No gun control? How about accountability?

[Robb]

http://www.policymic.com/articles/47277/gun-control-2013-yet-another-tragic-accident-involving-children-and-guns-who-s-to-blame

(snip)

Now, I know that many people are going to insist that this isn't a matter of gun control, but gun safety. Let everyone own a gun, just make sure they know how to use it properly. But how realistic is that? I'm strongly in support of having those who own guns take mandatory gun safety lessons, but I'm also willing to bet that too many people will still be careless and children (not to mention countless adults) will still die or become de facto murderers because they will get their hands on the guns anyway.

At the same time, though I think gun control is the best option, I admit that it's not a politically-popular move. The only other option that is both effective and not politically alienating seems to be to demand that those who own guns are held legally accountable for the use of that gun in a safe and responsible way. If you're old enough to own a gun, you should be old enough to treat it safely, and you're definitely old enough to know that you shouldn't leave it lying around for children to play with. And if you don't secure it and a child shoots his father, you should be the one held responsible for his death.

Thoughts? I'm reminded of the words of Berke Breathed's favorite penguin, "Accountability is un-American."

[Starboard Tack]

1. Of course, accountability is essential

I think many deaths of children, caused by adults leaving firearms unsecured, are already treated as negligent homicides. If not, they should be.
That said, accountability regarding firearm ownership should go further, in terms of reporting loss, theft and transfer of weapons, with stiff penalties for those who don't.

[Squinch]

2. Absolutely. If your gun is used in the perpetration of a crime, you should be prosecuted

for that crime. If your gun is used in an accidental death by or of a child, you should be charged with murder.

If these laws were enacted, all those "responsible gun owners" would suddenly actually become responsible.