Here’s an idea that a lot of vocal (2nd Amendment) people would hate. But considering the latest movie theater shooting, the latest military base shooting, and the fact that we can refer to any mass shooting as “the latest,” here goes.

New gun regulations:

Hunters, you’re fine with your assortment of appropriate firearms for the task. I know people who eat the meat that they kill, and my area tends to need help controlling the deer population due to lack of natural predators, so I get the whole hunting rifle thing.

Want a weapon for personal protection? Adults who can pass a background check and gun safety course get to keep one handgun (with a safety) in their possession so long as it’s properly stored when at home. But you lose your gun permit/license if you are involved in a domestic dispute that the cops had to get involved in, if you threaten anyone online or IRL, if you are found in possession of more than one firearm, or otherwise give rise to the concern that you could harm yourself or someone else with that firearm. A violent crime conviction would necessarily prevent you from possessing firearms in the future.

Firearms that do not meet the criteria for either a hunting rifle or a handgun for personal protection would no longer be legal for sale in the U.S. except for use by relevant military, law enforcement, private security, etc. agencies. Civilian agencies would have to apply for certification, and would have to be re-certified every few years.

Antique firearms may be stored in a secure display case or cases in your home.

Other firearms, unless you are in an occupation with a special license that specifies otherwise, may be turned in at some sort of government “guns for _____” program OR stored at a secure facility that includes a shooting range at which you can go and shoot whenever you fancy. I’m envisioning really fancy safety protections to ensure no one gets a gun out of storage and shoots up the facility before going on a rampage elsewhere, but not everyone is James Bond with their own Q.

It would take time to implement such a plan, but once it’s been in place for a few years, we would stop seeing daily headlines about mass shootings, kids accidentally shooting themselves or family members, Darwin Award-worthy deaths of gun owners who never learned not to point their firearms at themselves, etc.

‪#‎NotOneDamnMore‬