I wrote this to someone yesterday. What do you think?
I'd like to see the guns treated like a combination of the purchase of cold medicine at the pharmacy, and a driver's license. You have to show ID, get a background check; that info goes into a national database accessible to law enforcement and certified mental health professionals (MDs, PhDs, clinical psychologists, certified family/marriage counselors who must apply and be approved). Then you have to show that you qualify to use the firearm and store it properly; a written and practical test would be required. So would liability insurance in case you're careless and it's stolen and used in a crime. Every couple of years you have to renew your license and a check of that database is done at that time. If there is reason to believe that you are a danger, that info is entered into the database and red-flagged. If proven accurate, law enforcement will be empowered to temporarily remove your firearms until a hearing that shows that you're not dangerous and in compliance. We'd have to come up with a way that the owner wouldn't be unnecessarily burdened with court costs since owning the firearm IS a right.