Limited gun-show measure could pass, legislator says

Well Linwoodk,since you asked..John Lott's view of More Guns, Less Crime. The stastics you produce from the DOJ are from an organization who would love to disarm the public and who I believe are biased against the public owning guns anyway. Law enforcement doesn't want people to protect themselves, they want to be the ones to do it, and if they are too late, then tough cheese. I don't believe any fact or stastic that comes from government institutions. But it goes back to your point of view.

... from being properly reported and recorded in the database, so that when he attempted to purchase a firearm, the background check would have shown him as ineligible due to his mental health problems. That "loop-hole", rightfully so, was corrected by last years General Assembly. Spinning nonsense about a gun show "loop-hole" is a poor attempt at demonizing gun shows, guns and gun owners. I understand it from the liberal gun control crowd, but a journalist should have the standards of integrity to at least know the basics of the subject he is reporting on.

I'm sure someone has already pointed this out, but I don't have time to read all the posts here. This is another example of liberal journalists spinning and distorting facts to fit their agenda. Learn the law before you attempt to report on it. Licensed Federal Firearms dealers are REQUIRED in ALL cases to conduct a background check before selling a firearm to anyone at any time, whether the sale is in a gun shop, at a gun show, or at the dealers home. This so-called gun show loop-hole is a blatant attempt by the gun control liberals to sell their fear tactics. The only "loop-hole" is the fact that private citizens do not have to perform a background check to sell a firearm. The "gun show" part comes in because sometimes private citizens choose to sell a firearm at a gun show. The problem with requiring private citizens to conduct background checks is, private citizens cannot access the crime database to conduct the check. Private citizens don't have the required forms to document the sale and maintain records for the BATF to check and inspect. The only "loop-hole" that allowed the VA Tech tragedy is the insane demands for privacy that prevented the shooter's mental health issues f

Okay, I'm tired of the arguments, and the endless stream of "facts" supporting both sides.

Liberals, grow a pair, and try to do what it is you really want. Stop playing around. You have control of congress and the white house. introduce legislation, on Jan 21, 2009, to make it a felony to own, possess, or otherwise control any firearm of any kind.

Watch what happens when you do. There will be an immediate civil war, between gun owners and gun control advocates. Want to take a guess at who will win?

"Federally licensed firearms dealers are free to conduct background
checks at gun shows and they often do.' Actually FFLs are required to conduct a criminal records check whenever and wherever they transfer any firearms to another (other than another FFL). So if someone wants to purchase any firearm from any gun dealer - whether at their gun store, at a gun show, or at home - they must complete BATFE Form 4473 and clear the national instant check system (NICS).

Also, there is absolutely no relevance whatsoever for the Virginia Tech tragedy and gun shows. The domestic terrorist did not acquire the two firearms mised at a gun show but instead from two different gun dealers and cleared NICS both times. As usual, the gun control crowd is simply trying to exploit a tragedy to push their anti-gun agenda -- and both Virginia Tech and September 11 are good examples of this shamelessness.

Speaking of ignorance, Chris33 offers the following gem:

"Japan has a low crime rate and very few guns."

First, does Japan have a low crime rate BECAUSE there are few civilian-owned guns? You are falling prey to the fallacy known as "post hoc, ergo propter hoc." In other words, correlation does not prove or even indicate causation. Vermont has a very low crime rate, yet gun ownership is very high there and anyone who may legally own a gun can carry it, with no permit at all - even concealed. Yet D.C., where hand guns still are effectively virtually banned, has consistently had one of the highest crime rates in the country - including near-daily shooting deaths. And it has been that way ever since it instituted the ban over 30 years ago.

More tears. Tears have been proven to influence the minds and decisions of liberals, who will drop all convictions, principles, even their respect for laws and founding documents, to make themselves feel better.

paramedic70002 wrote:

>>>Sir, you are either ignorant, a very poor reporter, or an outright liar.<<<

He's a leftist anti gun advocate, which puts him in all three categories.

I'd still like someone to explain what the "loophole" is.

"Virginia is one of 35 states that do not require criminal and mental-health background checks for firearms purchases at gun shows. However, federally licensed firearms dealers are free to conduct background checks at gun shows and they often do, the gun-rights advocates said.
---
Federal law mandates that those same dealers conduct background checks for all firearms sales at their stores."---

Mr. McGlone, I challenge you to cite the federal law that frees FFL dealers from doing background checks at gun shows. Sir, you are either ignorant, a very poor reporter, or an outright liar.

