Snuffy Pfleger's 'plan'

Perhaps my fellow Illinois gun rights advocates have already seen Snuffy's idea, and commented, but I've only just noticed this:

GUNS ARE TOO EASY TO ACCESS!

Gun violence has risen to epidemic level across America, from Oakland, CA. to Newark, NJ [Ed. note: interesting that the two cities named are in the nos. 1 and 2 Brady-ranked states for most draconian gun laws]. The United States leads the world in firearm possession. As a result, firearms are used in 15,000 homicides, another 15,000 suicides, and 1,500 accidental deaths each year. Currently, there are a number of places where there are virtually no limits on gun ownership. Easy access to guns has caused the murder rate to rise in exceeding numbers, taking the lives of countless children. It is up to us to eliminate the easy access to guns, in order to prevent the senseless killing in our community.

Solution: Require that guns be registered and licensed the way cars are.

Rationale: Both guns and cars can be deadly. Ownership of a car requires registration. If guns are registered like cars, it would prevent unlawful citizens from easily acquiring a gun, thereby diminishing the number of gun-related deaths.
It is often said, “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people.” That mindset must be changed. People with guns kill people. It is also often said that criminals will always get guns. Not true! This is why we want to title guns just like we do cars, right from the manufacturer. The owner of every car can be traced for the lifetime of the vehicle. In fact, if a person does not transfer the title and does not report it stolen, s/he is held responsible for any accident it may be involved in. If we title guns like cars, law-abiding citizens can obtain a gun but they will also be responsible for every gun they purchase.

How would it work: The titling of guns does not interfere with a person’s second amendment rights, rather, it would stop the unlawful easy access to guns! Just as everyone must have a license to drive a car, everyone would be required to have a license to own a gun. The licensing exam would test gun safety knowledge to help reduce accidents, which are extremely common. The licensing process would also help officials weed out those who should not be allowed to purchase guns, such as felons and the mentally unstable. Like a driver’s licenses, gun licenses would have to be renewed every few years, and could be suspended for violations.

If the gun manufacturers, N.R.A. and gun control activists, all share a common desire to save lives and keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people, we should all agree that it’s time to save our children, stop the violence, stop the easy access and title guns like cars.

The problems with this idea are too numerous to catalog, and for regular readers, won't be necessary. Basically, you don't license fundamental human rights, and a gun registry is simply a gun confiscation directory for the government.

It amuses me, though, to speculate about what Snuffy's scheme would actually mean to his side. Luckily for me, it's already been summed up nicely--here are a couple examples.

On the flip side, consider the reverse situation: car ownership being subjected to the same draconian restrictions to which gun ownership is now.

I certainly hope Snuffy is a better shepherd of his congregation's immortal souls than he is a public policy advocate. Otherwise, Hell might need to expand.