Gun Control - Regulating Hairspray But Not Guns & Bullets

In the United States I cannot buy a house or a car or cold medicine or farm fertilizer without the government knowing about it and registering the purchase.  Additionally, the government is legally allowed to track the books I check out of the library as well as keep an indiscriminate record of emails and texts and cell phone calls.  Yet, the government is not allowed to require a license or registration of gun ownership and bullet purchases.  And, no one who opposes gun control legislation can explain the discrepancy.

Gun rights proponents have vociferously opposed any attempts to restrict gun ownership in any way, including the basic licensing and registration of guns and ammo.  The question is why.  The GOP - who adheres to the gun rights ideology - argues that any limits of gun ownership somehow violate the privacy of law abiding citizens.  However, what would be the problem of such citizens merely making their ownership public knowledge.  Apparently, it's a move against tyranny - which is such an extreme argument, it's tough to rationally discuss the issue.

When Timothy McVeigh blew up the Murrah building in Oklahoma City, the nation reacted quickly to prevent such weapons of mass destruction from ever being assembled and used against Americans again.  Law abiding citizens agreed to the regulation of farm fertilizer purchases.  Similar tracking has been added to the purchase of hairspray after a Denver-area man attempted to create a bomb to set off in New York City.  These restrictions have been put in place as a way to "protect us from terrorists."  Yet, the would-be terrorists could purchase thousands of guns and millions of rounds of ammunition without drawing the attention of any law enforcement agencies.

And, that's just crazy.