To: President Donald Trump
Enact Universal background checks on all gun sales
In the United States a license is required to drive a car. Drivers must pass a test. They need insurance and their car must be licensed and registered. Divers can lose their right to drive a car if they do not drive responsibly.
Individuals can also lose their right to vote if they are convicted of a felony.
There are no similar uniform requirements for gun ownership. 40% of guns purchased in the United States are purchased without a background check.
The arguments for and against gun control are complicated and difficult. Some people argue for no restrictions. Others want a complete ban or a ban on certain types of guns . Some people want training to be required for owners.
One type of legislation however, that should not be controversial is the question of background checks.
Just as we acknowledge that driving a car and voting are rights that can be lost, we must acknowledge that the right to own a gun also comes with certain responsibilities.
There is no reason that the NRA or any pro gun organization should be against background checks for gun ownership. A responsible gun owner should understand that it is in his or her self-interest to insure that other gun owners are responsible.
In the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook , Connecticut, people are demanding that our elected leaders take action. There are already several online petitions being circulated. This petition goes a step further. It describes a specific plan of action: Universal Background Checks.
Back ground checks do not solve the problem. They don’t make it impossible for a criminal to get a gun. And they are not, hopefully, the only legislation that will be enacted.
But they are a good first step. They give law enforcements officials a strong tool to work with. They do not violate or impinge on any ones second amendment right to own a gun. They simply acknowledge that with rights come responsibilities.
We demand that Congress immediately enact legislation that
1. Requires a waiting period on all gun purchases
2. Bans online gun sales
3. Requires back ground checks on all gun sales
4. Prohibits persons convicted of a felony from owning a gun
5. Defines certain types of mental disorders that will disqualify an individual from owning a gun
6. Registers serial numbers and owner information for all guns in a national data base, including guns that have already been purchased
Individuals can also lose their right to vote if they are convicted of a felony.
There are no similar uniform requirements for gun ownership. 40% of guns purchased in the United States are purchased without a background check.
The arguments for and against gun control are complicated and difficult. Some people argue for no restrictions. Others want a complete ban or a ban on certain types of guns . Some people want training to be required for owners.
One type of legislation however, that should not be controversial is the question of background checks.
Just as we acknowledge that driving a car and voting are rights that can be lost, we must acknowledge that the right to own a gun also comes with certain responsibilities.
There is no reason that the NRA or any pro gun organization should be against background checks for gun ownership. A responsible gun owner should understand that it is in his or her self-interest to insure that other gun owners are responsible.
In the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook , Connecticut, people are demanding that our elected leaders take action. There are already several online petitions being circulated. This petition goes a step further. It describes a specific plan of action: Universal Background Checks.
Back ground checks do not solve the problem. They don’t make it impossible for a criminal to get a gun. And they are not, hopefully, the only legislation that will be enacted.
But they are a good first step. They give law enforcements officials a strong tool to work with. They do not violate or impinge on any ones second amendment right to own a gun. They simply acknowledge that with rights come responsibilities.
We demand that Congress immediately enact legislation that
1. Requires a waiting period on all gun purchases
2. Bans online gun sales
3. Requires back ground checks on all gun sales
4. Prohibits persons convicted of a felony from owning a gun
5. Defines certain types of mental disorders that will disqualify an individual from owning a gun
6. Registers serial numbers and owner information for all guns in a national data base, including guns that have already been purchased
Why is this important?
Enact Universal background checks on all gun sales