| With just such things, I guess I am much better off
being in the U. S. Even though we do have a lot of
the 'Pro-gun, Anti-gun' political platforms, we still do
have our U. S. Constitution Amendment that has at
all times been upheld of the citizens' right to own,
and possess firearms.
I know that a lot of different state laws make for a
lot of the constant turmoil between the Pro/Anti
groups, but it still comes down to a citizens right.
I personally like the type of law we have in my
state of Illinois. Unlike the conflict in some areas
that always comes up about 'Gun Registration',
we do not have such a state law. What we do
have is a law called "Firearm Owners Identification".
This law merely requires any person who may
wish to be able to legally own, or possess any
firearm, or ammunition, to have a state police
issued card. The law even provides that if a
person does manage to slip through to get such
a ID card by 'pulling the wool over the eyes'
of the police to get a card issued when the
law does specifically prohibit them from having
one (ie: convicted felons), it is still illegal, and
when they get caught having one they will
be prosecuted. Most likely they will serve time
for that offense, and definitely will have any
firearms, and ammunition confiscated.
The mere fact that a person has the FOI
card does not even imply that they do, or
do not own, or possess any firearm. It is
not firearm registration, but merely person
identification of those that are allowed to
either own, or possess firearms, or ammunition
if they desire.
Each time a person goes to buy either the
firearm, or ammo, they produce their card,
and a record of the transaction is recorded,
then forwarded to the state police to be
verified that such a transaction was not
illegal due to the person not being one that
could legally have such a card. The info
is also provided to the ATF as well on the
transaction.
Firearms here are passed around between
people almost like candy, or a glass of water.
It can make the need to track them a pain
for the ATF division of government, but is
not something that restricts the practice.
Having this firearm owners identification
rather than firearm licensing registration is
what makes it better for the people, and
provides a way that the police can prohibit
habitual criminals from legally getting a
firearm. Otherwise, it does not restrict
any person, or even know if a person does
have a firearm. (Unless such person is
a police officer that is required to have
at least one he carries on the job, or
a person whose state does allow for
the concealed carry of a firearm, and
who has been licensed to do so. Those
persons are specifically licensed, but even
then their 'guns' are not listed in any way.)
I do dislike it where our government does
put a ban on certain firearms companies
from importing weapons from them merely
because they have sent some restricted
types of firearms to businesses that were
not legally licensed to have such weapons.
I would say we should prosecute those
businesses, but not just ban the company
from shipping any of their products here.
Some of those companies do have some
very good products. I ran into this problem
when I wanted to purchase a .45 frame
from Norinco. It is a good frame, at a
reasonable price. However, the company
is on the 'Ban' list now. That just forces
private citizens to look for a dealer here
that got one before the ban, or to find
some other citizen outside the country
to send one so that it doesn't come in
from that banned company. I just do
not feel that is a great move on the
part of government. Laws such as those
tend to 'victimize the victims', and they
also punish the victims instead of the
persons that violate other laws. The
companies that are placed on a ban
list are merely those trying to run their
business, and may not have such a law
in their own country that prohibits them
from making weapons that are not
legal in another country.
It is never a good thing that a local
jurisdiction can supersede, overrule, or
contradict law of a higher authority.
__________________
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