Recently, the ballot language for the statewide ballot initiatives was released by the Secretary of State’s office. As a longtime gun owner, and a military veteran, I was eagerly anticipating reading the specifics regarding Question 1.
Question 1 would require background checks on all firearms sales and transfers in our state, except for certain well-defined circumstances. As a law-abiding gun owner, who has always legally purchased his firearms from a licensed seller, this initiative will in no way restrict or change the way I purchase my firearms. This initiative will stop the unregulated sale of firearms to unqualified buyers. The gun lobby has been spreading fear for months that this law will somehow restrict law-abiding citizens & creates cause for their arrest. They also claim that this initiative will destroy the 2nd Amendment and lead to onerous regulations.
I have read the ballot language. Law-abiding gun owners like myself have nothing to fear. In fact, this law strengthens the 2nd Amendment by protecting the rights of legal gun owners, and making it more difficult for criminals to purchase firearms. The Secretary of State explicitly outlines the well-defined exemptions written into Question 1.
- a) Hunting with a friend? No background check required.
- b) Shooting at the range with a friend? No background check required.
- c) Gifting a firearm to a child or grandchild, or just about any family member for that matter? No background check required.
Purchasing a firearm online, or at a gun show? Background check REQUIRED. Just like any other legal firearm transfer.
Why is the gun lobby so dedicated to protecting the rights of criminals and unqualified gun purchasers? Why should criminals and unqualified gun purchasers have the same access to firearms as law-abiding citizens and veterans?
I will be voting yes on Question 1. I urge all Nevadans to do the same.
Manny Garcia
Mesquite, NV
It all has to do with knowing who has the guns. By requiring background checks on all purchases, the government establishes a database so they know what kind of guns you have and where to go to pick them up. Bad guys don’t bother with registration! They did the registration thing in many countries just before they passed a law to turn in your guns. Countries like; Great Britain, Australia and even Germany before the they took away the Jews who were by then unarmed in 1930s.
Dictators such as; Mao Tze Tung, Josef Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin all started with gun registration and then confiscation before wiping out large portions of their own people. Our forefathers did not arm the American people for the purpose of hunting, but rather to protect themselves from those who were doing the hunting. The second amendment is only to insure our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is not the government’s right to know if you have a gun and what type.
Bravo! Manny can report all the guns he owns if he wants to, but don’t ask me to. Question 1 would just be another restriction on our freedom and rights!
Great article Manny. It is inconceivable that people like Mike Young could think this US government would ever turn on its own people and try to confiscate guns. Hell, they can’t even pass a bill on the Zika virus. Or funding this country. This bill if about criminals not gun owners. Those countries Mike Young mentioned did not have the gun culture the USA has. In fact, most of them didn’t even have guns. So let’s get real and not be delusional. We saw what happened when the government tried to confiscate some cows. Let’s help stop the crime. Stop the killing. Don’t let stupidity be contagious.
Foolishly giving your rights away, while expecting criminals to obey the same laws that we create, is truly an exercise in fatuity. Why don’t we try enforcing the laws we already have instead of trying to create new ones? I also find it puzzling that pointing out our governments ineptness, is an argument for creating any new law and expecting them to successfully implement and enforce it?
“Don’t let stupidity be contagious.” Good advice! We know making yet another law, will effectively stop the criminals!