[speaker001:] okay Michelle well since I started off I uh since I called in I guess I'll state my opinion first
[speaker002:] okay
[speaker001:] and uh I I guess I'd fall in the same category that I don't think there should be any restrictions I think that if unless a weapon is self-propelled or has to be towed Americans should be able to own it
[speaker002:] okay um I really don't know exactly where I stand just to be honest I have mixed feelings about it and I've thought about both positions I would like to have the freedom to own a firearm um I am currently married and that makes me feel more secure but if I were single I would definitely want to have a firearm
[speaker001:] uh-huh um-hum
[speaker002:] uh of course I think it should be locked up you know so that children can not
[speaker001:] absolutely
[speaker002:] get their hands on it
[speaker001:] I agree I think parents should be held responsible if their child gets a hold of one or either injures injures another person or or themselves
[speaker002:] um-hum definitely definitely
[speaker001:] I also am in favor of a check I I think the criminal record system in the country should be brought up to snuff so that they can run a computer check as easy as they do when you run a credit card through so they can see if a person insane or is a felon
[speaker002:] yeah right now I've heard a lot of people say that that wouldn't do any good but I really think that it makes a lot of sense
[speaker001:] I don't it wouldn't do any good right now because the criminal record systems are a mess you know I mean there really isn't any any system as such but if there were and if the government were to invest in that then there wouldn't be any problem they'd
[speaker002:] uh-huh
[speaker001:] they'd be able to identify those that shouldn't have
[speaker002:] what do you mean the criminal records are a mess
[speaker001:] well there isn't any computerized system that can tell you you know
[speaker002:] by the push of a button
[speaker001:] yeah I mean in Virginia has done it by the way reason I I'm a life member of the Gun Owners and I am sure no longer member of the NRA so I I'm kind of into this but Virginia Virginia does have an instance check uh system
[speaker002:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker001:] they do have their records within a state computerized and it seems to be working well and if it could be done on a federal basis
[speaker002:] hm are they the only state
[speaker001:] the only state that I'm aware of
[speaker002:] gosh
[speaker001:] that's done that
[speaker002:] so what has to take place them to to make this happen to other states
[speaker001:] well uh
[speaker002:] that makes a lot of sense
[speaker001:] yeah it really you know it's it should be done on a national basis because on the statewide basis you just get those that have violated state laws but
[speaker002:] you're right right
[speaker001:] yeah and some there are federal you know violators too
[speaker002:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker001:] so it would require an investment on the part of the government to to bring their records up to shape but I think it's uh probably a good investment anyway uh
[speaker002:] um-hum so you're from New Hampshire
[speaker001:] yes um-hum
[speaker002:] I'm not even I hate to admit uh that familiar with what the laws are here in Texas regarding purchasing a firearm um
[speaker001:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker002:] I guess you heard about the the massacre in that's only about an hour in fact that's where all my cousins live I used to go down there every summer
[speaker001:] oh yes um-hum
[speaker002:] so that was a real shocker
[speaker001:] you know uh in that case uh in particular that fellow that did that had owned those guns a long time
[speaker002:] yeah that's true
[speaker001:] so I mean it's not like he went in and picked them up and uh then went off on a shooting spree
[speaker002:] um-hum um-hum um-hum yeah so it um it couldn't have been avoided by you know any type of law being
[speaker001:] and
[speaker002:] uh set
[speaker001:] that's right
[speaker002:] but
[speaker001:] unfortunately whenever something like happens that happens uh people tend to blame the gun and not the person it is it's it is the person
[speaker002:] yeah this is true  yeah oh I tend to agree with you in in that I believe that that that like you're saying the majority I believe would be responsible with with the weapon and Lord knows with the crime rate the way it is
[speaker001:] um-hum
[speaker002:] we need to have something to protect ourselves
[speaker001:] yeah I feel that you should be you know you uh if you were single should be allowed to have a weapon to yourself
[speaker002:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker001:] but if it
[speaker002:] yeah I know how to use it
[speaker001:] um-hum but if there were a total ban you know who'd have the guns
[speaker002:] oh yeah oh sure
[speaker001:] it wouldn't be it wouldn't be the people who'd go to buy them honestly
[speaker002:] uh-huh yeah it would be the people that you know could get in touch with the underground or something and I mean they have ways
[speaker001:] right that's right and gun control laws don't stem them because uh they don't they don't most of the criminals don't go buy their guns uh from a gun store anyway
[speaker002:] yeah
[speaker001:] they get them through the through the black market
[speaker002:] yeah yeah you're right that's what I was thinking well
[speaker001:] well it's uh it's certainly a a lengthy subject and there's a lot of
[speaker002:] it is it's very complex
[speaker001:] there's a lot of uh discussion about it and what and now and then it becomes a heated argument in both sides but
[speaker002:] um-hum um-hum um-hum
[speaker001:] but I I've I just feel that the founders of our country the constitution people that wrote the constitution didn't intend for us to not have a means to protect ourselves either either from without the country or from within the country
[speaker002:] yeah yeah do you do a lot of hunting
[speaker001:] no I don't I used to I I used to now I'm just a target shooter yeah I used to go uh
[speaker002:] with your guns are you so do you