Aside from the constitutional legality question, how would the dealer determine if the buyer was a first-timer? That would require some kind of registry which no one would want. And it would skip right over anyone making a private purchase or receiving their first gun as a gift/inheritance.Originally Posted by HeavyDuty
Problem is that "basic" becomes a creeping concept, that gets visited by the "good idea fairy." What's basic to you and me, and to someone unfamiliar with (or dislikes) guns is very different.
"The victor is not victorious if the vanquished does not consider himself so."
― Ennius
Not a great idea to mandate it for reasons listed above, but if a gun store wanted to voluntarily include a coupon for a free/reduced-price basic pistol class with the purchase of a handgun, I don't think anyone would mind. It's the mandate that's the problem. People who weren't first timers would just toss the coupon, but for new shooters it would be a good way to get them to return to the store for subsequent purchases (and range visits, if the store had an attached range.)
I think that the closest solution to "universal training" is through high schools.
I went to a rural high school (in Louisiana, so on topic-hopefully) and as a part of freshman year Ag class, we went through hunter ed. I think it's worth expanding that to include fishing law (game management/ecology) and self-defense law. While hunter's ed firearms familiarization was done with the shotgun, a slightly expanded program could add rifle and handgun.
Of course, things like this are easier to do in smaller, more rural schools, which are less likely to have students with severe mental health or criminal problems, and wouldn't even be an option in states heavily dominated by urban politics.
Per the PF Code of Conduct, I have a commercial interest in the StreakTM product as sold by Ammo, Inc.
I, too, am appalled by careless gun handling, but the data doesn't seem to indicate a significant public health problem. Arizona, for example, has been Constitutional Carry (with no required training) since 29 July 2010. Arizona State University recently analyzed firearms deaths over the years 2018 - 2018 and published the following:
Among the findings:
Of the total 3,188 firearms deaths, 71% were suicide, 23% were homicide, 5% were undetermined and 1% were unintentional (emphasis added).
Link: https://news.asu.edu/20200130-arizon...s-are-suicides
Only the unintentional deaths need concern us here. It is where all accidental gun deaths are presumed to be filed. The study shows that notwithstanding the careless gun handling noted upthread, at least in Arizona (believed to be an appropriate sample) there is no "there" there: 1% is a rounding error.
Update: The Senate adopted the changes in the House bill and now it sits on the Governor's desk. I called the contact number for his office and left a message urging him to sign it.
For any Louisianans here who wish to voice their support, the number for the Governor's comment line is 225-342-7015. The Louisiana Shooting Association's suggested comment is "My name is [state your name] and I live in [state your city]. I would very much appreciate you signing SB118 into law as soon as possible. My phone number is [state your phone number]. Thank you."
Done! Thanks!
Per the PF Code of Conduct, I have a commercial interest in the StreakTM product as sold by Ammo, Inc.
Governor Edwards vetoed it as promised, no news on whether there will be a vote to override.
Here's hoping for an override session.
Disappointed, not surprised.
Per the PF Code of Conduct, I have a commercial interest in the StreakTM product as sold by Ammo, Inc.
The first veto override session since the new state constitution was passed in '74 will take place this Tuesday. SB118 (Constitutional carry) is on the docket. Governor Edwards has been twisting Democrat arms, no idea how successful he's been. I've already emailed my representative and senator. Fingers crossed...
Reply With Quote