Gun Control - I've got the silver bullet

My attempt to maintain the lameness of gun references in the context of this blog topic. A weak effort I realize...

I'm a firm believer in the "right" to bear arms. I own a couple guns and use them for recreational purposes, hunting and sport shooting. I don't think that right should ever be taken away from me, a law abiding, tax paying (substantial tax, but that's another post), citizen. I don't think my gun ownership makes me any more likely to commit a violent crime or be complicit in a death by a gun.

I don't think however that it should be everyone's "right" to own a weapon. Gun ownership should be earned. Earning this right in my mind would include four steps:

1. Sufficiently satisfying ownership requirements based on criminal history. Convicted of a violent crime, you no longer get this right, ever.
2. Satisfying training and educational requirements, which should be time consuming (minimum 20 hours) but not costly.
3. Satisfying a substantial waiting period for purchasing a gun, I would suggest a minimum of 21 days. There could be an expedited solution that would be costly, similar to getting a passport. Although i can't think of a reason why this would be necessary, it would provide flexibility that is typically necessary for such legislation to be effective.
4. Registering both the gun and owner and ongoing requirements to annually re-register the gun, re-satisfy ownership requirements, and satisfying continuing education requirements. People have to do this with their cars in many states, guns could be handled this way as well.

If these seem like pretty high standards for gun ownership, you are exactly right. Gun ownership should not be a compulsion. Based on the potential risks of gun ownership in the hands of the wrong people, there needs to be a commensurate amount of judgment, education, and training. This would be similar to other dangerous weapons...like CARS!

While I like the idea, I think the concept of judging the usefulness of guns as recreational is too subjective to be realistic. 2 examples:

1. Handguns - I know several people that participate in practical shooting leagues with handguns. While I don't own a handgun or subscribe to this form of recreation, it is a popular one with gun owners. Qualifying handguns as recreational would include the majority (snopes check needed) of weapons used in a violent crime.

2. Assault weapons - you may be able to use a similar argument as this one for handguns as well, but what about professions that actually use an assault weapon? Comfort and control of this is a BFOQ (tipping my HR hat to our brotherly expert in that field) Police officers, special operations officers, military and former military. What if a reservist wants to put in extra personal time to be as good as possible at his profession, should he be called to active duty? Can we realistically limit these individual's interest in career success for the sake of gun control?

In summary, give me my guns and put me through the ringer to get to earn that right. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater by trying to eliminate gun control.