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COMMENTARY: Responsible gun owners support gun safety

As a kid growing up with guns in the house, I knew some very specific rules: The gun is always considered loaded, you never point the gun at something you weren’t ready to destroy, finger off the trigger until your eyes were on target and you were ready to fire and so on. Somehow along the way, some gun owners have become lost. Responsible gun ownership meant education and safety rules were paramount. But now, these same gun owners are proving that responsibility is too much for them.

As an example, the Nevada Assembly is discussing Assembly Bill 286, which would close two significant gaps in state law that leave Nevadans vulnerable to gun violence.

First, the bill will outlaw ghost guns — guns sold as incomplete component parts, missing serial numbers and, most importantly, that aren’t required to meet safety measures like complete guns. Second, AB286 allows Nevada businesses to opt-in to prohibitions on carrying firearms on to their property. If passed, AB286 will build on the past five years of progress made by Nevada voters and the Legislature.

The detractors of AB286 say they are afraid to patronize a business that has opted to prohibit firearms on their property, and those businesses will find themselves in legal trouble. Interestingly, gun owners using this defense know every minute aspect of their firearms from the weight of the trigger pull, the rifling of their barrel and the number of grains in their cartridges. But knowing which business allows firearms onsite is too difficult? It sounds to me as if their priorities are not in order. As a gun owner, it is my responsibility to make every effort to understand the rules and exemplify what good gun ownership looks like.

Major business executives such as John McManus of MGM Resorts support AB286 and actually presented the bill with Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui — a survivor of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting on the Strip. Their ability to opt-in to prohibiting firearms on their properties may help prevent another mass shooting. But if the business chooses to keep existing practices in place, then there is nothing to worry about.

Again, the onus is on gun owners to educate themselves and ensure they follow the decisions of the businesses they visit.

Regarding ghost guns, there is no logical defense of the position they should not be banned. First, having no engraved serial number, ghost guns are untraceable when used in a crime and are not subject to the same safety measures as complete guns. Why wouldn’t I want the safest traceable firearm possible?

Then we must consider ease of access. Ghost guns are inexpensive and require no background checks to purchase. Those that would not pass a background check or have been deemed a safety risk could potentially purchase a ghost gun with no restrictions and use it to commit any number of crimes. Again, most gun owners pride themselves on being responsible, but defending this position is anything but responsible.

All gun owners are guaranteed their right of ownership by the Second Amendment. The claim of a slippery slope toward an outright ban whenever stronger regulations are proposed is quite extreme, however. The Second Amendment begins by saying, “A well-regulated militia … ” That is, a group of people who own firearms must be well-managed. It’s quite unfortunate that all tenets of the amendment aren’t given the same emphasis as the actual right to own a firearm.

Good and responsible gun ownership doesn’t mean free rein to do whatever I want. The state of Nevada has the opportunity to strengthen our laws, making my rights even stronger and protecting more people from unnecessary violence. By passing AB286, we can help ensure those loaded guns aren’t pointed in the wrong direction.

Nicholas Marquart is a safety manager from Las Vegas with more than 30 years experience in range shooting and safe gun handling practices.

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