Question of the Day: What’s Wrong With Universal Background Checks?

By Dan Zimmerman

Reader Taylor W. writes:

This coming weekend I’ll be participating in a hackathon (a long software coding competition fueled by nothing but energy drinks), and I will be working to build a proof of concept computer system (along with proposed legislation) to allow for “universal” background checks, while protecting civil liberties and privacy. Sounds impossible, I know, but trust me I’m a scientist! Well, a computer scientist, but close enough, right? As part of this plan, I wanted to get a list of the core objections that the pro-gun side has to universal background checks, which I will attempt to address. Being a gun owner myself, I have my own ideas on why people oppose it, but would love to get a short synopsis or bullet points on where the resistance comes from from a renown firearms publication . . .