Armed and in the Middle
Why haven't background checks at gun shows become mandatory?
Here's an example of where both sides overreach. The NRA will say, "This is an interference with legitimate citizens selling guns, and some people are going to get denied." The only people who are going to get denied at a gun show are going to be people who probably should be denied. But the antigun community wants to make all transfers of all guns subject to licensing and registration. It's foolish. There are four kinds of individuals that I would ever sell a gun to-a friend, a relative, a neighbor, or a coworker. I'd call 911 so fast if someone came to my door saying, "I'm looking to buy guns."
Could changes in the law have prevented the Virginia Tech shootings?
Every day in this country, citizens do protect themselves. When we have these so-called gun-free school zones, who are they gun free of? Of the people we shouldn't be worried about. I'm not arguing in favor of arming students but the teachers. A lot of those professors, I bet, owned guns.
Is it possible to tone down the rhetoric on both sides?
It's very difficult. The NRA has been through this before, and they know how to play the issue out until it's off the front pages. I think it requires a group in the middle. Most Americans are middle of the road on most issues, but how can you make money off the middle? There's no one to represent the best interests of the American people.
Do you think this issue will figure prominently in the presidential election?
There was already a pretty good fight months ago going on up here [in New Hampshire] on the gun issue between Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and John McCain. So it's certainly already an issue in the Republican primaries. I think there's going to be a lot more debate than I would have expected a year ago, but I think everybody's going to be hedging their bets and looking not to alienate [NRA supporters].
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