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Whenever the issue of firearms ownership is brought up, those on both sides dig in and there is little way to truly find compromise. Supporters of the Second Amendment often already complain that their rights have been eroded. While theSecond Amendmentmay read, Congress shall make no law the truth is that there has been legislation that limits firearms ownership including the National Firearms Act of 1934, the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986.

Meanwhile on the other side of the issue, gun control advocates have called for greater efforts to conduct background checks. Earlier this year Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) introducedHouse Resolution 127Sabika Sheikh Firearms Licensing and Registration Act, which called for at least twenty-four hours of training with every firearm an individual owns, require a psychological evaluation to obtain a license and even require owners of antique firearms to have such a license.

While it is unlikely Lees bill will be met with much support, there have been calls for a national gun registry. However, Second Amendment supporters, who naturally would oppose such a registry, may have an unlikely ally in privacy advocates.

A new study conducted by researchers at Brown University has found that an encrypted gun registry would bridge the divide on this issue. It suggests that it would make it more difficult for those legally barred from owning firearms from acquiring one, and also make it easier for law enforcement to trace firearms much in the way that automobiles can be tracked.

The study was led by Browns Seny Kamara, who began the work after staffers from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) reached out in 2018.

How successful such a national database would be all depends on whether every county in the country signs on, something Kamaraadmitted to Wired magazine couldbe a tall order.

People in different parts of the country are going to feel differently about it, so the idea was to design something like a national gun registry that could potentially be voluntary, Kamara explained.

Rather than being a true national registry, this would work as a series of non-centralized data bases, all of which would be encrypted to maintain privacyyet could be accessible to law enforcement via a physical authentication token. Such a key would ensure that officials could gain access while the general public could notand because it is encrypted, in theory it would be inaccessible to hackers.

The study did not look into a plethora of issues, such as how it would handle private sales, what information would be contained in the registry or even how data could be shared across a decentralized network. For one thing what happens if a firearm is sold or transferred to another user in a different database? How would that be tracked?

While ablockchainthat is used inbitcoin and other cryptocurrenciescould potentially play a role, it is meant to allow the transfer of digital money without disclosing the user. In this case the user and associated physical firearm is what is registered. If that firearm is sold, stolen or otherwise changes hands without updating the database the information is completely useless!

All of those facts make it obvious to see that the National Rifle Association and other groups that support the Second Amendment would remain opposed to the database. It would only servelaw abidingindividuals and put a burden on gun shops and dealers to report the transactions of the sales.

However, at this point the Brown study wasnt so much to develop an encrypted network but rather to even determine if was possible. About the best possible takeaway on this is that at least Sen. Wyden was exploring the feasibility of the technology and not writing actual legislation.

Far too often, lawmakers write bills without having a good grasp of technology, especially when it comes to encryption, Wyden toldWiredin a statement. My view has always been that making good public policy depends on knowing what is possible on the technical side. So when I had the idea to create a new kind of secure gun registry, I was hoping Professor Kamara could give me a gut check on whether this was a harebrained idea or not.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military small arms, and is the author of several books on military headgear includingA Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.

Image: Reuters.

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Encrypted Gun Registry: How to Preserve the Second Amendment? - The National Interest

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Protecting the Second Amendment in Texas was one of Gov. Greg Abbotts priorities mentioned during his State of the State address Monday night.

Local gun owners said theyre on board to maintain those rights, while some state officials want more gun reform to be done.

Some Texans, including El Pasoans, agree with the governor and want to see their gun rights protected no matter what. Some added that its important for those who do own guns to receive proper training.

Its important to everybody. Whether you realize or not, it really is important to you, Michael McIntyre, manager of Gun Central in Central El Paso, said.

McIntyre agrees with Abbotts address about protecting the Second Amendment right in Texas.

Politicians from the federal level to the local level have shouted: Heck yes, the government is coming to get your guns. We wont let that happen in Texas, Abbott said Monday night.

Any time any government has ever gotten a registry of the people who own guns, the next step was to take the guns away, and then the next step was to enslave the people, McIntyre shared. So weve seen that through history many times. I think he wants to make sure that doesnt happen in Texas at least, and I think there will be other states that follow suit.

State Rep. Cesar Blanco addressed the governors stance on gun control, and said he wants to see more sensible gun safety reform, especially after the Aug. 3 mass shooting in El Paso.

