Why do we, as a society, have laws, rules and regulations? Simply put, for protection of our rights, for our general safety, and to resolve conflicts. We need rules, and therefore we have them to oversee just about everything.
Most laws ask us to give up some small portion of our own individual rights and freedoms for the greater good, for the benefit of all members of our society. We agree, on the whole, to not drive our cars on the sidewalk, to not steal our neighbor's property, etc. We find such rules of law preferable to anarchy and the rule of the jungle.
Yet despite penalties for non-compliance, the rule of law offers no guarantee of compliance. People break laws all the time, even though they run a risk in doing so. But most would agree that without our laws against murder, theft, assault, etc., we'd experience far more of these undesirable behaviors, and no one would suggest such rules are useless or should be abolished just because the behavior/crime still sometimes occurs.
Perhaps not, but so what? Since when is perfection required before we do something? Laws and rules are never 100% -- they don't eliminate the undesirable, they reduce it. But the NRA and its minions keep insisting that unless gun regulation can completely stop gun violence, there's no point in even trying. This a terrible logical fallacy, total B.S., but the media never calls them out on it.
For the record, Obama's order will shrink the gun show loophole which allows many gun sellers to claim they're not "dealers" and thereby avoid mandatory background checks on purchasers. The order will also require dealers to report lost or stolen guns, and it will increase the number of background-check examiners.
And that's about it. Baby steps, but steps in the right direction. These rules harm no one and will help protect many.
Gotta problem with that?
Beware those regressives who demand "all or nothing" perfection on this issue or any other. It's a false choice.
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