There is no argument against Kelly's article other than falsehoods.
First, there is a gun show loop hole.
At gun shows, some of the sellers are Federal Licensed Firearms
Dealers. They are required by law to check the buyer in the NICS system.
While this does not rule out the issue of straw purchases, or the
massive holes in the NICS system, or the three-day default rule--they
are checked.
At other tables--at the same show, right next door to the ones
described above, are tables where the sellers are not Federally Licensed
Firearms Dealers. These tables also offer every type of gun for sale
that the FLFD's do. But there is no background check required. None. At
all.
In fact, the tables often have signs that read "No questions
asked". And indeed, none are asked--expect "how much", and perhaps,
"would you like a bag for that?"
This is because those dealers fall into the loophole where they have
classified themselves as "hobbyists". Such "hobbyists" are often large
scale dealers with extensive inventories, often larger than those of the
FLFDs.
They purchase guns in states with very weak gun laws--often
Mississippi, for example, or Virginia--and then sell these guns at gun
shows in states with regulations are more strict.
The Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 listed a number of categories of
individuals who, by law, could not purchase guns: Felons, the seriously
mentally ill, and so on.
At gun shows, felons, the mentally ill--anyone, in fact, can walk up
to one of these tables operated by a so-called "hobbyist"--even if he
makes his primary imcome from this "hobby"--and buy whatever gun they
want, as many as they want, any ammunition they want, as much as they
want.
With no questions asked.
If gun show sales are not uniformly required to have background
checks, any felon, anyone with mental illness, or anyone fro one of the
other prohibited categories, who could not purchase at a FLFD, will
simply go to a gun show, and buy one, or two, or three, or ten--as many
as they like--with no questions asked.
The same issue applies to guns sold over the internet by such
"hobbyists". Or in so called "transfers" that are not conducted by
FLFDs. There are no background checks--none at all--for these sales.
This is why the NRA and its cohorts are being so fervent about the
gun show loophole--which supposedly "doesn't matter", so I wonder why
they would be so strident about it.
Because as long as the gun show loophole exists, anyone who wants to
evade the background check system will be able to do it simply and
easily, and defeat any efforts at meaningful and effective gun control,
which is the goal of the NRA.
Pic from: http://www.ablogtowatch.com/astronaut-mark-kelly-interview-watches-are-necessary-in-my-profession/ via AP
