First, I have to say you can’t help but admire Nandy Pacheco. He is a crusader with a vision: that of a gunless society. And he has been tirelessly pursuing the realization of that vision. More recently, he was involved in the filing of a bill restricting guns.
But if you study the subject even for just a little bit, you realize that firearms are already heavily restricted:
- Firearms are defined as “rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns, revolvers, pistols and all other deadly weapons from which a bullet, ball, shot, shell or other missile may be discharged by means of gunpowder or other explosives”. Even though they are not propelled by gunpowder or explosives, airguns are covered. Even the barrel of any firearm as defined is already considered a firearm.
- Civilians can legally own only one pistol up to 9mm.
- Civilians can legally own only one rifle of up to .22 caliber only or one shotgun of up to 12 gauge.
- Civilians cannot own automatic fire or burst fire firearms.
- Anyone who has a firearm has to have regularly renewed firearms license. Getting a license requires gun handling training, psychological exams, and criminal record checks.
- A civilian cannot bring his firearm outside of his residence unless he has an annually applied-for Permit To Carry Firearm Outside Residence (PTCFOR). This permit is not applicable when there is a gun ban such as during the numerous election periods.
And yet, Nandy Pacheco keeps harping about the lack of laws and highlighting the millions of illegal or loose firearms. Quite clearly, they are called illegal because they are already in non-compliance of the law so how can more laws help? Make it more illegal?
What we actually need is more and genuine enforcement, as with every other law in this country.