12/31/99

Readers: Enforce Existing Gun Laws

The announcement of the "Million Mom March" prompted many letters about gun control issues. The following is a sampling of reader opinions about this important and controversial subject.

James says: I would support the demand that laws regarding criminal use of firearms be fully implemented, no plea bargains, no reduction of time, no options but full intent of the law. We have more than enough gun control laws now, more than 20,000 of them. Even the much overrated Brady Law has only resulted in a handful of prosecutions. This is the kind of law that has been proven to be prejudicial and ineffective. Set your goals to rid the streets of the law breakers and you will get all kinds of support, including mine. I do not like the carnage anymore than you do but I will not support anything that interferes with the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Remember that the criminal element comprises only a minute fraction of our citizenry and yet they get 99% of the media attention. Time for a change there also. How about reporting the good things that happen in our world instead of glorifying the wrong-doers. When this happens, they win and we lose. The Y2K thing is a perfect example, but it sells. What a shame.

Before MMM organizers make their final agenda, they should do some homework and be honest about their intent, in order to get the kind of support that will be really meaningful and send the right message that moms are serious about getting the bums off the streets and keeping them where they belong. One way is to demand some reforms in the judicial branch as well.

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Richard writes: I used to be a gun nut until a thief stole them from me. I finally got nine of them back. Funny part was that I told the police who took them and they did absolutely nothing about it. ... I finally got him caught a year later. ... but they were stolen again after that.

In reference to the Million Mom March -- instead of using guns as an excuse for all the mayhem in our once great country, why can't we step back and take a good look at what's happening here? How can we expect anything better if we continue to elect government officials whose morals are in decline? We need to seek out and vote for honest, God-fearing individuals for public office who would help lead the people back to respectability.

Ever wondered if taking the violence completely off of television would help? I think it would. I really don't think gun control is the answer. If you take away the guns from the average citizen , you will be taking away their right and need to defend themselves from the very criminals you're trying to keep from having guns in the first place.

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James says: What exactly is nonsense about the death penalty? If person "X" kills person "Y" with a gun or other weapon, and "X" is brought to trial, convicted and sentenced to death; and the sentence is carried out in a timely manner, what is nonsensical about that? This scenario is the law as it exists in all 50 states. What could possibly be tougher than a law that exacts the forfeiture of one's life as a consequence of one's actions?

The notion that a weapon of any sort can be manufactured "safely" is ludicrous. Any logical approach to doing what MMM intends to do must include all weapons since a weapon is, by definition, a means of attack or defense.

What MMM is really about is the abolition of guns, which I don't agree with. But then, what must follow? Since many more people are killed and maimed by the irresponsible use of automobiles, trucks and ATVs, shouldn't moms agitate for safer means of trasportation, like the horse? If the deaths caused by despicable people weren't so desperately tragic and destructive, the logic of the MMM would be laughable. I would like to suggest to the organizers that they put their efforts into the much harder but more morally profitable work of changing the terribly sad nature of our society, wherein parents are so oblivious that their sons can amass the means of slaughter under their mothers' and fathers' noses.

The Egypt Air 767 that was carrying three of my friends off for a tour of the sights of ancient Egypt did not kill them; someone in one of the pilots' seats did. Manufacturing a safer airplane would have done nothing to change that.

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Gary wrote: Your efforts are well-intentioned, but our nation would be safer and better served if moms focused their efforts on ENFORCEMENT of existing gun laws. As a law-abiding gun owner, hunter and shooter, I am appalled at the Clinton administration's lack of enforcement of gun law violations - notoriously, the statistically insignificant number of Brady Bill prosecutions (the crown jewel of Clinton's gun control laws). Check the FBI and Justice Dept statistics at their respective web sites. What use are more restrictions on guys like me, when criminals don't obey the laws already passed? And if those entrusted with prosecution don't do their jobs?

Take a look into Project Exile in Richmond, Virginia, to see what happens to the rates of gun crimes once enforcement efforts are stepped up. For more information about Project Exile, go to this website.

