Editor’s note: The political opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author. Neuse News encourages viewpoints from all sides of the political spectrum. Would you like to write a political column for Neuse News? Contact Bryan Hanks at bryan@neusenews.com.

The anti-gun forces are at it again, this time proposing so-called "red flag" laws that would further hamper gun ownership. The stated purpose of these laws is to take guns away from mentally unstable people, which seems to be a reasonable goal.

But as Bryan Fischer, host of Focal Point on American Family Radio recently pointed out, these laws may be dangerous in and of themselves to mentally healthy people, as well as posing a threat to the Constitution.

For example, some 24 red flag-type laws have recently been introduced on the state level and most require some type of certification from a mental health professional which a judge can then use to confiscate someone's firearms. This is the type of legislation being sought on the federal level that would apply to all states. Most of us support better background investigations on gun purchases.

The opposition is to the red flag provisions that give a judge the authority to take guns from someone without a full court hearing with evidence presented to back up a claim of mental incapacity. We all agree the recent mass shootings are horrifying, but evidence is clear that had these currently proposed fed flag laws been in effect, they would not have kept any of these shooting from occurring.

We already have gun laws and laws required to purchase guns. There is a four-page document that must be submitted for the background checking system, and there is a waiting period before a gun purchase is approved. The saying, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people" is true. Additional fed flag laws only punish respectable gun owners.

The only solution to weaponry violence is the one that has been there since 1789, the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right of all Americans to defend themselves with a weapon at home and in public.

And look at this statistic: Of all mass shootings in the last 70 years, 98 percent have taken place in so-called gun-free zones which turn into human shooting galleries where nobody in the place can shoot back. In these zones the only ones who are gun-free are the ones who need a gun to protect themselves.

And now for some humor: Tom was in the hospital, gravely ill. The family called his personal physician and best friend to stand with them. As his best friend stood next to the bed, Tom's condition appeared to deteriorate, and he motioned frantically for something to write on.

His friend quickly handed him a pen and a sheet of paper, and Tom used his last bit of energy to scribble a note, then he died.

The friend, in his grief, put the note in his wallet and forgot about it. Two days later, at the funeral, as he was finishing a speech about Tom's life, he remembered that he still had the note.

He said, "Tom handed me a note just before he died. I haven't looked at it yet but knowing Tom, I'm sure there's a word of inspiration here for all of us."

He then opened the note which read: YOU'RE STANDING ON MY OXYGEN TUBE!