"I wrote my first thoughts on this issue in Ohio Disrict 01 in 2000 after hearing debates between Republican Incumbent Steve Chabot and Democratic opponent John Cranley support the opposing outdated 1960s positions of their respective parties. No change in policy in 40 years. The positions still have not changed.  Democrat Greg Harris was the same in 2002 and 2004. Bipartisan inflexible approaches to a solution are still incompatible after 60 years of debate. Special interest lobby money from the NRA and gun manufacturers prevents agreement on gun safety laws to avoid restraints on gun sales and commerce. Lobby activity also prevents any resolution of gun safety problems. Mass shootings continue to grow in number and severity in schools and public places. The issue of gun safety was introduced by a voter's question at the first District One debate in the 2000 election. David Groshoff, Libertarian, and I, as the Natural Law Party candidate, were not invited to participate. David and I had several fresh new ideas to solve gun safety problems. The lack of new ideas from the establishment monopoly candidates was disheartening. I propose a new approach below." Rich Stevenson

Absolute or Strict Liability:

"Absolute' or 'strict' liability protects everyone from unfenced swimming pools and from drunk drivers since laws changed acceptable behavior by owners of unprotected unfenced swimming pools or by wreckless drunk drivers. Dangerous products such as explosives are also subject to 'absolute liability' laws. Guns deserve the same treatment. We need to assign responsibility for the damages done by the negligent and intentioanal misuse of guns. Guns, firearms, are an inherent threat to human life and safety. Guns are 'dangerous instrumentalities.' #NeverAgain! We are far past the time we need to end episodes of mass murder and gun violence in America.

"Gun culture and gun ownership are totally unrestrained in our society, unlike most of the advanced nations of the world. Episodes of mass murder by guns is nearly unknown in the rest of the civilized world. The frequency of mass murder is increasing in frequency in the media rich gun culture of the United States. We can make our people safe from epidemic gun violence. Such episodes can become rare or unheard of in our schools and in public places. 

"When 'Strict Liability' on gun owners, dealers and manufacturers is passed every gun owner, dealer and manufacturer will insist on thorough 100% background checks. Gun Safety will be at its highest possible level when all 50 States have passed "Red Flag Laws," risk-protection orders, to take guns from high risk subjects who are threatening suicide or the murder of other persons. All these legal measures can be accomplished without removing Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights to gun ownership. Exposure to 'strict liabililty' will change behavior. Gun show and private sales loopholes need to be closed for the law to be fully effective." Rich Stevenson

I am convinced by the study of history that our freedom has been maintained partially by our second amendment rights to own and keep arms. That right has prevented would-be dictators from having an easy target. We must be "armed" against our own government to ensure freedom and self-government.

We no longer have a population with universal military training in gun safety, either male or female. With a population untrained in gun safety and four hundred million (400,000,000) unregistered firearms in private hands, we have a tremendous potential for disaster. In addition, "Virtually-trained" expert snipers and assassins, our own computer-game playing children, increase the disaster potential and the number of real incidents of tragic deaths in our schools and in our neighborhoods.

We need more than standard worn-out Democratic and Republican positions on gun legislation, which offer no solutions. To satisfy all sides, we need to protect and ease the ability of our citizens to own arms for self-defense and to maintain freedom. At the same time, we must do thorough universal background checks on the sale, trading or re-selling of arms to new owners. (Top of Page)

A gun safety requirement could become part of public safety studies in high school much like driver's education. Course completion could qualify the student to own a gun. The NRA also has a gun safety awareness presentation for primary school children that could save many young lives.