...people kill people?" We've heard that before. In some sense this is true. But if we can use the transitive properties of logic to somehow remove guns from the equation, solving for x as "people", why can't we go a step forward and add to that adage, ..."People + guns = more dead people."
You can also say, "cars don't kill people..." This is true, so long as a car is parked, or cruising unmanned over a smooth stretch of Antarctica. Cars might kill penguins, I guess.
It's fair to say that the ultimate perpetrator of homicide, accidental or otherwise, is almost always a person. A penguin may pick up a gun when threatened by an unmanned car, but that doesn't harm anyone.
Point is, we require that anyone who drives a car pass certain requirements that are intended to reduce the chance that they kill someone. They need to be able to see, to read road signs, to know the laws, and to get a little practice before being unleashed on the road system. Cars need to be registered to someone so they can be traceable in the event of an accident or a crime.
Society has judged that driving is a right, but not at the cost of great public risk. We regulate drivers and we regulate the cars they drive because it saves lives and reduces burdens on society.
Society has decided that free speech is a right, so long as it doesn't insight violence.
Society has decided that gun ownership is a right. Isn't there some responsibility to reduce the risks that come with it?
Individual rights are curtailed when they infringe on the liberties of others, on public safety. One person's private safety should not be allowed to override the safety another. Allowing anyone with a gun to ride a subway train waiting for a crime so they can feel justified blowing someone away is not an acceptable method of keeping the peace.
The basic principle that seems right to me is: you're a responsible person, so prove it and you can do whatever you want so long as it doesn't put others in danger.
What your rights as a gun owner are:
1. You have a right to any gun you want.
2. You have a right to any gun any time. No waiting periods. Just present your license, get the gun registered in your name and away you go.
3. You can use it to defend your life and your property while on your property. Off your property, unless your life is under imminent threat, defense is the domain of our police and military. No vigilantes.
4. You can use it for livelihood, sport and recreation as permitted by existing law.
What your responsibilities as a gun owner are:
1. You must be a licensed gun owner, having passed a state-administered safety test, and being eligible based on a background check.
2. Any gun you own must be licensed to you. Guns must have serial numbers and ballistics reports so they can be traced in the event of a crime.
3. If it's stolen or lost, you must report it stolen or face civil and/or criminal liability for its misuse. If you give it to someone, they must register the gun and be a registered gun owner.
4. You risk losing your license through misuse of a gun that is registered to you.
5. There are places, like airports, and enclosed, crowded places where your right to defend yourself poses a greater risk to others that can be justified. Local, state and federal bodies should be allowed to pass laws based on this principle.
As good as it may sound, unless you're the only person on earth, absolute freedom runs the risk of putting others in harm's way. That's why we have a legal process. That's why we can't just do whatever we want. I accept that because it lets me live a very good life, far better than if I lived somewhere with no laws, where anyone can take my life or livelihood.It's our government. We get to vote on these matters. We're not powerless. It's OK to pass some laws that might protect people. It's about reducing harm while ensuring rights, not just ensuring rights.
If we had no power over our government's imposing of restrictions, that's tyranny. If we don't demand any restrictions, that's anarchy. Somewhere between Russia and the Congo lies the power balance of American life.
I think we've been leaning towards the Congo on gun rights.
This 4th of July, take a minute to celebrate not only your freedoms to do what you please. Think about your freedoms from things. Neither can be taken for granted.
