Letters to the Editor
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Like what?
Anu Singh writes: "Does that mean a complete ban? No, but like any other privilege (driving a car, par. ex.)it should be licensed and regulated...far more than it is today."
Between the states and the federal government firearms are already highly regulated, with thousands of laws already on the books. What specific new regulations would you like to see?
I can think of one change that I believe might be approved by both sides. I have a concealed handgun permit for the state in which I live. In order to get that, I had to take a class, pass an exam, get fingerprinted, pay a fee, and pass a criminal background check. But if I travel to another state, that permit is not valid. It's kind of like having a drivers license that is valid only in one state but not when you cross the border into another state.
I would like to see concealed carry legal in all states, with a uniform licensing process and permit that would be valid in all states. In exchange for that, I would favor much more training -- especially in the areas of gun safety, marksmanship, weapon retention, and the legal aspects of the use of lethal force in self-defense.
Such a system would satisfy those who want to carry a handgun for self-defense, while at the same time ensuring that those people would be highly trained in all aspects of handgun use. Of course, it wouldn't satisfy those on the extremes of the issue -- namely those who think that handguns should be banned, and those who think that concealed carry should be unregulated.