Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

DonP

(6,185 posts)
Wed Dec 16, 2015, 02:09 PM Dec 2015

Fact Check about Universal Background Checks

There seem to be two flavors of "Universal Background Checks", the latest solution to gun violence and you have to look close to see which makes sense and which is just dumb.

The "Bloomberg Flavor" of Universal Background Check demands that "Every" transfer be checked, including temporary transfers like loaning a Browning BPS 12 gauge to your BiL for pheasant hunting in Iowa for a weekend, or letting a student use your Ruger GP100 at the range to see if the weight and balance are easier for them to handle. Proponents of this keep telling us "don't worry about the details, nobody is going to arrest you for loaning a gun at the range or the weekend". Even if they added the phrase "... For Now" to that reassurance, based on the Bloomberg track record, I doubt many would believe it anyway.

The, for want of a better description - "Common Sense" version of a Universal Background Check, that most states like Illinois and others have adopted. Requires background checking with the state police for any "Permanent Transfer" e.g. any private sale, in your home at a gun show, parking lot, or anything not involving immediate family or short term temporary loans. That flavor doesn't seem to be an issue for many gun owners out there and after 2 years in Illinois, we're still waiting for word on how many crimes it's solved or stopped.

Before we let the media run away with the narrative that UBCs are the solution to our gun violence and mass shootings ... and just to keep this in perspective, here's a of list attackers/mass shooters who PASSED federal and/or state background checks for their firearms: Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik (San Bernardino handguns), Chris Harper Mercer (Umpqua Community College), Vester Lee Flangan (Virginia TV shooting), John Russell Houser (Lafayette), Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez (Chattanooga), Dylann Roof (Charleston church), Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi (Garland), Jared and Amanda Miller (Las Vegas), Elliot Rodger (Santa Barbara), Ivan Lopez (Fort Hood 2014), Darion Marcus Aguilar (Maryland mall), Karl Halverson Pierson (Arapahoe High School), Paul Ciancia (LAX), Andrew John Engeldinger (Minneapolis), Aaron Alexis (DC Navy Yard), Tennis Melvin Maynard (West Virginia), Wade Michael Page (Sikh Temple), James Holmes (Aurora theater), Jared Loughner (Tucson), Nidal Hasan (Fort Hood 2009), Jiverly Wong (Binghamton), Seung-Hui Cho (Virginia Tech), Naveed Haq (Seattle), and Mark Barton (Atlanta).

Feel free to cut and paste it for future posts and referencing.

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Fact Check about Universal Background Checks (Original Post) DonP Dec 2015 OP
I made the mistake of (temporarily) supporting a group pushing the first variety friendly_iconoclast Dec 2015 #1
It had me scratching my head too for a while DonP Dec 2015 #2
Exactly. Kang Colby Dec 2015 #3
I favor the "second version" of UBCs you describe, if only because I don't want criminals... Eleanors38 Dec 2015 #4
 

friendly_iconoclast

(15,333 posts)
1. I made the mistake of (temporarily) supporting a group pushing the first variety
Wed Dec 16, 2015, 03:21 PM
Dec 2015

In my defense, I did not know at the time that they supported these, as well as AW bans and
magazine size limits.

Unlike the 'true believers', I embrace empirical evidence and therefore changed my mind
about said group

 

DonP

(6,185 posts)
2. It had me scratching my head too for a while
Wed Dec 16, 2015, 04:22 PM
Dec 2015

I was trying to figure out why some people were really so against UBC. After all we've had it here in Illinois for 2 years now and it's no big deal. Worthless at lowering crime or catching bad guys, but no big deal.

Then I had a chance to read the "fine print" in the Bloomberg versions of UBC. Totally different world using the same label. Kind of like the old "Assault Weapons" ploy. Count on people not paying much attention and convince them it's really something else.

 

Kang Colby

(1,941 posts)
3. Exactly.
Thu Dec 17, 2015, 01:10 AM
Dec 2015

The Bloomturd bills can also potentially ban people under 18 from shooting long guns and ban those under 21 from firing handguns. Under GCA '68, FFLs can't "transfer" guns to people under those ages. Some called this a "flaw" within the Bloomturd laws, but I'm sure it was intended.

I also oppose UBCs as a strategic matter. The way I see it, if the gun controllers are busy peddling UBCs, that keeps them from other more damaging activities. Once UBCs come to fruition, then it will be on to the next scam. The "campaign" for UBCs keeps them from focusing on AWBs, NFA expansion, purchase licensing, registration, tomfoolery with ammo, whackadoodle insurance schemes, waiting periods, etc., etc., etc.

When they are ready to dismantle GCA '68, most of NFA, and repeal the Hughes amendment, then we can talk about the common sense UBC implementation.

 

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)
4. I favor the "second version" of UBCs you describe, if only because I don't want criminals...
Thu Dec 17, 2015, 03:10 PM
Dec 2015

to obtain firearms, or be around them. Will these laws prevent that or even slow it down? Probably not. It is a matter of principle with me. I fully concur with the idea that there need to be safeguards and trade-offs in order for this to be passed, and there must be no Feinsteinian loading up of options which would not only kill any legislation but send any discussion into another years-long gulag.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Gun Control & RKBA»Fact Check about Universa...