Part 1

I read the report referenced here. While I could have been long winded (just kidding, I was) I chose a few interesting passages to illuminate here.
"At the same time, political leaders in Washington have failed to enact the laws needed to protect Americans from gun-wielding extremists."
To what laws exactly are they referring? Time and time again they say this. Yet they can never show how any laws restricting the freedoms of law -abiding citizens at the same time restrict criminal access to guns . And that is what is at the heart of the argument. They Brady campaign does not want to make it harder for criminals to get guns. They want to make it impossible for you and me to get guns. And when that happens, the criminals will be bolder, and violent crime will increase.
In their report, the use Benjamin Smith, white supremacist who went on a shooting rampage in Illinois and Indiana as an example of "our weak gun laws ." What kills me is they state that say he was not LEGALLY able to buy a gun, but exploited loopholes in our gun laws to get the guns. And what loophole was he able to exploit to get his guns? He purchased them illegally, from a man named Donald Fiessinger who was later arrested for illegal gun trafficking. I don't have the time to do the research, but it was obviously already done by the Brady Campaign, so I'm asking openly for them to show me in the law the loophole that says it's OK to buy from illegal gun traffickers. And while you're at it, show me another law that would have prevented Smith from illegally purchasing his guns elsewhere on the black market, or from gangs.
They go on to point out that Fiessinger was buying his guns from a "reckless licensed firearms dealer." The dealer later admitted they suspected that Fiessinger was illegally reselling the guns, but did not stop selling to him. This is indeed a travesty, and dealers like this should be more responsible. But the truth is that they are the minority. I have talked to several gun dealers who have flat out refused to sell someone a gun, even after passing a background check, because they suspected the gun was either a straw purchase or going to be used or sold illegally.
It is also pointed out that Fiessinger was able to purchase 72 inexpensive, small, easily concealable firearms from the dealer, and that no state or federal law prevented it. And as long as he has not been convicted of a crime, it shouldn't. Now that he has, it does. But if he wants them, 10,000 laws and all the bans in the world will do nothing to stop him. Just ask anyone who has ever smoked a joint, done a line of cocaine , or shot up with heroin.
There is a section that demonstrates what the Brady Campaign believes are laws that would have prevented Smith from getting guns. They are:
1) Closing the private sale loophole - They point out that Smith was able to purchase his guns because private sellers are not required to do the same background checks that FFL dealers do. This is partly true. The part that is wrong is the word "required." Private sellers are not allowed to do those checks. Open that system up to me, and I'll gladly, even enthusiastically do that same check on anyone to whom I sell a gun. Until then, stop complaining that I'm not required to do so.
2) Limiting purchases to one handgun a month - Like so many suggestions from the Brady Campaign, this will only limit law-abiding people's access to guns. Criminals will still buy them by the truckload if they want.
3) Strengthening Law Enforcement - Their points here reference limits on the number of spot checks allowed by the ATF on licensed dealers per year. I must admit I am ignorant as to the history and ramifications of these laws, so hopefully someone else can shed some light here. Though in principle I agree that corrupt gun dealers should definitely have the full force of the law brought down on them.
There are a few more examples of hate crime shootings, including of course, the recent Holocaust Museum shooting. Tragedies, every single one of them. No sensible pro-gun supporter will argue otherwise. But limiting my access to firearms would not have saved any one of these people.