Early Monday Morning Thoughts:

In the state of Illinois (where I grew up),

one has to obtain a FOID card before buying a firearm,

one also has to go through a firearms safety course,

and has to go through a firearm concealed carry class,

before obtaining a Concealed Carry License (CCL).

And all of this is registered with the Illinois State Police.

I feel the state of Illinois has it right.

I had to do all of this before obtaining my firearm,

even though I was in the military.

Yet in other states one can walk right into a gun shop

or gun show and walk out with like an AR15.

It is like that in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma...

This is not right! I feel all states should be like Illinois.

This is what I feel we as a society across the board should do:

1. Everyone who owns a firearm should have a Firearms Registration ID.

2. Everyone before buying a firearm should go through a firearms training and safety course.

3. Everyone buying a firearm should be well vetted.

4. Everyone who wants a CCL should do the advanced firearms course.

5. We should also reenact the Assault Weapons Ban we had for 10 years.

This is some commonsense gun reform.

If we have to have a license to drive a car,

one should have one to own a gun.

Also, we should enact red laws,

and ban the manufacture of ghost guns!

In my state now, New Mexico, I applaud my governor

for trying to enact a State Assault Weapons Ban,

and enacting a waiting period to buy a firearm.

After all it does state in the 2nd amendment,

"A well-regulated militia for the necessity of a free state..."

Those who owned firearms back then were well-regulated,

and trained, as it should be now.

Those are my Monday Thoughts!

Food for thought -

remember violent crime went down 6.9 percent overall with the

assault weapons ban,

it does not seem like much, but in retrospect it was a lot.