That the Brady bill is no silver bullet against gun-related violence was underscored immediately after its enactment as law-enforcement agencies began grumbling about how difficult it will be to enforce. The measure calls for a five-day waiting period for anyone wishing to buy firearms, along with a background check on every would-be purchaser.
“This could be a logistical nightmare,” said Bobby Jones, police chief of Great Falls, Mont. The Associated Press reports that he’s far from alone in his worries: “Smaller departments worry about cascading paperwork; others fear that gaps in computer networks may miss some felons or deny guns to legal purchasers. . . .” How do you check for mental problems when records are sealed? How do you determine habitual drug use?
California’s experience with a two-week waiting period for gun purchases offers little reason for optimism that the five-day requirement in the Brady bill will have much effect.
When more politicians put more focus on controlling criminals rather than controlling inanimate objects we might actually get some relief from the dread that stalks our streets.
