“If arming more people meant we would be safer, we would be the safest country in the world.” — Shannon Watts

I’ve been considering gun control lately.  I suppose I was “triggered” by recent reporting of HR 3091. The house bill started out reasonably, I thought.  

(Newsletter for Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-MI):

“This bill originally would’ve required the General Services Administration (GSA) to create a program where federal law enforcement officials could buy retired firearms from the agency they serve. Under current law, federal agencies like the Secret Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection are required to destroy all firearms after they are retired. But then, Amendments added to this legislation created loopholes in the law that I couldn’t stand for. One amendment would allow retired law enforcement officers to buy weapons without a background check, while another would have opened up the sale of heavy weaponry—like grenades and rocket launchers—to be sold, all without a background check.“

Representative Scholten stated her initial support for the bill, but withdrew support because of the amendments. But, of course, the amendments were/are problematic for a couple of reasons that make HR 3901 unsupportable. At least by me. And by Rep. Scholten.

No background checks for the purchasers?  Why would we run background checks on federal law enforcement officers? Why wouldn’t we? Where is the benefit of waiving such a requirement? Is it totally inconceivable that a federal law enforcement official might be a problematic candidate?

And selling such things as grenades and rocket launchers? Oh, yeah, I know: Freedom! The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a rocket launcher is a good guy with a rocket launcher!

No mention of flamethrowers. I recall having written something about personal flamethrowers some time ago in Townbroadcast (no doubt available in TB archives). When I wrote that piece someone actually responded to the post, suggesting a way I might acquire a flamethrower. Perhaps my attempt at satire was insufficiently clear.

I carried grenades and rockets for the 3.5 launcher in years long gone by. I feel reasonably confident I don’t need either form of armament now, as I go about my business of shopping for bird seed, attending my men’s book club, and playing pool on Fridays.

Thanks to Rep. Scholten for keeping her constituents up to date with her regular newsletters.