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Gordon says: Although I am a father, my concern for child safety is on a par with most mothers. I applaud your desire to eradicate the complacency people may have on issues regarding children, but I do have to take issue with your thoroughness. When you determine an agenda for your march, please do not take the politically expedient route. We cannot afford to take a myopic approach in dealing with the negative influences affecting our children's lives.

There are many related issues that negatively affect our children and need to be addressed, but have been swept under the rug because of political affiliation. The biggest of these is violence in the movies and on television. The v-chip is a step in the right direction, but it only covers TV.

The "realism" depicted in the movies for entertainment value gives a troubled mind cause and effect for some of the terrible tragedies that have adorned the recent headlines. The movie studios and producers are reaping larger profits than any gun manufacturer, but are immune to criticism because of their political affiliation. We need to ensure that we hold everyone equally accountable. Once the mind or will of a child is bent on something destructive, the tool they use to wreak their havoc is of small consequence. They will find a way to express their hate to make a splash. The idea here is to win the battle of our child's mind before the problems manifest.

Develop a complete agenda for your march.

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Jim writes: After all of you moms disarm the country, who is going to protect you from the criminal element? Once word gets out that no one has a hand gun, what is going to prevent the rapists, muggers and murderers from having their way with you? The police?

When was the last time you read or heard about the police stopping a crime in progress? Not to knock the police, but being realistic, they just can't be in every home, on every street, in every park, and in every alley in the country.

What the media will not tell you is that private ownership of handguns results in the saving of literally thousands of lives each year. You heard about the Atlanta office shootings, right? But did you hear that an Ohio man shot and wounded a man who had killed 4 people and wounded three, on a shooting spree? The killer had eight other people on his "list," including the man who stopped the spree, his wife, and children. This incident did not make national headlines. Only the local media covered it.

It seems funny to me that the demographic group that would gain the most by owning a hand gun would be the most opposed to the right to do so. How many women could be saved from rape and murder if only they had overcome their ignorant fears and learned how to SAFELY use and store a hand gun? The fear that women have of handguns is fueled by the media and by ignorance. There are simple rules, which when followed, make owning a hand gun as safe as owning a can opener or hair dryer.

Do you really want to stop school shootings? If so, then why did you let our government hang huge signs outside each school saying, "There are no guns within 1,000 feet of this school. Therefore everyone in this school is completely defenseless and you can kill them with virtual impunity"?

That is, in effect, what the gun-free school zone laws have done. Let's ponder the Columbine shootings under a slightly different circumstance. Let's say that four or five of the teachers were armed that day. Let's say that the coach who died while waiting for medical help was armed that day. I think that he might have been able to stop one or both of the shooters. He put himself at risk by exposing himself to their gunfire in an effort to save the kids. He is a hero in my book. If he were armed, I have no doubt that he would have been able to slow, if not stop the assault.

I have a daughter in 1st grade. Yesterday, a bomb threat was called into her school. When I arrived (not knowing about the bomb threat) to pick her up and saw all of the state police cruisers in front, I nearly had a heart attack. I breathed a huge sigh of relief to find out it was only a threat. But what if it had been a shooting? Would anyone in that school have been able to stop it? No. I would feel more secure knowing that the teachers could be armed. The deterrent factor alone is worth the risk. Anyone plotting a mass shooting is going to do it where they have the greatest chance of success.

It is my opinion that more laws are not the answer. We have enough of them already. We need a public that is not afraid to defend itself. Criminals will get guns no matter what anyone does. We have been at war against drugs for 30 years. We spend billions of dollars each year to try to prevent drugs from getting into this country. But it hasn't worked. So what makes people think that if we can't stop drugs, we can stop guns?

A million moms in DC calling for gun control will have an effect, but I don't think it will be the desired effect. I think a million moms in DC are going to cause a million people to die as a result of being defenseless. Think about it, moms. What would you be able to do right now, if a man, armed with a knife, came into your home, while you and your kids slept, and wanted to kill all of you? Could you stop him? I pray that this never happens to you, but if it ever happens in my house, I will be able to stop him. I never shot a living thing in my life, but I would in an instant if my kid or I were threatened. Do you want to disarm me and make my kid defenseless too? As a mom, you have a duty to protect your kids. Does your fear keep you from performing that duty? Overcome it, for your kids' sake. Get a gun and learn to use it.

