Background Checks; Defining ‘Assault’ Weapons

By Carole Hornsby Haynes, Ph.D. August 12, 2019

Following the Texas and Ohio mass murders by crazed gunmen, Democrats have gone on their usual mentally deranged rampage, demanding universal background checks, a ban on certain weapons, and red flag laws which they claim will “end gun violence.” President Trump stated that he thinks background checks are important to keep guns out of the hands of mentally unstable people or people with rage.

However, background checks have been around since 1998 when the U.S. adopted them for retail gun sales. It is illegal to buy a new or used firearm at retail without passing such a check. Universal background checks will include both retail and private sales.

The U.S. House recently passed a bill that requires background checks for private sales – H.R. 8 – with companion bill pending in the Senate (S.42).

“The bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check.”

If this bill is passed and signed by President Trump, it creates a de facto universal gun registration system, in violation of the Second Amendment as well as the Fourth. This means the government will know who owns firearms and will be able to confiscate guns in the future.

Currently gun dealers are required by federal law to have purchasers fill out ATF Form 4473 which must be kept for 20 years. Gun dealers tell me they never discard the records in case there is a request for them. With a de facto universal gun registration system, a socialist government would most certainly obtain those records and begin gun confiscation.

Looking at our neighbor to the south, we can see what happens when a people are defenseless. Venezuelan dictator Hugh Chavez banned private ownership of guns, promising this would quell the growing violence. Two years later confiscation began and the citizens, who once lived in the wealthiest country on the South American continent, are living in abject poverty, totally defenseless against a tyrannical government that routinely murders those who protest socialist policies. Venezuela now has the third highest murder rate in the world.

Although Democrats loudly profess that background checks will identify murderers, look at the facts. Nikolas Cruz, the gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, passed a background check for his purchase of an AR-15 rifle which he later took to a gun-free school to commit mass murder. Despite having been expelled from Stoneman Douglas HS due to his violent actions and threatening behavior, Cruz was never entered into police records so there was no record when the background check was run.

Why was Cruz’s violent behavior not reported to the sheriff? Look no further than the Obama-era of lenient-school policy which encouraged school districts to ignore student misbehavior under the guise of racial discrimination and which actually made schools less safe.

In the shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, the dishonorable discharge and domestic abuse charge for the gunman had not been entered into the system by the U.S. Air Force.  Because he lied on the ATF Form 4473 background check, there was no “red flag” in the system, so he passed the background check. The shooter was stopped by an armed citizen, Stephen Willeford, a law-abiding, legal gun owner of a semi-automatic rifle and NRA firearms instructor.

Are AR-15 and AK-47 Assault Weapons?

Democrats continue to call AR-15 and AK-47 assault weapons and lead the public to believe these weapons can fire unlimited rounds of ammunition with one trigger pull. That’s a big Democrat lie.

Fully automatic rifles (aka. machine guns) were first banned in the 1934 National Firearms Act. The law was revised after a Supreme Court challenge and the current version from 1986 bans civilian use of fully automatic weapons. Although there are both fully-automatic and semi-automatic AR-15 and AK-47 rifles, American civilians can only purchase the semi-automatic rifles.

For both the semi-automatic AR-15 (“Armalite Rifle”) and the AK-47 (“Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947”), only one round (bullet) of ammunition can be fired with each trigger pull, not multiple bullets. The typical size magazine is 30 rounds. Handguns typically hold around 15-17 rounds of ammunition.

Why Are We Discussing Background Checks or Gun Types?

Under the Second Amendment, there are no restrictions or regulations on our ownership of guns. The purpose of the Second Amendment was to protect citizens against government tyranny. The Second Amendment is probably even more important now than when the Constitution with its Bill of Rights was adopted.

Since our nation’s founding, people could go into a store and buy a gun off the shelf with no background check or no registration. Even children could buy guns through the mail. Despite terrible conditions with the Great Depression, World War II, and the Korean War, guns were still readily available. Why are mass shootings on the rise? What is different now?

The answer is that progressives have systemically worked since the 1960s to destroy the family and to destroy faith. Our Judeo-Christian standards are disappearing as new generations arise who never knew faith and never experienced an intact, loving family. Our moorings are being severed with people drifting, without meaning and purpose, and spiraling into depression and despair that can be expressed in deadly, pathological acts.

The Solution?

Conditions will continue to worsen so Americans must take measures to protect themselves and their families. We law abiding Americans must exercise our Second Amendment right to carry weapons at any time and at any place, without background checks or gun permits and without weapon or ammunition restrictions.

For those who believe we “should ban semi-automatic ‘assault’ weapons,” how well do you think you will fare when a socialist government uses heavy artillery against you if you protest their radical policies. How will you fare if all you have is a nine-round handgun, as Democrats have proposed?

We must protect ourselves not only from the government but from evil, deranged murderers. Since we know they only prey on gun-free places, that should be a lesson to those who think pepper spray will do the trick.

It makes no sense that a government claims gun violence will be ended by disarming millions of law-abiding citizens! That dog won’t hunt. Gun control is not going to stop criminals who will find a way to get a gun if they are hell bent on killing others. Gun control is all about a tyrannical government disarming citizens so they will have no protection against that government.

Republicans Betray Us

Since the Dayton, Ohio shooting, we have had three Republican turncoats -- Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, and Rep. Mike Turner. Key Republicans in Washington, including Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), are openly pursuing gun control compromises with the likes of Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared: “Senate Republicans are prepared to do our part.”

We must not allow Republicans to attack our Second and Fourth Amendment rights without consequences. If they continue to violate their Constitutional oaths, then they must be replaced by strong conservatives who will uphold the Constitution.

Take Action

Contact elected officials in Washington and tell them no background checks, no red flag laws, no gun control of any type. Reminder: the Trump Administration’s ban on bump stocks has opened the door to bans on countless additional firearm accessories.

 President Trump 202.456.1111

email President Trump: 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

U.S. Rep. 202.225.3121 - U.S. Senators 202.224.3121