Ray Shamlin: Improve background checks

Guns are not the problem. It is the people who use guns to harm others who are the problem. We have background-check laws in place, but they are not doing their job. Why? Our background-check system does not keep track of all the problems that should keep an individual from purchasing a gun or rifle. Until the background-check system is fully integrated with our mental health system, our law enforcement records system and our terror watch list, there will be holes in the system that allow people to buy guns who shouldn’t buy guns.

Rather than getting on their soapbox about gun control every time there is a shooting, our elected officials need to be improving our current background-check system. Our elected officials do not need to be passing more laws to infringe on our rights as citizens. We have too many infringement laws as it is today. Adding more is unnecessary.

It is time that the rights of “We the People” are respected and honored. It is the law-abiding citizens that need to be looked out for instead of being punished with unnecessary gun control laws that benefit only the criminal elements.

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Ray Shamlin: Improve background checks."