Mass shootings equal tragedy, a lot of talk and not much else. So let me make a radical suggestion. Go upstream, go to the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Change it, don’t argue about what can be done to circumvent it. Too many politicians use the persistence of gun control as an issue, as a political tool to raise money and enhance their position with single-issue voters.
It is time to let all Americans have a say! I am reminded of the Equal Rights Amendment initiative to assure the equal rights under the law for women. The amendment failed, but the “conversation” resulted in a number of laws that improved women’s rights.
Assault weapons should be carefully regulated. Common sense rules should be proposed and the overarching question should be what will work, not what will thread the needle of current political and constitutional objections. An amendment should provide constitutional room to write effective law.
Additions to the Constitution are difficult. If the Second Amendment is to be amended the addition should be simple, clear, limited and broadly appealing. My suggestion, a second sentence that says: The possession and use of military weapons and their facsimile can be regulated. Under current circumstances there are many efforts to regulate and often gun ownership or use that doesn’t need to be regulated gets swept up in our zeal to regulate military-style weapons.
By the way, I make this argument as a hunter who also does some recreational shooting at sporting clay ranges.
Automobiles that are potentially dangerous provide an interesting context. You have to be licensed to drive and you must have a key/fob to get into a car or truck that is locked. There should be a class of weapons that are treated similarly. When an applicant for a license to own a military-style weapon begins the application process, authorities should make sure past conduct does not disclose criminality or mental illness that might increase the propensity for violence. And, if I was writing regulatory law, there would also need to be a biometric identification before the weapon can be used.
Millions of persons hunt and shoot competitively with limited magazine guns. I cannot, for example, duck hunt with a shotgun that allows more than three shells. I have been to a number of sporting clay ranges; my experience is that you put one shell or at the most two shells in the chamber at a time. Any constitutional proposal should preclude interference with these activities. If that exemption is not clear an amendment initiative will fail.
I can hear the instinctive reactions. “Impossible”, “too slow”, “too demanding”. It is certainly true that amending the constitution is not quick nor easy, but it is also certain that real progress in preventing homicidal disasters will not occur without an amendment to the Constitution.
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al recently published Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
R. Stevens says
This author is a liberal, at best. Restrictions on our God-given rights because of what an object looks like is ludicrous. Not a single gun CONTROL law would have stopped any crazed shooter. These laws are all about gaining CONTROL over the people. There is zero interest in saving lives. These leftists want to have us disarmed so they can CONTROL us. We’ve had a taste of this with the COVID-19 scare. It helped to get us accustomed to following orders and giving up our freedoms. Do not be fooled by the democrats (the author is one!) into surrendering the one Right that protects all of the rest of them. The Second Amendment has NOTHING to do with hunting or trap shooting. It’s there to prevent power-mad government officials (such as the author) from CONTROLLING us!
Charles Barranco says
Since when did assault weapons and weapons of war get confused with Second Amend Rights? The answer is the NRA, lobby for Gun Mfgs!
The Constitutional envisioned The British and a Government to enslave American Citizens that needed protection from overreach on American’s Rights, Redskins not included.
Today, Hunters in most states have shotguns and rifles that are plugged for 3 rounds!
Assault weapons have 30 round clips. Under the Constitution, black powder pistols and rifles had one shot!
As a staunch Republican I can only interpret a strict interpretation of the 2nd Amend to mean black powder weapons to establish a militia.
Republicans always stick to a conservative interpretation of the Constitution otherwise you are considered a flaming liberal! Right?
As a conservative Republican you must have the same thought process unless you are encumbered with liberal ideas.
So, Please explain how a weapon of war used indiscriminately against Citizens has any hearing on the 2nd Amend?
Stephen Schaare says
Minor correction here. Please let me know where you can buy a thirty round magazine for any firearm. Very hard to purchase 20 round. Such days are in the past. I trust you are not someone who believes you can walk into a store and purchase an automatic weapon, or a “machine gun”. Automatic weapons were outlawed in 1926. The military and some law enforcement has access.
Overall, I struggled to understand your comment.
Charles Barranco says
Hey Steve,
Guess you must go to a Gun Show or on line to purchase a 30 round clip. I ghouls you understood. My M1 had an 8 round clip and was replaced with the M14 and M16. I have not fired an AL 47 or AR 15 so not familiar with their caps yet. However, conversions are usually quick and easily made. Right?
If you sear the firing pin on the M1 it becomes fully automatic. Easy, Right.
Sorry you didn’t understand my comment. But please try to understand, Weapons of War do not have a place in the hands of Citizens. The Caps are for emphasis.
