Reality check on gun background checks

The Duck Dynasty boys are armed to the teeth. During a recently aired episode of the reality show that celebrates American "redneck" culture, a Robertson clan hunting party deployed to the forest with assault rifles, shotguns and at least one pistol in search of giant rats called nutria. /Image via Tumblr.com


Attention U.S. gun rights advocates: You win! Game over! The fat lady has sung! The gun-toting genie is out of the bottle and even a federal army of jack-booted thugs could not collect the 310 million guns in private hands.

Gun makers and their political mouthpiece at the National Rifle Association have fought tooth and nail for the right of every American to possess a firearm. Now there are enough guns to arm every man, woman and child in the country. Regardless of your opinion about private gun ownership, firearms have established a permanent presence in American culture.

The question about whether U.S. citizens should be allowed to possess guns has been settled. The United States is a society that cherishes democracy and freedom. The right to bear arms is written into to country's constitution. The only way the government could confiscate everybody's guns is through a military coup that turned the country into a totalitarian dictatorship. If that ever comes to pass, which is highly unlikely, the condition of the country and the world will be so dire that gun ownership will be among the last of our worries.

The only question now is how do Americans keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals and people suffering from severe mental illness. To achieve that goal, strengthening background checks for gun purchases and laws against the transfer of guns to criminals should be a matter of common sense.

Most U.S. employers require new hires to undergo background checks. The federal government requires background checks for anyone working in a job related to national security. Political parties conduct background checks on candidates for public office. Reputable organizations that work with young children do background checks on employees and volunteers.

What's the problem with requiring background checks for possession of devices that can kill and maim dozens of our fellow citizens in minutes literally with the pull of a trigger?

Here are some of the justifications being put forward against universal background checks for gun purchases:

• "Republican opponents of the new background-check law (in Colorado) said it would make criminals of hunters lending each other weapons for weekend hunting trips. In response, Democrats changed the bill to give people a 72-hour grace period to share guns without triggering background-check requirements. Republicans then said the bill would imperil weeklong hunting trips." The Washington Post
• "Opponents including the National Rifle Association say background checks are easily sidestepped by criminals and threaten creation of a government file on gun owners, which is illegal under federal law." heraldnet.com
• "Mass shootings would continue to occur despite universal background checks. Criminals will continue to steal guns and buy them illegally to circumvent the requirements. When that happens, we will be back here debating whether gun registration is needed. And when registration fails, then the next step is gun confiscation." U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa

It's apparent that gun rights advocates are not satisfied with their overwhelming victory.