BG check.
-2 week waiting period on all handgun purchases.
-There will be an appeal process defined for the above two rejection causes.
-All guns shall be sold with a locking device included. (This may already be a law, every gun I've bought lately has had one.)
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I would require though, 50 state mandatory reciprocity for concealed carry. This can be managed at a federal level... but a universal training and live fire demonstration of proficiency would be part of it. It will be SHALL issue, not 'May issue.' The background check shall be rigorous. Those who pass can concealed carry everywhere... work, schools (actually already legal in Oregon, beleive it or not... unless you are a teacher.) wherever. Those who have a concealed carry now will NOT be grandfathered in, except that the costs incurred for getting the CHL they have will be applied to the cost of getting the new one. Concealed weapons holders are less likely to commit a crime than police officers, so this shouldn't scare anyone who has the slightest bit of control over the lizard portion of thier brain.
Anyway, I am trying to get used to a new ergo keyboard, and am over typing for now... I might follow up later.