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The Revisiting Gun Safety in the Sportsman’s Paradise

Kris Cusanza reports

April 30,2010

The Revisiting Gun Safety in the Sportsman’s Paradise

By Kris Cusanza

April 30,2010

Gun control is a hot topic this legislative session four bills are scheduled to go before the state legislature.

The bills would reduce Louisiana’s already lax gun control policies. But one advocacy group is worried the changes may not be for the better.

The Brady Campaign advocacy group sees it a little differently.  Louisiana ranked 48 out fifty states on the Brady campaign’s gun safe state list.  The list covers more than gun injuries and includes the amount of state gun control laws.

John Lord is a licensed firearms dealer and owner of the Arms Merchant gun store in Covington. He said here in the sportsman’s paradise owning a gun is a right of passage.

“Whenever you have a group of people, a society, whether they are fishermen or hunters and they have grown up around fire arms. Their father or grandfather has taught them how to use firearms in a safe manner.  It would seem to me that it would be a safer state.”

Lord supports Louisiana open carry a law, which allows individuals to purchase and carry a gun with proper credentials. He said gun opponents are often unaware of how to properly hand a weapon and sometimes are afraid of guns.

“We have people who come in to the store for the first time to buy a gun and they literally think if they look at it the wrong way it’s going to go off. “

Covington Police Chief Richard Palmisano is a former Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agent. Palmisano said the Louisiana state laws for gun regulations mirror federal guidelines.  Violators can face either federal or state prosecution.

Palmisano said the system Louisiana has in place for purchasing weapons is up par but the problem for law enforcement is variations in sentences for offenders.

“If we don’t put out a penalty for an offense then there is no incentive not to commit that crime.”

Lord and Palmisano agree gun control is a volatile issue especially for victims and families of those affected by violent crime.

Some victims call for increased gun control laws. Palmisano said, “They [victims] feel whatever it would take to get the gun out of the hands of a criminal its worth it.”

Lord said other victims have come to his store to purchase firearms for protection.

“They [victims] feel violated. They feel like they aren’t safe.

When they buy a firearm there is a certain intrinsic safety factor to owning that fire arm.”

Lord said people often think purchasing a gun is easy. However thanks to the 1994 Brady Bill addendum to the federal 1968 Gun Control Act a person must fill out certain forms to ensure one’s ability to legally purchase a firearm.

“When and individual comes in to buy a firearm an individual must fill out what is called a 4473 form. Which asks them extensive background questions on their potential criminal background.”

Once the form is completed the information is sent to the Federal Bureau for Investigation for verification.  Then if all the information clears the person may purchase the firearm.  However, under state and federal law anyone convicted of a felony is no longer allowed to purchase carry or own a firearm.

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