This image indeed speaks volumes.  This debate over guns is polarizing and paralyzing this country.  And it definitely not a topic that can just be fluffed off or merely scoffed at in terms of saying “there goes the liberal media again.”

Responsible gun ownership is a valid topic.  And not everyone is fit to carry a firearm.  I believe tests of mental fitness should be included in the buying of a gun and gun permit process.

If  you want to own guns you should be at least willing to have an occasional psychological exam.  Think of it as continuing education for firearms – doctors, lawyers, and other professionals have to take continuing education classes to keep their licenses intact and their knowledge base sharp, so why not have something similar for firearms? Take for example, the guy who shot the dogs in West Vincent.  Is he fit to keep his guns after shooting dogs like that?  I don’t see that as responsible gun ownership, do you?  But maybe if there had been some sort of stop-gap in place like an occaisonal  soundness check on gun owners, maybe situations like this could be avoided?

After all, if you look at the issues with guns you see not only people buying and using guns who shouldn’t have access to them, and you also see people who have had some sort of life change that causes them to no longer be responsible gun owners even if they once were.

I have no desire to infringe on someone’s second amendment rights, but I do believe there need to be stop gaps and safety measures.  And as I said in the beginning, not everyone is fit to carry a firearm.

Thoughts?

THE GUN DEBATE   —  March 21, 2013 at  7:20 AM EDT         The Assault Weapons Ban as Understood by a 2nd Amendment Scholar By: Cassie M. Chew

Washington Post: The assault weapons ban was always doomed