Guns and Scuba?
Posted on April 29, 2008
The Christian Science Monitor published a very interesting article today entitled “What the gun industry can learn from Scuba Divers“. The basic premise is simple, and not unreasonable, though (IMHO) inherently flawed.
For decades, the international Scuba diving community has required all divers to obtain certifications from one of two private associations, the National Association of Underwater Instructors and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. No diver may fill their tanks or take part in recreational or professional diving trips without first obtaining a certification card from one of these private organizations. For their part, dive shops and schools generate significant portions of their revenue from the tuition that would-be divers pay to obtain their certifications at basic to advanced levels. Undergoing class-room instruction, pool lessons, and “open water” testing, graduates of these programs are thoroughly trained in all aspects of safety and proper procedure in what would otherwise be an inherently dangerous pastime.
The gun industry, perhaps led by the National Rifle Association, should develop a curriculum of training and education leading to firearms certification.” All retailers of guns and or ammunition would require the provision of such private certification by the consumer before consenting to the sale of any of those items. Background checks should be included in the certification process as well as periodic refresher courses. The federal and state governments would not be involved. Records of gun ownership would be available to government or law-enforcement officials only with the written consent of the certified owner or a warrant provided by proper authority. Nonconsenting retailers would be “blackballed” by industry leaders and cut off from supplies of goods and services.
An interesting idea, and one that is at least due some consideration. However I am afraid that Peter Gudmundsson, the author, has fallen prey to the most common error in gun control: Trying fix something other than the problem.
Wayne LePierre of the NRA hit the nail on the head in a comment from earlier this year:
There are millions of [right to carry] holders in this country. You drive next to them, you shop with them, you see them every day. They’re your dentist or your pastor, your boss or your star employee. They’re everywhere. And the reason you may not know that is because they’re not the problem.
They’re already carrying in your church, the grocery store, and the public library. They’re with you at your favorite restaurant or your local bookstore. And the reason you never think about it is because they’re not the problem.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believe in firearm training, and responsable gun ownership. But isn’t that the rub? Responsible gun owners do get gun training, they do practice responsible gun ownership, and they do follow gun laws. Should a certification like this come into being, they would then be certified. They are not the problem.
The problem gun control is trying to address must be one of criminal activity. Accidental gun deaths are less than 2% of all gun fatalities, according to the CDC. So the other 98% are intentional – and this proposal would do nothing to address the vast majority of gun deaths.
We need to block the criminal exchange of firearms – especially handguns. I believe that the current laws requiring background checks for everyone who legally purchases a gun are sufficient. We have addressed how law abiding citizens procure handguns – additional laws will only serve to further restrict law abiding citizens who are, again, not the problem.
With that being said, I do have to applaud Mr. Gudmundsson for thinking beyond the normal “boxes” of the gun debate. Dialog like this can only help – and I agree that any long term sustainable solution to the gun debate deadlock must come from the industry itself. When an industry self regulates, like the Scuba industry, it is always better than the heavy handed approach of legislative action.
» Filed Under 2nd Amendment
Trackback URL
Comments
Leave a Reply