Stephen Schaare says
I have never even seen a thirty round magazine. Will gladly meet you at any gun show, you can point them out. Each state sets the limit on a magazine. Maryland is 10 round. You can sear a firing pin if you wish. I prefer to stay within the law.
Got to put down those spooky super spy kooky magazines.
I strongly suspect you have never seen, let alone held a BB gun. We don’t use the term “clips”.
Darrell Parsons says
Thank you for a positive suggestion.
Rev Julie Hart says
I thought the mass murder of children, and staff at Sandy Hook would have “done it.” Children!
The majority of Americans want some form of gun control. But as we know, our members of Congress are not there to represent us. They continually fail us by their own know-it-all arrogance. When is the last time your Senator or Representative asked you what you think about any issue? And that is why we are stuck.
But I do have to add that Civilians do NOT need military type weapons. For what valid reason would they? Someone once told me that such a weapon is the only thing that will take down a warthog. Why would anyone hunt a warthog? NO! Military style weapons should only be had by the military, period.
When I watch the news at these awful shootings, I can’t tell if I’m watching the police or military personnel. Logic says it should be the police. But I’m confused by the armour and weapons and tank-like vehicles.
When we travelled in Ireland we noted that the police did not carry guns. I don’t know if that is true for all of The United Kingdom. But what a stunning statement about what law enforcement means!
We live in the “Bang Bang Shoot ’em Up” of the Wild West even in this new millennium. Some of our Congressional representatives are prime examples. One is our District One Representative; and Andy Harris isn’t the only one.
I’m guessing we’ll talk this to death… to the death of hundreds or thousands more innocent people…and more children.
Rev Julie Hart
Deirdre LaMotte says
I could not agree more. This whole ridiculous second amendment argument is a sham, and they know it.
Anytime anyone can purchase an assault rifle, our nation is in deep moral trouble. When kindergartners
are killed and nothing is done, that is the sick nation we are. Why should we as a society be held
hostage by insecure men, usually, who need to advertise their low esteem? Guns have no purpose other than killing. Our warped NRA has elevated guns as it they have magic powers and this will require a deep
philosophical rejection of the myths of the second amendment. A mentality that gives people the right to assert their “freedom” in this way is the right to dominate others. It is nothing but the power needed by severely fearful and the insecure. Poor things.
insecure people who could care less for their fellow citizens.
Stephen Schaare says
With regard to tinkering with the 2nd amendment, “that ship has sailed”. Violent crime has risen exponentially across the country. Given that the right to bear arms was included by the founders to protect the citizenry from a tyrannical government, the need has never been greater. Considering the burning, looting, destruction of property we witnessed last year, the people must be able to defend themselves. Seeing the direction of our country these past few months, especially the unprecedented invasion at the southern border, more citizens should be armed.
Now to those scary two words “assault weapon” these rifles may bear some similar appearance to the M-4, M-16, etc., but they are very different. The “assault rifle” is semi-automatic, one trigger pull, one bullet fires. Many semi-auto pistols are more deadly.
I realize you mean well, but there is no good time to change the right to bear arms.
Charles Barranco says
Oh Steve, You need to read up a little.
The law is very specific and clear on protecting property with a deadly force!
If you shoot a loiter or somebody carrying away your prized possessions, you will be criminally charged and found guilty! The law does not allow protection of property with deadly force!
Back to the 2nd Amend. If the law does not allow deadly force to protect your Tesla, or the family keepsakes and we no longer fear the British, Don’t you think the 2nd Amend maybe antiquated and no longer applicable and maybe needs a little tuning up?
As I previously said, it’s very easy to change semi auto to fully automatic! Right?
My question to you: How many other civilized countries in the World experience mass murders/shootings every week, every month as the United States?
It’s time to change the The 2nd Amend!
Karen Hayes says
Please copy/past this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eya_k4P-iEo, or youtube Warren Burger second amendment 1991. Everything you did, or didn’t want to know about gun control is right there.
~ Karen Hayes
Mick Webb says
Well if you propose changing the 2nd amendment to suit what you think it should say then why don’t we change the 1st amendment so you can control what we want the narrative to be. No more protests or marches. Hell let’s just tell everyone what they should think, say or do. Yours is a bad idea. Work harder on background checks to limit access by people who don’t qualify. Oh that’s right the government doesn’t know how to run a program like that so just take guns away from everybody.
W Dalton says
I want to come to the rescue of my friend Al Sikes. Folks, I have known Al for many years and he is a great human being with an outstanding family. However one thing he is not and that is A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT. Al is Mr Republican and has been since birth.