Are background checks good or bad?

[Zen21Tao]

The background checks question is very closely related to whether or not felons should be allowed to own guns. I personally lean towards being okay with banning violent felons from owning guns. Here is why.

Back in the founders time, most violent felonies that we punish by an period of incarceration, back in founders time, was punishable by death. They didn't have to worry about repeat violent offenders like we do today. I would change my opinion if we could make our punishment for these crimes longer (if not more permanent).

 

[Werewolf]

The background checks question is very closely related to whether or not felons should be allowed to own guns. I personally lean towards being okay with banning violent felons from owning guns.

So? What's that got to do with back ground checks? It's a well established fact that felons who want guns get guns - background check or no.

It's been illegal for felons to own firearms since - what? - the 1968 GCA. That didn't stop 'em from getting guns then and instituting background checks 20+ years later hasn't stopped 'em from getting guns now. Criminal wants gun - criminal gets gun. It really is that simple.

And I, for one, just don't get why it is so darn hard for some to understand that? With or without background checks the criminal still gets the gun. So what the heck is the point of a background check?

If background checks are all about crime control then the system is a miserable failure and all of our tax payer money that goes into paying for the system might as well be tossed into a fire or a toilet. Background check or no, felons still get guns.

And that boils down to either 1) our legislators are insane to keep supporting and paying for background checks (it's insane to keep doing the same ole same ole and expect a different result each time), 2) they think we're stupid because we believe background checks somehow make us safer or 3) background checks are really about people control and keeping guns out of our hands.

I really don't see any other reasons that background checks are still done. Do you?

 

[30Cal]

I see background checks as nothing more than waste. It provides only an obstacle to law abiding people.

 

[Zen21Tao]

Perhaps I should have formed my views better. I never meant to present the impression that I support background checks. I do not support ANY gun-control measures that burden law abiding citizens. This includes background checks. But, I didn’t want my opposition to background checks to be taken as if I was saying that I feel everyone should retain their right to keep and bear arms. I do believe that there are some people that should lose this right based on their actions.


In fact, the problem I have with background checks has nothing to do with rather it is successful or not, it is that it treats each citizens a “guilty until they prove themselves innocent.” If you cannot prove yourself law abiding by passing the check, you are not allowed to buy the weapon.


I also said that I feel the legal system for punishing such individuals that shouldn’t be allowed to own firearms needs to seriously be revamped. Yes, I absolutely do think that it would be wise to throw out the background check system all together and use the funds saved to better punish criminals. But, if we are forced to keep the background check system, then it should be revamped to allow avenues for exemption for those of us that already have demonstrated ourselves to be law abiding (e.g. CCW licenses, past gun purchase, recent military service, etc.).

 

[buzz_knox]

2) they think we're stupid because we believe background checks somehow make us safer or 3) background checks are really about people control and keeping guns out of our hands.

Combine those two and, to quote the Hokey Pokey, "that's what it's all about."

The purpose of background checks is to throw one more obstacle in the path of law abiding citizens. Just as sin taxes are designed to deter consumption of "inappropriate" substances, the added time, expense, violation of privacy, and feeling of "you might be a criminal" are designed to reduce purchases.

And it's all done in the name of "stopping bad guys."