I once saw a man kill 3 men in a bar with a pencil …

Hi! Thank you for your post. I think an important question to ask: Is all life sacred?

Currently in the United States there is no legislation that supports or contributes directly to the issues surrounding gun ownership.

I will attempt to address some of your points:

“No one deserves access other than military personnel… etc”

Gun ownership empowers self reliance, particularly amongst vulnerable populations. I would counter that point by stating self reliance is for everyone. Also, military and LEO firearm qualifications are mediocre at best. To say “civilized” populations should have limited access is to neglect the atrocities people face. In my opinion, this is an extremely privileged point of view. Although, there is a beauty in being naive about the realities of the world; this is not truth. Also, what is “civilized?” I prefer not viewing my own body and mind as secondary. Why depend on someone else when I have a brain in my head, breath in my lungs, and a heart that beats that allows me to be my own first responder?

The fingerprint on firearms (sorry I am not continually scrolling up to see the exact wording, I’m new here :)):

Serial codes can and are manipulated, so can fingerprint technology. My concern would be relying on it in an imminent situation and it not being as affective during withdrawal to use. I have considered this point in the past and was made aware of how finicky the system would be. This is enough for me to say it’s unreliable.

Buyback programs:

We have attempted these but the reward was gross. Also they considered every “firearm” and handed out $50 gift cards in return. A person turned in, what I would call, a Boomstick 1776. In order for this to be enticing the reward has to meet the cost of the firearm or more. The interest isn’t there and it makes sense why.

Mental health with firearms:

Just because someone is “mentally ill” doesn’t necessarily negate their right to self defense. I agree it is multi faceted. Who determines the mental fitness of a buyer and what would that process entail in a shop? Currently, the NICS4473 is set to ensure the buyer is justified in doing so. How can we measure the change of someones psyche after purchasing? Red flag laws are at the jurisdiction of the FBI, despite numerous calls, their action isn’t swift. What does this process look like as a whole?

I’m a certified self defense instructor and advocate for women’s rights, particularly. I have concealed carried for 7 years now. I also teach the laws of self defense in my state. I am a member of GOA and Women For Gun Rights Movements. I have limited time currently to keep expanding (and the format on my phone isn’t ideal) on this topic but if you’d like to engage further I’d be open and willing to that! Thank you for the post and allowing me to engage.