The tragedy that occurred in Connecticut, the terrible loss of life, and the ensuing pain will not heal so soon. The debate over gun control will hopefully yield some answers and point us in a direction that will prevent the recurrence.
I believe in the Second Amendment and that guns should be permitted for hunting and home protection. That being said, there is no valid excuse for military-type weapons and large-capacity magazines to be readily available — their only use is to kill.
It’s unreasonable to assume that if these assault-type weapons are outlawed they’ll be out of circulation, but I would like to offer another option. Use the same tactic that was used on cigarettes to reduce smoking. Add a tax on ammunition. A 9mm bullet costs about 12 cents. Add a dollar tax per bullet. The added tax would go a long way to reduce large-quantity ammunition purchases, and the added income would certainly help municipalities with their budgets and financial deficits.
The NRA suggested that there be more armed guards at all schools. Of course, this would introduce more guns into the school environ, but if this were to take place then perhaps we could hire combat veterans as guards. They are “pre-trained” and would help with their unemployment issues as they return home.
I don’t think that anyone has promoted the idea of total gun prohibition, but having a database of those who own should not be an issue to law-abiding citizens. New York City has mandatory jail time for possession of an unlicensed handgun with a very low gun killing rate…
Sooner than later, we’ll have to come up with a viable solution so there are no more senseless mass killings.
Alan Weinstein
Wellington
I have no doubt that Ms. Frank’s feelings are sincere…a Mother wanting to protect her child, but unfortunately, she and many like her are naive in their thinking. Statistics show that cities in the US with the strictest gun control laws have the highest crime and death rates from illegally obtained guns. People will find a gun if they want one, and more restrictions only make it harder for law abiding people to get them legally. Rapid fire assault weapons should be banned except to law enforcement and the military.
No one, including the NRA are advocating armed teachers anymore than armed pilots in the cockpit. America schools are “gun free” zones and any sick individual, carrying some sort of grudge…real or imagined, know they won’t be effectively challenged when they enter one. However, if a retired or off-duty police officer, known to be armed and well trained was stationed at each school to patrol the halls, similar to the police presence we see in our malls, banks, airports, athletic events, concerts, etc., it would be an extremely effective deterrent. I really don’t see how anyone, especially a parent, could think otherwise! Our children are our most treasured possession, yet the most vulnerable when they go unprotected into what should be a safe learning environment.
Guns are only “bad” in the wrong hands, and we need the “good guys” armed to protect us against those who should not have them. Rather than going after guns, we should concentrate our efforts on what drives these people to want to kill others, regardless of the weapon used. We should condemn those who make money from violent TV shows, movies and the sickening video games that teach children and adults killing skills. (www:Your Neighborhood Trained Killers | Main).
Our society has produced too many withdrawn, anti-social, friendless and perhaps bullied individuals who have no other outlet but to engage in hours of gaming or watching sick videos. They lose touch with the real world and lack the understanding of consequences for their actions.
Pres. Lincoln was a staunch supporter of our Constitution and would consider gun control a great loss of our freedom, as he stated in other quotes. Though Ms. Frank’s quote was accurate, she misunderstood his meaning. Lincoln was president during the Civil War and the meaning of his statement that America’s own division of North vs. South, could destroy us from within. Certainly not guns.
The fact is that people kill with guns or knives or baseball bats, or poison, or strangulation. I think Mr. Weinstein knows that but sadly his article does not address the root causes that are truly responsible for murders and other violence. Mr. Weinstein sounds like a reasonable person and if presented with all the facts I presume he might be willing to write about the real causes for mass murders, suicides, and the use of gun in the commission of crimes.
I do not agree that prohibiting guns reduces the illegal use of weapons. After Chicago’s ban on weapons was overturned by the Supreme Court, Chicago saw a substantial decrease in the use of guns to commit crimes. Robberies with guns fell by 25% while robberies without the use of guns fell by only 8%. The city saw the same drastic reduction in the use of gun assaults, while assaults with other deadly weapons fell only slightly. Chicago was safer after the ban on gun ownership was overturned.
This year, during the current depression and high unemployment, the murder rate in Chicago has skyrocketed to 500 murders. Could it be that when the economy gets worse, as it will, we will see even more guns used in crimes? I think so.
Mr. Weinstein need not look far to find statistics that prove that when law-abiding citizens are denied guns, violent crimes increase. People who are afraid of guns are not only those who want to ban guns, but also include criminals who fear for their lives. It should be intuitive, and if not a sign of intelligence to realize that guns in the hands of law-abiding people will make a burglar or pocketbook thief think twice before committing his crime. I think this simple fact dose not escape Mr. Weinstein but it apparently escaped those who want a total ban on guns.
Here is an article that you might be interested in. The way I interpret it is that more guns do not mean more gun deaths. A bad economy and joblessness cause more suicides, so we need more jobs to save lives and less regulations to save the planet.
the following are quotes from the cited article:
But, overall, there are more guns in U.S., with estimates landing somewhere around 300 million. And Winkler says anywhere from 5 million to 10 million new guns are added to the nationwide stash every year.
Every day in the U.S., 85 people are shot to death, more than half by suicide, according to Bloomberg News’ numbers. At least one of the victims under 14.
Last month, a report in the medical journal The Lancet said suicide numbers spiked during the recession. About 1,580 more people killed themselves per year between 2008 and 2010 than before the stock market tanked, the report found.
More guns doesn’t necessarily man more deaths, but some argue that it’s too easy for a madman with a death wish to get his hands on a high-powered rifle.
But, overall, there are more guns in U.S., with estimates landing somewhere around 300 million. And Winkler says anywhere from 5 million to 10 million new guns are added to the nationwide stash every year.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/gun-deaths-outpace-traffic-deaths-2015-report-article-1.1223721#ixzz2GM3Q5yrc