[ZTWsquared]

I don't fundamentally have a problem with registering all guns in the country ... as a society we don't seem to have too much trouble with the idea of registering pets, planes, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles and cars, and frankly I even like the idea of a renewable license for guns.

For me the concept is the same as for cars ... guns have a unique vin and law abiding citizens should be required to regularly register their ownership of a gun for entry into a database.

If need be the cops can easily identify the owner of a gun and contact them. Legally owned guns do regulary get stolen and occassionally legally owned guns are used in the commission of a crime, or are involved in a fatal accident. Same as cars ... what's the problem?

What I don't get is why this needs to cost so much. We've already got a parallel system in place for vehicles etc. that handles a lot more transactions than would be needed for a gun registry - why did we have to re-invent the frackin' wheel?

Will a legal gun registry stem the flow of illegal guns? No, of course not -- and it's a shame it was sold on the premise that it would reduce crime -- it can't and it shouldn't be expected to. Same as a legal vehicle registry -- doesn't help reduce vehicle thefts.

But IMO that doesn't invalidate the concept of registering and keeping track of legally owned guns, because the process of identifying illegal guns begins with knowing for a certainty that it is illegal - and for that you need a central database of legal firearms. And I don't see any good reason why hunting weapons or sporting weapons should be exempt from a registry.

Having said that, I agree that handguns should be banned outright and that crimes commited using a firearm should be automatically assessed a stiffer sentence.