The Joy of Constitutional Conventions

I wasn't going to write any more blogs until Episodes was put to bed and available on Amazon, but I gotta take a little break. I'm on the very last edit, of five, and it's going slow scrutinizing every word, sentence and paragraph. So here it goes . . . 

The first U.S. Constitutional Convention was in 1787 in Philadelphia with the founding of America by the Rule of Law.  Article V allows for Amendments, and 27 have been ratified. I was very disappointed in '72 when the Equal Rights Amendment failed, as well as in '78 when the Voting Rights Amendment for my birthplace, D.C., also failed. (Wikipedia) Perfect examples of needed Amendments. 

It seems self-evident to me that as decades and centuries pass, amendments are necessary for American society's health and growth. I don't simply mean "changing with the times," that's to cliche. No, States do it for themselves, like N.J. in '47 making a new one. And Article V allows it for the nation. I'm not suggesting changing our 216 year-old Charter. Modifying, updating, yes, but leaving the foundations alone.

Besides the two mentioned above that need passage, one on gun laws is long overdue. We don't have militias, we have the National Guard. As all gun owners have cried out, it's not guns that kill people, people do. That's right. 

Well, there's no gun registry, so we don't know how many LEGAL guns there are, or legal owners, except for NRA past presidents and a hunter you may know. Illegal guns? Who knows. Many more. I've read estimates of between 270-300 million legal guns in America. 2012's population is almost 313 million men, women and children. So figure, how many adults in the U.S.? Census Bureau estimates 30% of pop under age 18. So 70% are adults or 219,100,000 adults who can legally buy guns, like at gun shows with no background checks.

Now, I'm mentally ill, diagnosed bipolar since '79. When manic, or depressed, suicide is a definite option and can become reality. Guns make that easy, as do car crashes or jumping off high places. So we don't outlaw cars or tall buildings, why guns? All I can tell you, being bipolar, out of my rational mind five times, once as long as nine days, well, crazy thoughts and impulses take over, some much crazier than others, like killing myself. I never wanted to commit murder, but certainly got that angry. So, how about giving me a gun? Legally no less? Or I can just buy a handgun or assault gun at Harry's Army & Navy for hundreds of dollars. Not hard to do. I'm over 18. According to NIMH, 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have been diagnosed with some kind of mental disorder. That 26% times 219,100,000 equals 5,696,600 over the age of 18. 

I think any one of those with a gun at the wrong time might cause deep trouble for themselves or for others, don't you?

Adult status is different by State, and States try to make gun laws as well as the Feds. Most laws specify punishments for assault with a weapon or murder. All too late. All after the fact. All after innocent children, teens and adult women and men are injured or dead.

So tell me, really, why is anyone opposed to gun restrictions like a registry, or background checks, or pre-qualifications?

For example, Hunters can hunt with guns, very needful in some places, like cities with overwhelming deer numbers causing accidents and deaths and Lyme's. Okay, I get it. How about a training certification beforehand? Mental health clearance? Registration? Hunting license and supervision? Like going out with a seasoned hunter the first coupla' times?

So anyway, you get the idea. 

We need Amendments. All these regulations don't have to be in the Amendment, just enough for States and cities to institute restrictions and standards.

Anyway, those are the thoughts that came to me this morning.  
Just one person's opinion, or is it?

You decide. Conventions and Amendments or not?

By Rodney Richards