Only one use for military-style weapons

Only one use for military-style weapons

I have owned guns since I was 12 years old (53 years), so I’m obviously not anti-gun. That doesn’t mean I checked my brain at the door when I got my first gun.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out we’re doing something wrong on gun management in this country. We license drivers because certain skills are required to handle a vehicle. We license beauticians. Having an effective gun licensing system, including gun shows, only makes basic sense.

The knee-jerk reaction from the NRA — I used to be a member — will be their mantra, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” This ignores the fact that availability of guns to any and all comers is a huge contributor to gun violence; there are 300 million guns in this nation of slightly more than 300 million people.

The reality is that guns are in our culture and that’s OK. What’s not OK is military style equipment in civilian hands, where there is no rational need.

Hunters will tell you that it would be ridiculous to fire 15 rounds at a dove or a deer. There is only one use for military style weapons and it has zero relationship to hunting or protecting my home.

Bottom line: what’s needed are an effective registration system without gun show loopholes and with background checks, and a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

Steve Smith

Aurora