How many times in the last few days have you heard about the so called "gun show loophole". Supposedly, at a gun show, anyone can buy a gun without any background check or other limitations on purchases. We are told that this is the biggest loophole and that closing it will prevent future mass shootings.
The problem with the claims about the gun show loophole is that they are completely phony. None of the high profile mass shootings of recent years were committed with guns purchased at a gun show. NONE!! Further, people who buy at gun shows cannot just walk up, plunk down cash and walk away with a weapon. The rules are somewhat different at gun shows, but most dealers follow the stricters rules anyway. So, in reality, there's no loophole and there's no mass shootings resulting from weapons purchased at gun shows.
Now there are some real problems; let's not minimize them. Many of the recent mass shootings were committed by people with mental problems. The Aurora shooter was under the care of a psychologist who managed to miss the potential for mass murder. The mother of the Oregon shooter, who herself is a nurse, knew that her son was mentally unstable, but never got him the needed help. The mother of the Newtown shooter also knew that he was unstable, but she put guns that she purchased legally within his easy reach. No stricter gun laws would have changed any of this. The problem is that as a society, we let those who clearly need help with their mental health stay out on the streets where they can get guns and act out. Strangely enough, usually the people who want to restrict guns are the same ones who fight like hell to make sure that the mentally ill are allowed to remain on the streets where they can commit murder.
The time has come to focus on the real issues, not the nonsense like more gun laws.
The problem with the claims about the gun show loophole is that they are completely phony. None of the high profile mass shootings of recent years were committed with guns purchased at a gun show. NONE!! Further, people who buy at gun shows cannot just walk up, plunk down cash and walk away with a weapon. The rules are somewhat different at gun shows, but most dealers follow the stricters rules anyway. So, in reality, there's no loophole and there's no mass shootings resulting from weapons purchased at gun shows.
Now there are some real problems; let's not minimize them. Many of the recent mass shootings were committed by people with mental problems. The Aurora shooter was under the care of a psychologist who managed to miss the potential for mass murder. The mother of the Oregon shooter, who herself is a nurse, knew that her son was mentally unstable, but never got him the needed help. The mother of the Newtown shooter also knew that he was unstable, but she put guns that she purchased legally within his easy reach. No stricter gun laws would have changed any of this. The problem is that as a society, we let those who clearly need help with their mental health stay out on the streets where they can get guns and act out. Strangely enough, usually the people who want to restrict guns are the same ones who fight like hell to make sure that the mentally ill are allowed to remain on the streets where they can commit murder.
The time has come to focus on the real issues, not the nonsense like more gun laws.
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