Meanwhile, suppose the Constitution grants every American citizen a right to buy as many guns as his bank account allows -- shouldn't there still be limits on gun ownership by those with diminished mental capacity or evil intentions? [More]Well, Gee, Tony, when it comes to diminished mental capacity, U.S. Code already prohibits gun ownership to anyone who "has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution..."
You knew that before calling for more gun laws, right? I mean, you want to be responsible and truthful with your readers, right?
And as for "evil intentions" what are we talking about? Credible threats are already actionable, and it looks like your fellow blame-apportioner dropped the ball there.
As for some sort of...Department of Pre-Crime...which it sounds like you're talking about, well, that's a different matter. Because the whole reason the Framers thought government limitations on private gun ownership was an...insane idea was to provide a bulwark against...uh...evil intentions.
Oh, and the Constitution doesn't "grant"rights, either. You'd think our "Authorized Journalist" Official Defenders of Liberty would understand that basic concept.
It clearly would have been better if Jared Loughner had been an "only one" and used a Glock Foh-tay instead of a 9mm. He'd have just shot himself in the foot.
ReplyDeleteTypical MSM idiocy - punish all the people who didn't commit a crime because of the actions of one lunatic.
That will make us all safer - just write another law proscribing already illegal actions. It's a sure bet that the Loughners of the world will commit no other bad acts if there's just another law.
Do I have this right?
One in every five Americans -- 20% -- has been treated for a mental or emotional issue at some time, temporary or long term, mild or severe. That would be quite a lot of Prohibition. Obamacare (or Republicancare) digitization of our medical records would make that information instantly available to the government.
ReplyDeleteEven on FreeFor websites I see prejudice aginst those who need counseling in tough times or low-dose antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds after life-changing trauma. People put the cart before the horse. It's when the most profoundly ill people go OFF their treatment that they ... go off.
One of them over at opposingviews.com said he wants much more gun control to protect society from him when he doesnt take his pills and has an episode of violence. I told him I don't mind him having guns as long as his neighbors can too. His episodes will be very short.
It's all part of the big plan. Closing state mental hospitals and putting patients on the street to save money was known to be a risk for increasing the danger to the public and increasing crime. They counted on it.