I have a question for this group.

[flamin lib]

Suppose you are a sales clerk working behind the counter at a gun dealer.

Two people come in. One asks to handle a number of different guns, the other simply observes without comment. You do your job and demonstrate each selection answering any questions. The one handling the guns and asking questions makes a selection. The second silent passive customer then fills out the forms and passes a background check. Without purchasing any ammunition or other accessories the second customer makes payment.

Would you complete that sale? Why or why not?

[jonno99]

1. I wonder what the clerks training tells them to do... nt

[hack89]

2. No.

Looks like a straw purchase. I would notify the manager or owner and let them deal with it.

[gejohnston]

3. no. It is a straw purchase.

[DonP]

5. The LGS in my area are very vigilant on that kind of thing

They tend to err on the side of due diligence and stopping a possible illegal sale. (The fact that Mayor Daley sent out sting operations for several years may have something to do with it too.)

They are also posted; "No Cell Phone Use" to avoid people organizing a straw buy and; "English Only" in the store to avoid the same thing.

[Duckhunter935]

6. No, and I hope the feds come down on them

As long as the facts are confirmed to be as stated. It was a straw purchase and i believe against existing law.

[Eleanors38]

8. No sale would be made by me. I have a question:

Say you were the clerk.

If a prospective buyer presented his i.d., there was no suspicious 2nd party, and he/she passed the NICS, would you complete the sale? Thanks.

[flamin lib]

9. I can't answer that question without being there.

There are a number of reasons not to complete a sale beyond a straw purchase. If the individual acted uncomfortable, seemed distracted and uncommunicative I'd have to probe further as these are indicative of depression. If the prospect said, "The voices in my head said to buy this one," I'd refuse the sale even if he were laughing when he said it. If the prospect didn't answer questions about the intended use or reason for the purchase or if the answers were vague that would raise red flags.

When I went through the TABC training to sell alcohol we discussed a number of red flags. Everything from young people hanging around just outside the door to signs of even the slightest intoxication.

RKBA may be a right but buying a gun isn't.

[theatre goon]

12. "RKBA may be a right but buying a gun isn't."

By the same logic:

Voting may be a right but having access to a ballot or polling place isn't.

Having an attorney present during an interrogation may be a right be being able to contact one isn't.

The freedom of speech may be a right but having that speech actually heard isn't.

No one here supports straw purchases, obviously, but that last line is absolute nonsense.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

13. In my experience...

...a unifying characteristic of gun-control advocates is the inability and/or refusal to actually define "right".
Maybe they can't accept the idea or just don't like it.

[sarisataka]

14. It is the same logic

Conservatives use with abortion. It may be a right but clinics are not. they will legislate clinics out of existence- for "safety" reasons of course.

[theatre goon]

15. A much better example that a couple of mine...

Perhaps if I had had my morning caffeine when I posted, I might have thought of it.

I wish I could say I'm surprised at how many people are willing to toss out rights that they don't, personally, happen to approve of, with "arguments" that they would consider absolutely ludicrous if they were applied to rights that they do, personally, happen to approve of.

[friendly_iconoclast]

16. Gun control advocates often copy the anti-abortion movement

http://www.democraticunderground.com/117235299

Two peas in a pod: Abortion restrictionists and gun control advocates

[flamin lib]

17. No, Sir, it is not.

A gun dealer is NOT required to sell a gun to anyone. It is not a right.

That said, with more guns than people in the US I'm sure it's a moot point.

[beevul]

18. That sounds very 'kim davisy'. N/T

[sarisataka]

19. Could you clarify your statement

Does a gun dealer need a reason to deny the sale, such as suspicion of a straw purchase or a person who seems to be in distress, or can they simply denied for any arbitrary reason, such as they don't like the color of the buyers skin?

[theatre goon]

20. Exactly.

Just like you have a right to vote, but no one is required to issue you a ballot.

Or allow you into the polling place...

Or count the ballot, assuming your homemade one fits all the requirements, and you can cast it without entering the polling place...

See, that's the way we want it to work -- recognize people's rights, just make them impossible to exercise.

Right?

Right...?

[bolus]

10. what an odd question

what is the point of the question? are you trying to catch people here saying they would agree to doing a straw purchase?

If I asked you if you would sell alcohol to two 15 year olds that came into a store with a homeless guy and had him buy the alcohol, would you do it?

I'm failing to see the point of the question.

[Lizzie Poppet]

11. I would not. Too much reason to believe it's a straw purchase. (nt)

[DashOneBravo]

21. I would not.

Looks too much like a straw purchase.

I'd also support private sales being able to check if a person is prohibited.

[Ghost in the Machine]

22. It depends on a few things that aren't covered in your scenario....

For instance, how old is the person handling the different guns?? It could be a case of a father or grandfather buying a gift for their underage son/grandson and told them to "pick out one that you really like and want, up to a certain price, and I will buy it for you"...

Otherwise, if it's 2 obviously grown men, of legal age, thenthe answer would be "NO!", because it's an obvious straw purchase!

Peace,

Ghost