Gun prices are too high at gun shows. A more reasonable price can be found at Mom and Pop gun shops, even though you have to go through the background check etc. If I wanted a cheap gun, an untraceable gun, or a disposable gun, I could go to any city park on Friday or Saturday night and buy one from the trunk of a lowrider. Criminals know about the park and so do the Police. We don't need more laws cluttering up the legal system. We have over 20,000 Federal laws on the books concerning the possession of firearms by private citizens and most were written since the Kennedy assasination. Who knows how many State and Local gun laws there are? The shooter at Virginia Tech was a known mental defective. He was ignored by the University Police and the Blackburg Police for previous non-gun violations. He may have gotten his weapon legally, but the dealer was not through. There's a law covering that already. So, to my point: Judges, enforce the law. Police Departments, enforce the law. Gun Dealers, obey the law.

Red herring? Indeed, I think so.

As a gun owner I find the inaccuracies in the article by both the reporter and the anti self defense/anti freedom zealots to be troubling. First the reporter says unlicensed vendors which don't exist. Any dealer is always regulated by BATF and the state. Now if you wish to say private sales or collector sellers that is another issue. Collectors who sell their private collections are generally selling what I consider high end collectibles due to scarcity, manufacturer or age or a particular famous user or owner. Private sellers usually are selling a personal firearm usually just one at a show or in the paper or other sites to finance the purchase of something different. There are federal and state laws that cover that. So to set the record straight there is no loophole all gun sales are covered in some way or another. Private sellers cannot afford a table at a show, it is just too expensive.
Second there is no "mental health check" to be done, this is a canard which doesn't exist under law.
Frankly I am tired of people who want to change laws to assuage their personal feelings. (the boo hoo factor) Law is facts not emotion. To Lily and others who want a picture of crying faces to

We have two separate issues in this article. One the Va Tech shootings and the other gun shows.

Please chime in to let me know how many students would NOT have been killed if the students were allowed to and did carry guns. I am sure the gun haters will be silent on this one.

I have been to several gun shows recently and have purchased guns at each event. I went through the PIA background check and waited over two hours for government approval to buy my guns. I will be there again the end of Dec. also !!!

Governments in the past have first registered guns, then restricted purchases of guns, then knocked on your door and took away your weapons. We are slowly losing our right to defend ourselves from criminals and a tyrannical government, should one ever come into control.

Switzerland has a low crime rate and at least one gun for every male over 18. Kind of blows a hole in your theory, huh?

Also, blaming gun owners because their guns were stolen is misguided. You're blaming the victim of the crime instead of the criminal who committed it. Awesome.

This article is flat out wrong. It states "Virginia is one of 35 states that do not require criminal and mental-health background checks for firearms purchases at gun shows. However, federally licensed firearms dealers are free to conduct background checks at gun shows and they often do, the gun-rights advocates said." Wrong. Federally licensed firearms dealers are REQUIRED to conduct background checks for all sales, whether at gun shows or in their stores. The only people who do not have to conduct a background check are private sellers. In other words, if I decide to go to a gun show and sell a gun, I don't need to conduct a background check. This is also true if I sell a gun outside of a gun show. With reporting like this, it's no wonder people don't understand the so-called "gun show loophole."

Chris33 wrote "1.4 million guns were stolen in the last 14 years. Gun owners are the ones supplying criminals with guns."

So following your logic, it's the rape victims fault that she got raped?

Tim, this statement is not accurate: "Virginia is one of 35 states that do not require criminal and mental-health background checks for firearms purchases at gun shows. However, federally licensed firearms dealers are free to conduct background checks at gun shows and they often do, the gun-rights advocates said."

In Virginia, federally licensed firearm dealers are REQUIRED by law to conduct background checks on anyone buying from them at a gun show, just like they do at their places of business. Private sellers selling firearms from their own collections are not required to do background checks, just like if you were purchasing a firearm from your neighbor or relative. Get your facts straight, please.

Instead of focusing on the so-called 'gun show loophole', perhaps our legislators should turn their attention to the definition of a 'gun dealer'. Seems to me that someone who makes a significant profit on the gun-show circuit is more than a 'private seller'. Close gun shows to private sellers and you've closed the loophole. This solution will close the loophole while preserving my right to transfer ownership of a weapon sans background check in the privacy of my home.

I'm a gun owner and gun-rights supporter, but let's be honest here - many of the 'private sellers' are abusing the system. If you've got a table full of weapons at each local gun show you're a dealer (even if only part-time).

You can take all the guns and the decay of human behavior will continue.People will still kill each other with or without guns. I am pro gun but till the laws that are already on the books are enforced why make new ones. In Va a person can sell a gun to another person as long as their a Va resident without a background check so stoping it at the gunshows is only a band aid on a ever growing cut.

Dont publish the killers name. This will do more to end these senseless mass murders.

Japan has a low crime rate and very few guns. It can be done. 1.4 million guns were stolen in the last 14 years. Gun owners are the ones supplying criminals with guns.