what are the other ones mentioned?

Because it is not a law enforcement agency, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services cannot obtain information from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, known as "NICS", when considering whether to grant a concealed weapon license.

...with which states need help to closing. However, I point out that Florida FFLs are required to contact the Florida Dept of Law Enforcement which does participate in the NICS for firearm purchases as a Point of Contact checking both state and the FBI NCIC databases. Therefore, one may be incorrectly able to obtain a carry permit but not a handgun.

and while I totally support Florida's concealed carry law I will point out that it is relatively unusual as the permit issued is called a Concealed Weapons Permit and allows the bearer to carry other weapons such as stun guns, knives, and billy clubs in a concealed fashion.

...simply require Dept of A&CS to have the Dept of LE approve all licenses it intends to issue. LE could then process the NICS check and report to A&CS license approval or rejection.

since Florida tries to process most licenses in 90 days this might slow up the process.

Say no more.
I think we've reached the point where further discussion is merely an exercise in futility. I think it's time for McDonalds to enter the game and start giving away Glocks with their Happy Meals.

cares more turning more farms and ranches into golf courses and strip malls, or I could just be feeling cynical this afternoon.

...if you are crazy, you might still get one.

It also should be pointed our that not everyone should own a firearm.

If you suffer from anger management problems, abuse alcohol or drugs, suffer from depression or another serious mental condition or live in a volatile relationship with a significant other than it would be wisest to avoid owing a firearm, let alone legally carrying one.

Also the violent crime rate in our nation has returned to levels last seen in the late 60s. Therefore there is only a slim but not nonexistent chance that you might ever have to use a firearm for legitimate self defense either in your home or on the street.

I personally own firearms and have a Florida Concealed Weapons permit but I fully realize the dangers that firearms pose. In fact a close member of my family who I had personally trained in firearm safety and target shooting committed suicide with a handgun.

I often try my best to discourage a person who shows an interest in owning a firearm from buying one. They are extremely dangerous items in the hands of a person who may act in an irresponsible manner. However the firearm itself is an inanimate object and it will not suddenly decide to kill someone. The person who holds a firearm decides how it will be used.

The mental health issue is the real stickler here. If memory serves the only way any mental health information would be input into the NICS database would be if you were committed to a facility. If you are just seeing a mental health professional none of that information is accessible by the government for the purpose of gun purchases.

I don't know the hard numbers but I am willing to bet that there are a bunch, maybe thousands of gun owners who have been treated for the problems you listed in your post.This information is of course confidential and nobody would ever know you are currently under treatment or have been treated for anger control issues,depression or even drug abuse. Although it is a huge disconnect there is no way Americans will allow an investigation of their medical records prior to purchasing a gun, I am not sure it's even legal to do it. As it stands now you have to wait until someone commits a crime before you find out that they shouldn't really own a gun. I don't know the solution to this one.

and often because of our currently poor healthcare system many people are unable financially to seek help for conditions such as depression and some may not realize that they suffer from this disorder. Also our society has a stigma against seeking help when and if you seek assistance for many mental problems.

An individual might be entirely sane and in good mental health when he/she purchases a firearm, however ten or twenty years later he/she might suffer from depression or another similar mental problem. This can sometimes lead to suicide or extremely rarely in the lashing out against society that results in a mass murder.

It is probably impossible to eliminate such tragedies as long as our nation allows civilians to own firearms. However allowing civilians to own and even carry firearms does save lives when the owners find themselves under attack from an individual who has the intention and capacity to seriously injure or to kill.

I know of four instances where this occurred and no shots were fired. Of course this is anecdotal evidence and would not be accepted by those who oppose gun ownership.

One of these individuals that I mentioned later committed suicide with the same weapon she defended herself with. At the time she was legally intoxicated and apparently suffering from a bout of depression. Twenty one years passed between the time that she used her firearm for self defense and when she chose to end her life with it. During that period of time she married and had two children and always tried to help others and accomplished a lot of good as she turned some lives around and many she helped appreciate her efforts. Unfortunately depression was common in her family as both her mother and her great grandmother were institutionalized for this disorder. She had had previously had obtained help from a psychiatrist as she was also a victim of a child molester. Had she had the financial ability or if our nation had an world class healthcare system she might have continued treatment but the cost of such care eliminated that possibility.

Firearms are indeed dangerous. Allowing civilian ownership of such weapons will lead to some tragedies. While we can attempt to eliminate most of such incidents we will never be able to stop all such occurrences.

My personal opinion is that allowing honest citizens to own firearms saves far more lives than it costs.

Yeah, probably the Dept. of Agriculture....

to ask for new and better equipment?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/117249221

reminds me of children and their toys

Last edited Mon Jul 9, 2012, 10:20 PM - Edit history (1)

And an FFL has access to NICS.

I pointed this out also in post #3 and got no reply.