Gun owners and their paranoia

While I think President Obama’s decision to add tighter background checks will do little to stem gun violence in this country, the level of paranoia displayed by gun owners convinces me most could not, and should not pass a background check. Ask yourselves: who stands the most to lose if we make it more difficult to purchase guns? It’s not the American citizen, but rather the NRA and gun manufacturers.

No one stands to lose more from tighter gun laws than those who profit the most from firearms. It’s no different than automobile manufactures opposing tighter pollution standards on cars or factories opposing tighter standards on factory emissions.

If there is a gun conspiracy in this nation, it is not coming from the left nearly as much as it is from the far right. Ever since Charlton Heston headed up the NRA, there has been a push to create the impression our government wants our guns and the only answer to this evil is to purchase more while you still can.

The end result has seen an increase in home robberies with guns being the first choice of loot, resulting in greater gun violence and gun availability on the streets. Not surprisingly, as the paranoia of an easily manipulated gun owning population grows, we see a continued increase in gun sales, which only adds to the coffers of the manufactures.

At the same time, membership in the NRA increases while they use their funds to create the impression government is out to get your guns.

Most Americans would agree they are not comfortable seeing paranoid people owning guns and yet this is what is happening in our country. The statistics do not lie, if you own a gun, you or a loved one are about nine times more likely to die from a bullet fired by that gun than you are to kill someone in self defense.

Believe it or not, one of the jobs of government is to regulate industry. They do it in all areas and should be allowed to do so with the gun industry.

This does not infringe on our Second Amendment rights any more than regulating what we can or cannot say infringes on free speech. And yet, gun owners are okay with preventing someone from yelling “fire” in a crowded movie theater but feel they should be allowed to make people around them uncomfortable by bringing a firearm as their movie date.

We require drivers to pass tests, both written and performance, to get and maintain a license, but to expect the same of a gun owner is suddenly an act of a heavy-handed government out to take away your freedom.

One of the primary functions of government is to protect its citizens, not just the gun owners, but also those who choose not to own guns. When the non-gun owning population out numbers the gun owning population like it currently does, guess what, it is the duty of government to meet their desires so long as they are constitutional.

Gun owners, you are a minority. Deal with it. We live in a land based on democratic rule and the people clearly want tighter restrictions on the purchasing of guns. Feel free to take the issue up in court, but be prepared to lose, not because of a government-wide conspiracy, but because it is within the rights of government to enact such regulations.

Now, before you say this is the job of Congress, ideally you are correct. It is the duty of congress to work together to meet the will of the people and not to work against each other to meet the will of the minority voice. When Congress fails to do its job, believe it or not, the president is within his right to exercise executive powers.

He is not to do it as a way to avoid working with Congress, something some might be able to claim Obama has done on other matters.

However, with regards to guns, Obama has listened repeatedly to the American people and watched as Congress has failed to accomplish what the people desire. Even if he did not agree with the majority voice, he would be wrong not to do what he did last week because what good is any elected leader if he or she refuses to listen to and bow to the will of the people?

Again, while I do not think the president’s actions will make a dent in gun violence, I applaud him for his executive action because he is doing what the majority want done and this is how our government is suppose to work.

Now, I think I will go move some of my money into gun manufacturing because I have a good feeling sales are going to hit new highs. After all, it’s my right to also profit off of your paranoia.

Photo above: Chuck Woolery in his YouTube video explaining why he needs an assault weapon. (YouTube)