There’s a brief editorial in today’s New York Times regarding the staggering number of guns discovered in people’s carry-on bags at the airport. 18 in one day on June 4th of this year! They found 1,813 in 2013 (roughly five per day) and it looks like we’ll surpass that number in 2014. And 80% of those weapons were loaded. And the number one reason for all those guns? “I forgot it was there.”
“I forgot it was there.”
Let’s just think about that. Not only did these people load a gun and stick it in their bag -- not a secure holster, not some easily accessible place where they might be able to access it in an emergency. Not unloaded in a transport box designed to keep it safe and under control. No. Loaded. In a carry-on bag where said loaded gun could just slosh around with their iPhone and their sunglasses. But that’s not all. They then “FORGOT” it was there. And went to the airport; where you have to think twice about whether you have a too-large bottle of shampoo in your bag. But they “forgot” they were toting around a dangerously unsecured loaded gun.
Does this boggle your mind? It should.
And if we are catching these people at the airport, how many more such idiots are walking around with "forgotten" unsecured loaded guns on our streets, in our shopping malls, in our schools?
Our current culture of raving gun-nuttery has led to a vastly dangerous culture of gun rank-stupidity. Of criminal-grade gun negligence. Of wilful public gun endangerment that ought to be illegal.
But, of course, that can’t be allowed because guns are sacred, holy vessels of the very spirt of Jesus and America holding hands and smiling while singing "Happiness is a Warm Gun." Or something.
Heck, waving around a loaded gun is such a holy sacred act it should be part of basic citizenship and small children ought to be given loaded guns at parties so they can learn to “accidentally” shoot and kill people at an early age. Oh, wait, that already happens, doesn’t it?
http://www.pennlive.com/...
Look, I like guns. I have no problem with the responsible ownership of guns. But this is just too much. The gun-nuttery has got to stop. Guns are not toys to be casually carried and just as casually forgotten. A gun is a weapon and a RESPONSIBILITY.
The Second Amendment is not a free and open license to be an asshole.
The irresponsible handling of a WEAPON should carry criminal penalties.
ALL of these people who brought their weapons to the airport ought to have been arrested and detained, had their weapon confiscated, along with all their other guns, and their right to own or use a gun curtailed for at least a year or more. And they ought to face heavy fines and, possibly, jail time.
Heck, you face a greater degree of legal threat just for carrying a nail clipper or a soda bottle than you do for carrying a loaded gun at the airport. You can be arrested and detained for SAYING the word, "Gun" at the airport. But actually HAVING a gun? The vast majority of these idiots get treated with respectful kid gloves by TSA authorities, who allow them to take their gun back to their parked car (because what could be safer than a loaded gun in a car parked at the airport?) or stash it in their checked baggage, unsecured, of course, because they obviously neglected to bring a proper transportation case. And let’s charitably imagine they actually unload the gun before storing it in their checked bag, though there seems to be no guarantee of that. Can we at least hope the bullets are not just randomly scattered among the underwear and sweaters?
It is long past time that we, as a nation, crack down on the irresponsible handing of guns. And apply real penalties to violators.
Just HAVING a gun does not make you a “responsible gun owner.” You have to actually ACT responsibly. Not just sometimes, but ALL OF THE TIME.
"I'm responsible most of the time," should not be an excuse.
"I mostly keep the rat poison away from the baking soda, most of the time," is not an excuse.
There can be no gun “accidents.” Every “accident” with a gun should be treated as negligent discharge. Every “forgotten” gun is a negligent carry.
Gun negligence should be a serious crime. IS a serious crime. The fact that we have allowed the gun fetishists and worshippers, the fanatics and downright crazy freaking idiots to dominate our discourse on this issue is a national embarrassment and disgrace. It has to stop.
Whatever gun “rights” we as a nation choose to observe, they cannot, they MUST NOT, trump basic public safety and responsibility. Indeed, gun rights, like ALL rights must carry associated responsibilities or they are meaningless.
There is no constitutional right to be an asshole.