If I had my druthers, all handguns would be illegal. Period. I’m a touchy, feely pacifist, dang it, and the thought of handguns scares me to death. And, apparently, handguns aren’t just for crazed psychopaths anymore. I was recently introduced to the new concept of pink handguns “for the ladies.” Just the thought made me throw up in my mouth a little. It is with this background that I am going to take a look at Iowa’s new gun law, which went into effect about two weeks ago.
YIKES! Although it makes sense to me that all 99 counties in Iowa should have the same rules on guns, some of the other provisions in the new law are downright frightening. The new law, for example, allows a person to carry a CONCEALED weapon into places that serve ALCOHOL. Seriously? Who thinks that is a good idea? I mean, who literally sat in a room and said, “Hey, let’s mix liquor and bullets—that’ll be a hit! It’s always worked so well in the inner cities.”?
Businesses, however, have the right to place a sign on their door that says they do no allow concealed weapons in their establishment. Yeah—I’m bettin’ that’s real enforceable. I ask the person who came up with this winner of an idea: if you can’t SEE the weapon because it is CONCEALED, how in the heck can you tell if a customer if violating your store’s rule? I mean, once they pull the gun on you, it’s a little late to deny service.
The new gun law also allows a person to carry their gun in plain sight. This means, a person can walk Fido at night while carrying a sidearm, in case they are attacked by squirrels or something. I don’t relish living in a society when people can just walk around with their gun in a holster like Little Joe in Bonanza. Remember how all of Little Joe’s girlfriends died before the end of the episode? Anyone else see a connection between that and his open carrying of a six shooter???? I’m thinking GUNS promote DEATH—just a thought.
Under the new law, authorities also cannot restrict the movement of people with loaded guns in vehicles. Another great combination---just like peanut butter and jelly, guns and automobiles are made for each other—NOT!
There are restrictions on gun ownership for convicted criminals and people under 21. Other than that—and the completion of a gun safety course--pretty much anything goes. The new unrestricted five-year gun permits are going like hotcakes, so apparently there are going to be a bunch of new gun owners carrying weapons on our fair streets and in our local businesses. Great—just great.
Hey, I have another idea. Let’s go ahead and make guns available to pretty much anyone for the asking and let them carry them openly, concealed, in their car, and even in their bicycle basket. However, let’s pass a new law that each bullet and/or shell must cost at least $10,000, with $9,950 of those dollars going to charity, education, and other good causes. Once again, I’ve taken life’s legislative lemons and turned them into lemonade. I’ve made the new gun law almost palatable and raised a ton of money for good causes. Now, if the solution to global warming were just that easy!
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