Diane Dimond sums it up nicely.

Albuquerque Journal | States doing what Congress won’t on gun control laws By Diane Dimond / Crime and Justice

Eighteen states have passed tougher gun buyer background check laws. Nine states have adopted laws to keep guns out of the hands of known domestic abusers. …

Yes, 99.9 percent of all gun owners are responsible citizens, so it raises the question: Where are they on the issue of keeping firearms out of the hands of those who would use them for ill? To blindly accept the NRA’s age-old mantra of “We already have enough laws!” solves nothing. It leaves us powerless against the next mass shooting, the next gang carnage.

It’s easy to pooh-pooh the various suggestions about how to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them. Critics of change seem to think that, unless a proposal is 100 percent guaranteed to fix the gun problem in America, we should reject it.

I’ll take constitutionally sound baby steps over years of Washington’s inaction any day.

Albuquerque Journal | States doing what Congress won’t on gun control laws

This gun owner should never be allowed to own a gun again. He should surrender all guns, make apology and restitution to the woman, and be required to make numerous public appearances to warn others about stupid mistakes.

The person who sold this gun should prove that he provided this owner with gun cleaning lessons. If he cannot, he should never own or sell another gun again. We reduce mistakes by motivating people not to make mistakes. Apparently not shooting someone isn’t motivation enough. Hit the fools where it hurts. Zero tolerance.

By Associated Press

Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 at 2:28pm

………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ……….

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Police in Colorado Springs say a woman sitting on a couch in her apartment was shot through a wall after her neighbor accidentally fired his gun while cleaning it.

The woman was taken to the hospital after Tuesday night’s shooting with what police described as a minor injury.

Police say 51-year-old Frank Dawkins accidentally fired his gun and the round went through a wall separating his apartment from his neighbor’s. Dawkins, who called police to report the shooting, was arrested on a count of illegal discharge of a firearm.

Dawkins was not being held in jail Wednesday and a phone number listed for him was not working.

You’re out there. Your silence helps the lunatics on both sides of the issue of gun violence.

To my mind, a sensible gun owner does NOT believe someone is coming soon to take his or her weapons. A sensible gun owner does not run to the gun store every time a voice in his or her head says the war is imminent. A sensible gun owner may have a gun for hunting for food, not for blood sport or trophy. A sensible gun owner might have a gun for self-defense, but doesn’t think it’s the first tool but a last resort.

You don’t want to help the loonies. They see slippery slopes and jackbooted thugs. They argue that Madison would have owned an automatic weapon. They condescend when others misuse terms like automatic weapon. They salute the straw man of mental illness with no appreciation for their own.

Just as there are sensible gun owners, there are sensible people who won’t own guns but do want something done to curb the violence. You need to get together and find a solution that the loonies can’t shoot down (tall order). (You may know I’m not one of the sensible gun opponents. I would indeed wish away all guns if I could. However, I surrendered years ago. No one is taking anyone’s guns away. Now, what can we do about gun violence?)

You need to identify yourselves: I own a gun but I want to help limit gun violence. Don’t assume that people understand that most gun owners are sensible – your cause has been hijacked by lunatics. You need to speak publicly. You need to prove yourself to the loons who will call you GONOs (gun owners in name only) and accuse you of being tools of the demons in their heads. Wave your NRA membership at them. For god’s sake, slap the NRA up against the head for claiming to be membership-driven instead of the corporate tool they are. Pat your sidearm. Use the language of gun fetishists without becoming one. Look and act like a reasonable gun owner interested in helping to solve our problem, instead of shooting someone who tries to.

Stand up to the gun loons. You’re better equipped than the unarmed. Please help limit gun violence.

Make the seller pay. I f you sell a gun used in a violent crime, you will never sell again. Too harsh? Figure out a way to stay in business or get out.

Of course, this executive action is exactly the thing the gun loons have been waiting for their entire lives. Their rush to the gun store improves profits for the turds who think there is nothing that can be done (that the profiteers find acceptable).

Albuquerque Journal | Obama explores unilateral steps on guns

The National Rifle Association opposes expanded background check systems. The organization’s Institute for Legislative Action says studies have shown that people sent to state prison because of gun crimes typically get guns through theft, the black market or family and friends.

Also, many purchases by criminals are made from straw purchasers who pass background checks. “No amount of background checks can stop these criminals,” says the group’s website.

Albuquerque Journal | Obama explores unilateral steps on guns