My 1st grade daughter already knows how to shoot a .22 rifle and is well versed in gun safety. She will never be an accidental victim. She knows more about gun safety than most of the million moms. If your kid found a gun in a friend's home, or in the woods, or on the playground, would he/she know what to do? My kid does. She would not be curious about it. She has already seen what they do and how they work. She knows that she is not to touch it, not to let anyone else touch it, and go get an adult. Safety does not derive from ignorance, but rather knowledge. Education will prevent accidents. Bring the kids to the range, have them taught gun safety. Satisfy their curiosity by letting them shoot. It is actually a lot of fun, and is a great family activity. Near the holidays, most gun clubs have turkey shoots for kids. They don't shoot turkeys; rather, they shoot paper targets and win turkeys! :)

At these turkey shoots, your kids will meet other kids who have learned the responsibility of gun ownership. The maturity level exhibited by these kids is astounding. The awesome responsibility that goes hand in hand with gun ownership is one of the strongest character builders you can pass on to your kids.

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George says: Gun control in this country is totally impossible to accomplish. The reason our present gun control laws are not being enforced is because there are not enough police, prosecutors, judges, jails or prisons in this country to enforce them. To create a constitutional justice system large enough to prosecute even our present gun laws would bankrupt the country. This country is in a huge trial deficit right now.

At least 85% of all criminal cases are settled in court deals instead of trials. Should even half of the people arrested demand a speedy trial (like our constitution requires) our justice system would collapse. There are millions of guns in this country. Gun law enforcement would create thousands of trials and incarcerations. 1995 Bureau of Justice statistics reported there were 1,200,000 people incarcerated in this country with 5.5 million on probation or parole at a cost of $112 billion or $430 for every US resident. It is estimated that there will be well over 2,000,000 people incarcerated in this country by year 2002, just from enforcing the present laws on the books. If you discount the fact that citizens have a constitutional right to own guns, it is still logistically impossible to expect gun laws to ever be effective. Any serious attempt to enforce gun laws would collapse our justice system and bankrupt the country. You are shoveling sand against the tide on this issue.

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Michael wrote: Do you realize that if enough people limited the FIRST Amendment (free speech) as rigidly as you want to limit the SECOND Amendment (the right to keep and bear arms), all you moms could wind up in jail for marching in Washington? It's a slippery slope when you start to pick and choose the liberties you consider valuable and are willing to sacrifice the ones you don't like. You say your gun control notions are "for the children"; I hope America's future children will be able to live in a free country, not the police state more gun control laws would create.

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Joseph says: We don't need additional gun laws. The laws that we have now have not done anything to protect our children or anyone else. The people that are affected by the gun laws are not the ones that are causing the carnage in the streets that we read about on a day to day basis. What we need is the enforcement of ALL laws that are in place now. Not only the laws pertaining to gun use and ownership but the laws that are meant to protect all of society.

We have a legal system that appears to operate on a convenience basis. We have plea bargains, Alfred doctrine, and many other loopholes lawyers use to get people that are guilty of a crime off and back on the streets to break the law again. All this in the name of expedience. It is my opinion that there is no fear of the law or punishment for breaking it. Yes, I am a gun owner, but I do not use them for destruction, and I do not hunt. I refuse to rejoin the NRA because I disagree with most of their philosophy. I do not agree with uncontrolled gun ownership, but I think that the current laws, if enforced and not manipulated by lawyers, are sufficient. We need to control the people who have no respect for the law or the lives of others. I also think that a company like SNET should remain neutral on such issues.

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Editor's Note: Beth Bruno is a columnist and the viewpoints expressed in her articles are not necessarily those of SNET Internet. We generally publish dissenting, alternative and various opinions in "Viewpoints."

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.