He touted that last session, he signed 10 pro-Second Amendment pieces of legislation. Id like to see the 10 that make communities like El Paso safe, Blanco stated. So youre going to have disagreements on public policy, but I think this is a matter of life and death. After the shooting, weve got to work toward better and more sensible gun safety reforms in the Texas legislation.

McIntyre said hes confident in Abbott to protect gun rights, but also urges all gun owners to practice safe gun operations, handling and storage.

The (fewer) mishaps we have as a gun community, the less likely itll be for people to point fingers at us. Of course, always fight for your rights. Why would you give up any right? It just seems counterintuitive to give up rights that youve had for so long, McIntyre shared.

McIntyre said the shop offers classes every Saturday for those interested in receiving a license to carry.

The rest is here:
Local gun owners respond to governors stance on protecting gun rights - KTSM 9 News

Anne Orso of rural Viola said she was adamantly against the resolution. Its divisive; please focus on issues that unite the community.

Supervisor Mary Henry, who represents District 17, said most of the correspondence she received was opposing the proposed referendum. Henry said she strongly opposed the referendum, and the Board needs to spend time bringing the community together.

Dodie Whitaker of Viroqua said that as a woman of color, she and her friends and family see the area as a safe haven. Whitaker said shes a pacifist, but she supports the right of gun owners to have guns. She said she opposed the resolution for safety reasons, adding that she would like to see efforts focused on mental health and economic issues.

Paul Buhr of rural Viroqua also opposed the resolution. I see no reason to further divide us with this un-Constitutional measure, he said.

Cori Wilson of Ontario said she supported the proposed county resolution. She said she owns a gun and respects and appreciates the gun laws as they are currently written. Wilson said she encouraged people to look at H.R.127 thats now before Congress. She said the resolution is restrictive. Im surprised no one is concerned about restrictions to our rights.

Jared Lasky of rural Westby also spoke in favor of the resolution, saying the right to bear arms is not a suggestion but a directive.

Read more here:
Vernon County residents weigh in on Second Amendment resolution; Board to vote Feb. 2 - La Crosse Tribune

A lot of people falsely utilize the Constitution as a shield for selfish conduct.

However, free speech doesnt mean one can yell fire in a crowded theater; nor does free speech entitle one to commit libel or slander. Freedom of assembly does not override municipal permitting processes reasonably controlling marches or parades. Freedom of religion does not let one practice polygamy, cannibalism or forced marriages.

Fifth Amendment rights can be waived, and the Seventh Amendment right to a civil jury trial, can be blocked by an arbitration clause buried on the back of a receipt.

Before District of Columbia v. Heller, 2008, no United States Supreme Court case ever held that the Second Amendment provided a right to own a handgun for residential protection. However, in Heller, Justice Scalia noted, Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.

One may feel unnecessarily constrained by a mandatory seat belt law, but that does not make it unconstitutional. Selfishly questioning the constitutionality of masking requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic ignores a states power under the Tenth Amendment to protect health, safety and the general welfare.

So when we hear the Constitution invoked to support some real or imagined grievance, we should pause and consider who the speaker is and what their motivations are.

Fortunately and unfortunately, even ignorant whining is constitutional.

Craig OlivierDurango

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Letter: Claims of constitutional rights are often wrong - The Durango Herald

Webster defines regulate as such: to control, direct or govern according to a rule, principle or system.

The Second Amendment states, A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. I assume well-regulated authorizes the governments ability to wisely determine the best way to control and direct said right.

On April 3, 2018, in a fit of rage, Nasim Aghdam used a handgun to shoot innocent victims at the YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, California. Compare that to the massive carnage inflicted by numerous shooters, also consumed in fits of rage, who brandished military- style assault weapons to gun down their prey.

Although injured, no one was killed by Aghdam. Compare that to the dozens instantly annihilated by those using military, high-capacity-style weapons.

Dont be misled by the National Rifle Association. The Second Amendment allows for regulating the possession of high-powered weapons originally intended for use in times of war. Additional regulation wouldnt be anything new. For example, machine guns and short-barreled shotguns are already prohibited.

Raymond Hult

Bountiful

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Letter: The Second Amendment allows for reasonable gun control - Deseret News