Modest Proposal : ‘License Guns Like Drivers’

The violence of today’s crimes is appalling. I grew up here and I love the city. I hate what guns have done to it.

In order to make this city safer again for all of us, I propose a gun-licensing procedure similar to a driver’s license procedure.

Anyone wishing to buy a handgun or a rifle would have to pass a written and practical test--basic literacy, gun safety, eyesight and, particularly, an understanding of the gun’s dangers and capabilities. Owners need to know the physical damage that can be done to person or an object. People should have to prove some level of competence with the gun.

The license would be paid for by an annual fee. Licenses would have a picture ID.

No handgun could be sold without the buyer showing a valid gun holder’s permit. There would be at least a 10-day waiting period--both as a cooling-off period and to allow a background check--before the buyer could pick up a purchase, and no one would be permitted to buy more than one gun per year. People would need to have their gun-license ID cards with them whenever they are carrying their guns outside their homes.

There are private gun ranges available now, just like there are private driving schools. If people want a gun badly enough, they should be able to fork out the money and learn to use the weapon correctly.