This page was last updated on July 8, 2013.
Realistic gun control needed; Jason Bufalini; Beaver County Times; July 5, 2013.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“We need to get more realistic with the current gun control issues. Republicans and Democrats are using this issue as a political tool. This is a social problem and should be treated as such.
“The far left is fighting to make semi-automatic rifles illegal. This is never going to happen, nor should it.”
[RWC] Mr. Bufalini understates the position of leftists. The not-so-far-left is trying to make ALL firearms illegal. That’s why locations like Chicago and Washington, DC, had gun ownership laws so restrictive the Supreme Court struck them down as violating the Second Amendment (McDonald v. Chicago and District of Columbia v. Heller).
“The far right is fighting to make sure that absolutely no changes happen in our current gun laws; this is not realistic either. We need to take a step back from the political power struggle and get realistic so that positive changes can take place.
“At 18 you should not be able to walk into a gun store and buy a semi-automatic rifle. The age restriction should be raised to 21 for all semi-automatic rifles just like it is for handguns. It should be required to transfer the title of all guns when being privately sold, not just pistols. You should not be able to go to a gunshow [sic] and buy a semi-automatic rife [sic] without transferring it to your name.”
[RWC] If an 18-year-old can use a firearm to defend and possibly die for his country, why should he not be allowed to own a firearm to defend his family? Similar thinking was behind the 26th Amendment. That is, if an 18-year-old is old enough to fight and die for his country, he should be old enough to vote for the politicians who may put him in harm’s way.
As far as I can tell, in PA there is no restriction on selling handguns to 18-year-olds. Mr. Bufalini may be thinking about a concealed-carry permit which does require a minimum age of 21.
As for gun shows, PA gun laws apply whether you buy a firearm at a local dealer, at a gun show, or from your neighbor.
“Republicans and Democrats are using this issue to create fear in the public to further their own agendas, and as a result nothing positive happens. We need realistic changes based on facts, not fear.”
[RWC] A good start would be to have the correct facts.
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