Trigger-Lock Initiative: Safety Issue Or Loss Of Rights?
PRO
It has been difficult not to notice the outcry against Initiative 676. Letters to the editor have filled The Spokesman-Review, representatives of WeCare (Washington Citizens Against Regulatory Excess) call homes at all hours of the day, and billboards of friendly police officers warning that Initiative 676 is bad law line the streets. Since I always believe billboards of friendly police officers warning me what not to vote for, I decided to look into the initiative.
It seems Initiative 676 would require trigger locks on handguns; require people to obtain a license at a cost of $25 before owning a handgun; and require all adult members of a gun-owning household to take a handgun safety course or pass a test proving they know how to safely handle a handgun.
It would be a criminal offense to possess a handgun without meeting the aforementioned requirements.
I recently received a call from a representative of WeCare who notified me that I should vote no on 676 as it is a violation of my First Amendment rights. I would hope that before the WeCare organization became too frenzied in its defense, its members would at least know which amendment they were defending. I am pretty sure this confused representative meant the Second Amendment right which states, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
Groups such as WeCare assume that the Second Amendment allows for the unrestricted ownership of guns. This leads me to believe that pro gun activists have very short attention spans. If pro gun activists would spend a bit more time and read the entire amendment they might notice that the Second Amendment protects gun ownership in a well-regulated militia. I am pretty sure that the majority of gun owners don’t belong to a militia, let alone a well-regulated militia.
Initiative 676 is a minor inconvenience to gun owners that may prevent needless death or injury.
Trigger locks may prevent uneducated children from seriously injuring themselves, if they find a handgun in the house.
A registration process, regardless of the volume of new paperwork it might create, may aid police in their search for criminals. Contrary to popular belief, even registered gun owners can be involved in violent crimes.
A required education class may (God forbid) ensure adults with access to handguns know how to use them responsibly.
Sounds good to me. Vote yes on Initiative 676. xxxx