Suburban gun dealers not worried about Obama's plan
Some suburban gun dealers reacted with an unconcerned shrug to President Barack Obama's plan to tighten gun laws and attempt to curb gun violence in America, saying it won't change their business much.
On Tuesday, Obama announced he will use an executive order to narrow a loophole that exempts gun buyers from background checks if the seller isn't a federal registered dealer, a change that mainly will affect sales at gun shows and flea markets, and online.
In addition, Obama seeks $500 million for mental health treatment and streamlining ways of reporting mental health problems to the background check information system.
Several licensed gun dealers in the suburbs say that will make little difference to their day-to-day operations. John Handley, manager of 5 Star Firearms in Zion, said the changes would affect private sellers — people who sell legal and antique collector guns without required criminal background checks — more than dealers like himself.
“We do the strictest background check already,” Handley said, adding that three people review the paperwork for every gun 5 Star sells to ensure everything's filled out properly. A gun shop down the street was recently closed for violations, he said.
Mike Quist of Grayslake, general manager of Vintage Arms of Illinois, which runs the regular Lake County Guns and Sporting Show in Antioch, said Illinois' gun laws are already among the strictest in the country. He doesn't believe Obama's plans will hurt his business, but he also doesn't think it'll stop mass shootings.
“People who are intent on doing harm are not paying attention to the rules. Another regulation isn't going to change that,” he said. “I'm concerned that it's not a legislative action, it's an executive action. I think it's reactionary.”
But Quist does see the need for more uniformity in gun purchasing laws nationwide. He'd like to see stricter penalties for people arrested with illegal guns. And he's not opposed to stricter background checks, but he said mental health reporting creates a “gray cloud” because it's subjective.
“Millions of people struggle with depression. Should that immediately be a precluded thing?” Quist said.
Handley said he knows of a man who was prescribed an antidepressant to help him quit smoking and wondered, if he wanted to buy a gun, would he be flagged as someone with mental health issues?
“Nobody I've ever met that's involved (in the gun business) wants to see people that shouldn't have guns, have guns,” Quist said. “We have a lot of incentive to act legally.”
Quist expressed little confidence in the government's handling of the new measures.
“There isn't a whole lot that the government provides that it doesn't screw up or do inefficiently. I'm not in favor of the government being the sole authority (on this). Maybe something that's jointly managed, or appealable,” he said.
• Daily Herald news services contributed to this report.