The Gun Show "Loophole"

Close the gun show loophole says the Boston Globe, in response to gun shows in Arizona following the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords.

Those who trade firearms amongst friends and family, who under any closing of this "loophole" would be breaking federal law if they didn't run through the FBI any private transfer to even a close family member. We shouldn't criminalize actions with only the slightest potential to lead to any tragedy. Anyone who knowingly transfers a firearm to a prohibited person is already committing a federal crime. The Tucson shooter was NOT a prohibited person, and using him as an excuse to crack down on legal private sales is despicable. Bloomberg's goons need to stay in New York where they belong. Requiring background checks for all private transfers is nothing but a scheme to shut down the lawful private transfer of firearms. It would have no impact whatsoever on the dissemination of crime guns.

Ask yourself, how many guns used in a crime are used by someone already convicted of a felony? Of those, how many obtained a firearm through a private transaction? Of those, how many are obtained from someone who has any regard for the law regarding the private transfer of firearms? And of those, how many could not have found a firearm from someone not inclined to follow the law? Consider how small this number likely is, and THAT is how small the problem of the gun show "loophole" is. A complete triviality.