Thanks man, and yeah I agree the government should not be the only ones allowed to be armed. When the government tries to control guns in the name of safety I say BS. A criminal will get it illegally anyways. Not some dude wanting to hunt deer, target practice, or just collect weapons for fun.
I agree in principles, but perhaps not entirely in practice. Don't misunderstand: I don't want a government apparatchik deciding who's fit to own weapons. But at the same time, I don't have a problem with
sensible regulations that aren't overly restrictive and don't pose burdens to people wishing to buy weapons.
For example, I have no problem with bans on gun ownership for convicted felons, or with having processes in place to prevent people (with proper judicial oversight) who have a history of mental illness from purchasing weapons. I don't support the "assault weapons ban" in general. But at the same time I don't think that one should be able to walk into the local gun store and walk out with an M2 Browning (.50 caliber, up to 1200 rounds/min) no questions asked.
The problem will never be solved because politicians present it as a black and white issue and pander to the fringes. And when it comes down it, it's not a black and white issue. There's gradations. But inflammatory rhetoric pays off at the ballot box.
One side needs to accept that the Second Amendment is part of the Constitution and that Americans can keep and bear arms. The other side needs to accept that not every attempt is an attempt to take its guns away.
