A couple of you might be surprised by my take on this, but...........
First of all, Burris is an idiot. I don't see much debate coming about that remark. Here's a guy who went from catching the SB winning TD pass a year and a half ago, to a two year prison stint in short order.
Secondly, any place you're headed to in the wee hours of a weekend night, and feel compelled to carry a hand gun......................there's a pretty good chance that you shouldn't be going there in the first place. I mean, can you imagine..........."Hey dude, I'm coming to pick you up. We're going to the Corner Pocket Nightclub". And the first thing you think of is packing loaded heat?? Why you goin' there to begin with?
Third, I agree that the second amendment, while a right and not a priveledge, probably is better served by making sure that nut's don't carry guns around indescriminatley. Usually, the need to have a license (drivers, contractor, real estate person, etc.............) means that's it's an earned priveledge to have it, and it is based upon circumstances, and CAN BE REVOKED. If you misuse the priveledge of driving, your drivers "license" can be revokek. If you abuse your behavior as a contractor, they'll revoke you contractors license.
It's not a Constitutional "RIGHT" to be able to drive or sell real estate or be a construction contractor. Therefore, your ability to do such things are contingient upon your behavior, ethics, etc.....................you can lose it.
Right to bear arms? Yeah, certainly. A Constitutional 2nd Amendment Right. And, I don't agree with any ACLU parcing of the words about "a well regulated malitia" or any of that crap. We have the RIGHT to bear arms. PERIOD.
However, the velocity and magnitude of the damage that a firearm can do in short order..............I don't mind a little "regulation" for lack of a better word. As long as the regulation/licensing program has a default position of "of course we're going to issue you a permit, just answer a few simple questions".
The problems I'm seeing is that, the default postion is more like "we're not gonna let you have a gun, over our dead body, until you jump through a thousand rediculous hoops and walk through fire". "Then, with a little luck, we MIGHT let you have a gun". THAT, I don't agree with.
The 2nd Amendment should take precedant, and the foregone conclusion is that you're gonna get to have that gun barring something about you that is undeniably crazy or dangerous. In other word, EVERY EFFORT should be made to get you that gun, instead of EVERY EFFORT put forth to deny you that gun.
As long as THAT is your State's default postion, then I have no problem with a little monitoring and regulation. Here in Hawaii, only ONE (as in UNO, ONLY, SINGLE) person has a permit to carry a firearem outside of law enforcement. ONE PERSON. And THAT person is of dubios character along the lines of criminal/union/mafioso activity. I myself, I have four weapons. A .357, an R15 Rifle, a Shotgun and a .22. And Hawaii is in the second teir of what I described above. I had to take tests, had a long waiting period, take class's, etc...............before I was allowed to bring my weapons home.
