Of all the things I hear some gun rights activists say, I think the dumbest would be to not have background checks.
Having background checks would be fantastic for gun rights because it would allow only the most trustworthy people to own a gun. People who can not be trusted with a gun definitely should not be able to own one.
This is why felons are not allowed to own guns, but it should definitely go further so people who have a violent history do not own guns as well.
According to NHPR, New Hampshire House Bill 1711 passed 204 to 149, 25 Republicans joined the Democrats in passing the bill. The bill, “Enables the state of New Hampshire to report mental health information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).” The reporting is about individuals who have mental health adjudications and are disqualified from possessing a firearm.
I feel this should be completely bipartisan and I have no idea why Republicans would not want to have background checks for guns. The Republican Party seems to pride itself on law and order and having background checks would enable law and order.
No one’s rights would be taken away from background checks as they would only see who can be trusted with a gun. It would be no different from seeing who can be trusted behind the wheel of a car.
I absolutely believe people have the right to bear arms. I think there should be limits on it, but I certainly support the right to own a gun and the right to self-defense.
A country that loves gun culture and is also safe is Switzerland. Many people own guns in Switzerland, but there are many restrictions so only the people who can be trusted with a gun can own one.
While guns are quite popular in Switzerland, gun violence is very rare. It may be surprising to some people that a country where only trusted people are allowed to own guns has very little gun violence which just shows how foolish the United States is when it comes to regulations.
Furthermore, I also do not believe getting rid of guns entirely is a good idea, at least for the US. This has worked in countries like Japan, but I do not think it would work for the US.
The U.S. is too entrenched in gun culture and eliminating it entirely would not only take guns away from trustworthy people but also make an underground market of guns for criminals. I believe the U.S. should follow in the footsteps of Switzerland in having strong regulations on who can own a gun.
There have been too many tragedies in this country because we refused to properly regulate firearms. It should not be controversial to say only trustworthy people are entitled to the right to bear arms.
I feel it is absolutely possible and necessary to maintain the rights of the people while also taking safety into consideration. Some may think that is an impossible feat, but I say otherwise.
Nico Brazill can be contacted at
nbrazill@kscequinox.com
