We totally agree on that point. My question is why aren't those who are inelligable to purchase a firearm, attempt to make a purchase anyway, and lie on the 4470 form prosecuted? I just read that of the 67,000 who failed direct FBI background checks through NICS in '09, less then 70 where ever prosecuted. Why so few?

Let's change the infraction from an attempt to illegally purchase a firearm to drunk driving. 67,000 drivers are caught drunk driving in a year, yet less then 70 are prosecuted. So, instead of asking why 66,930 drunk drivers where not prosecuted, the media and the left's solution is to demand even more restrictive laws on the law abiding drivers. Could you imagine the outrage from drivers? Yet we allow this same scenario to play out when it comes to purchasing firearms, i.e. don't prosecute the offenders, but instead punish the law abiding. Why are not all law abiding gun owners screaming about this injustice?

David (dpnewell)

Mrs. dpnewell wrote:

^I understand your point, and I whole heartily agree with your last statement. I understand someone making a mistake, or forgetting about a minor offense, but still feel that those who outright lie on the 4473 in order to circumvent the law should be prosecuted.

Oh, and FYI, the "convicted criminals" in my statistics above consisted of those who where convicted of a Felony punishable by a sentence of 1 or more year or a Misdemeanor punishable by a sentence of 2 or more years, so these aren't folks with unpaid parking tickets.

David (dpnewell)

Mrs. dpnewell wrote:

I'd bet about 80% of those convictions are for very, very small amounts of marijuana.

Not sure I think more jail time these "offenders" is really worth the resources. Especially if it doesn't really doesn't do anything to address violence.

We as a nation need to get out of the business of criminalizing non-events and concentrate on the actual problem.

Abrignac wrote:

I agree with de-criminalizing non-violent own use drug consumption...maybe if we did that, we'd free up some LEOs to enforce our gun laws...

delta1 wrote:

We would free up even more LEO's if we repealed the plethora of laws that have no rational basis.

Abrignac wrote:

Is this "THE NEW FRANK & GENE MUTUAL STROKING
500 THREAD"???

Mr. Jones wrote: