I feel that having and owning a gun is a responsibility. I know I am safe. But when I let a buddy shoot my AR the other day, and he hands it back to me with a round in the chamber and the safety off (and I call him on it), and he does it again half an hour later, guess what. He doesn't get to shoot my gun anymore.
And the fact that he has neighbors, and doesn't hunt with his gun, and has a 30-30 for "defense"... Guess what, that guy can take his "right" and shove it. Because the family next door that practices safe firearms handling doesn't deserve to have a bullet come through their wall. Imagine that "banned" Daniel Defense Superbowl commercial, but 10 seconds in a bullet comes ripping into the kitchen and sticks the wife in the neck.
It just seems you are ready to chalk a few folks here and there killed by idiot gun owners as the cost of having your right.
The bottom line here is that we are arguing opinions and when it comes to the real world, both of us can pound sand. We'll never see zero restrictions in our lifetime, and we (probably) won't see increased restrictions on the mentally ill.
I understand where you are coming from japollner, but the problem is in the parts of your post I bolded. The right to bear arms is a right, not just a responsibility, and until that friend or neighbor proves that he or she is willfully putting others in danger, they have the right to own and enjoy their firearms. You can elect to educate, disassociate, or move away from them, but you don't have the right to take away theirs. Once someone has proven that they are violent and a danger to others and/or themselves, then and only then do I think they should be "prohibited" from obtaining firearms (legally at least). I understand that criminals and those intent on suicide can/will obtain weapons and kill themselves despite(inspite? of) legislation, but if the law is in anyway meant to reflect our societies ethics, I don't feel we could in good conscience have ZERO restrictions.
I applaud you for reminding your friend of the importance of safe firearm handling, maybe he will better remember what you told him after you took the fun of shooting your AR away. If you are still his friend and he has access to firearms without you around maybe you should continue to educate him.
Lastly the problem is, as you stated, that we will likely NEVER have zero restrictions but it is only probable that we will not have increased restrictions based on mental health, though in my opinion based on the current trend in different states and nationally, that may not be true at all.
On a side note, I can't believe (but should have expected) Linksy said firearm license applicants should have to "sign away their right to privacy" in regard to mental health records.
![[hmmm]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/009.gif "Hmm [hmmm]")
